Giving back to the STEM community is a key driver that ensures a bright future for generations to come. The St. Louis AIChE Local Section has been active in promoting science and technology in the St. Louis community.
Before the entire world was put on hold due to the COVID-19 outbreak, Deepak Sharma, a chemical engineer with Bayer in St. Louis, MO, and an officer in the St. Louis AIChE Local Section volunteered as judge for the Missouri Science Bowl hosted at Washington University in St. Louis on February 22, 2020. Around 110 students participated in the science bowl from 11 schools from around the state of Missouri. Parents and other supporters from the community volunteered their time to promote science and engineering.
The spirit of the participants was unprecedented. Some of the students could compute mathematical problems faster than one would take to compute on a calculator. Some of the knowledge the budding scientists exhibited at the event was mind boggling. Such events are only financially and logistically possible due to the hard work of those volunteers who dedicate their time to both planning and smoothly executing the event.
There are several other events where St. Louis Local Section officers dedicate their time to ensure that the next generation receives the motivation and drive to progress on a career in engineering and technology. You can find more information about the St. Louis Section’s upcoming events here.
The COVID1-9 situation was no barrier to the events that were already planned. On April 29, Janie Brennan, Earl Beaver, and David Haselbauer judged projects to award the Section's Special Awards at the Greater St. Louis Science Fair. Because of the pandemic, it was entirely in an electronic format this year. Awards were presented to the following students for their projects:
- “Four Problems, One Solution” — Anushka Rawat and Karyss Vedder, Parkway South High School, Grade 9
- “Role of Surfactants in the Synthesis of Nanoporous Gold” — Skye Kelly, Gateway Science Academy, Grade 9
- “A Novel Approach to Eliminate 1,4 Dioxane through the Development of a Resin-based in-home Water Filter System” — Arya Bhushan, Ladue Horton Watkins High School, Grade 10
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