STEM Offers Two Transitional Summer Courses

Keaholoa STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics), in partnership with the University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo‘s Title III Program (HCOP — Health Careers and Opportunities Program), offers this summer two new transitional courses for incoming and currently enrolled UH Hilo and Hawaiʻi Community College students.

"What‘s different about these two courses is that they are intensive and they promise to help students gain knowledge and to experience greater success in advanced level mathematics, chemistry, and physics courses," said Dr. Sonia Juvik, director of Keaholoa STEM.

UH Hilo faculty and affiliate staff have designed each course to include a combination of lecture, lab, exercise and tutorial activities. Advanced science and mathematics majors will serve as tutors and mentors. Field trips and cultural activities are included as a part of the total course experience. Limited tuition scholarships will be available through STEM and other partners for Native Hawaiian applicants and other students in underrepresented groups in science.

Both courses are designed for students who are preparing themselves for careers in science, mathematics, computer science, engineering, medicine and related health fields.

The courses to be offered are:

NSCI 198 (3 cr.) Foundations in Mathematics and Chemistry. June 14 - July 9. (Application Deadline: April 15, 2004). This four-week course will provide students with practical experience in understanding the connections between mathematics and modern science, especially chemistry. Students will engage in laboratory experiments and exercises, analyze data and draw conclusions using modern mathematical strategies. A portion of the course will be devoted to improvement of scientific writing skills. Instructors are Dr. Olga Cordero Brana (Mathematics Dept.), Dr. Colby Foss (Chemist at Trex Hawaiʻi), Dr. Seri Luangphinith (English Dept.).

Observing the World through The Physics-Math Connection (Nānā Pono ko kākou Honua) (Non Credit), July 12 — 30. (Application Deadline: April 30, 2004). The instructors will help students to develop mastery of the basic principles of mechanics and the mathematics used to describe them. The instructors are Mr. John Hamilton (Physics/Astronomy Dept.) and Ms. Erika Bernstein (Mathematics Dept.).

The Keaholoa STEM Program is funded through a grant from the National Science Foundation‘s Tribal Colleges and Universities Program. The courses are funded by federal grants that target minority groups that are underrepresented in the STEM disciplines and health science careers. Preference will be given to qualified students from the targeted groups.

For more information and application materials, write to keaholoa@hawaii.edu or see http://www2.hawaii.edu/~keaholoa/.

For more information, visit: http://www2.hawaii.edu/~keaholoa/