Students at the STARBASE Academy in Winchester, Va. recently received a firsthand look at what a future in engineering, courtesy of Col. Christopher Klein, Commander of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Transatlantic Middle East District (TAM).
STARBASE, a Department of Defense-funded program, aims to inspire elementary students by immersing them in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects. TAM's support of this event reflects its commitment to fostering future generations of engineers and leaders for the Corps of Engineers.
Klein, whose son's 5th grade class participated in the program, shared his experiences as an engineer and highlighted the importance of STEM education.
During the program, he introduced the students to the Corps' motto, "Essayons" — meaning "Let Us Try" — and emphasized the vital role of engineering in modern society. He touched on historic and contemporary engineering feats, from the world’s tallest structure, the Burj Khalifa, to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse, using the latter to explain the effects of aeroelastic flutter on bridges.
The students then applied the lessons learned from the lecture, using their imaginations to build popsicle stick bridges. Once completed, the bridges were suspended between two tables, and weights were added to test their strength. The students delighted in seeing how much weight their seemingly fragile structures could hold.
“I love STARBASE. It’s so fun to build things,” one student remarked excitedly.
Klein's son, sitting among his classmates, helped reinforce the personal connection that Klein brought to his presentation, as he shared his love for engineering with a new generation, including his own child. His words carried an extra layer of meaning, as he not only inspired his son but also the entire class to consider a future in STEM fields.
"This is the greatest job in the world, working at USACE," Klein said, as he encouraged the students to consider careers in engineering.
After the experiment, Klein wrapped up with a Q&A session, reminding the students that they are the future of engineering. He concluded by showing a video of modern 3D-printed houses, asking them to imagine the cutting-edge technology they could help create as future engineers.
"Our goal in supporting local events like this is to help build students’ interest in these subjects and develop future STEM leaders for our nation Klein said.