IMSA Innovation Hub – Carbondale
In July 2024, IMSA opened its first Innovation Hub on the Carbondale campus of Southern Illinois University. This hub is a partnership between IMSA and the University’s STEM Education Research Center. The Hub serves the southern counties of Illinois by enacting IMSA’s legislative mandate to stimulate excellence in K-12 math and science education across the state. The hub provides STEM enrichment opportunities to students through summer camps and special events. It supports teachers by providing professional learning opportunities through workshops, conference presentations, and the publication of free, innovative lessons.
Fall Programs
Workshop for Educators – STEM Along the Highway
This professional development opportunity is for educators in Western Illinois leading classes in grades 5-10. Friday, November 21st from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm at Lewis & Clark Community College in Godfrey, IL. Learn about the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics of highway design and construction. Gain access to free curricula for your classroom.
More Details on this and other events from ROE 40 here.
Register for STEM Along the Highway here.
Spring Programs
IMSA is bringing PROMISE to the Carbondale area this Spring on Saturday mornings from 9:00 am to Noon in February through May. This is an opportunity for students in 8th-grade to experience engaging math, science, and engineering activities. Activities will be held on the campus of Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. Contact Patrick Young at pyoung@imsa.edu for more information.
Summer Programs
Summer Research Academy
is for students entering grades 10-12, and runs through most of June. SIU and IMSA are hosting a residential learning experience in which students engage in authentic research under the guidance of SIU faculty. A range of topics is available and students will submit their top choices when completing registration.
Schedule:
- Week 1 (40 hours), Remote: Students work under the guidance of their respective research professors to complete a review of literature to gain the requisite background knowledge to participate in hands-on science during weeks 2 and 3.
- Weeks 2-3 (80 hours) – In Person at SIU Campus: Students work with their respective research professors to conduct hands-on data collection, analysis, and interpretation of results. Additionally, students will have a full schedule of extracurricular activities throughout their stay at SIU.
- Week 4 (40 hours) – Remote: Students work under the guidance of their respective research professors to complete an academic poster to use as a visual aid to present and publish individual research findings.
Sensory Engineering Camp
is for students entering grades 6-8. This camp integrates biology, engineering, and computer coding for five half-days in July on the campus of SIU in Carbondale.
Farmers and field biologists use multiple senses when assessing plant health. Some of this sensing can be automated using programmable machines. Students will learn about the function of the human sensory systems and create devices to duplicate these processes using electronic sensors and tiny computers (micro:bits) which students will program using a simple form of block-coding. By the end of the week, each student team will have created and programmed a device to scan a plant leaf, identify common problems, and recommend the appropriate corrective action.
Schedule: 8:30 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. Monday through Friday
