Grand Traverse Area Update

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Michigan Tech Sets Sail in Traverse City

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by MyNorth/Traverse Magazine Staff and MyNorth Custom Studios for Michigan Technological University | Nov 21, 2023 

Since cutting the ribbon on its Traverse City research workspace in October 2021, Michigan Technological University (MTU) has embarked on a variety of educational and research initiatives in the Grand Traverse region—and that’s good news for area organizations and students.

As Michigan Tech works to nest into its new Traverse City home, leaders are harnessing efforts to foster economic growth and amplify the area’s growing entrepreneurial ecosystem. Michigan Tech has partnered with Northwestern Michigan College (NMC), Discovery Center & Pier, Traverse Connect, and 20Fathoms to develop the Freshwater Research and Innovation Center, which will establish the Grand Traverse Region as a hub for innovation in freshwater research and education.

In fall of 2022, Grand Traverse area residents gained access to Michigan Tech’s esteemed graduate education through the new TechMBA® program. The two-semester, 30-credit program offered through Michigan Tech’s Global Campus includes two options. Students can meet as a cohort at Michigan Tech’s Traverse City Research Workspace to remotely attend evening classes taught in Houghton, or they can enroll in an all-online course to be completed at their own pace. 

Read more on what Michigan Tech is accomplishing in the Traverse City region at: Michigan Tech Sets Sail in Traverse City

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Hydraulic Arm Activities Summer STEAM Class

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Michigan Tech’s Traverse City Research Center will be collaborating with the Engineering Academy to offer another exciting STEAM program for Traverse City youth! This course will be offered for students from 7th to 12th grade, and will engage students in a variety of challenges pertaining to building and operating their very own cardboard hydraulic arm.

Over the course of 4 days, students will participate in a project to design a hydraulic structure to mimic an animal, perform an action, or do a task using the power of hydraulics. Students will learn the basics of hydraulic mechanisms, use creativity to design their own unique structure, and then construct their design using cardboard, tubing, syringes, and art supplies. The class will be taught by Jay Meldrum, faculty member of Michigan Tech, with the help of Michigan Tech students.

This course will be held through the dates of August 7th to August 10th from 9 am to 12 pm. Classes will be held at the Engineering Academy in Traverse City (880 Parsons Rd, Traverse City, MI 49686). A course fee of $50 is required for materials. All materials including art supplies, tubing, syringes, and cardboard building materials will be provided. The contribution of extra cardboard is much appreciated, however. At the end of each course, students will be able to keep their creations!

Sign up now! For more information or questions, contact Jay Meldrum at jmeldrum@mtu.edu or 906-281-1069.

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Summer STEAM Program: Learn How to Program an Arduino Glowing Cloud!

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Summer STEAM Classroom Activities

Summer is a wonderful time for kids to practice innovation, collaboration, and creativity! In partnership with Traverse City Area Public Schools (TCAPS), Michigan Tech will be offering another STEAM program for Traverse City youth. This course will be offered for kids from 7th to 10th grade, and will teach students how to program LEDs to create their very own glowing cloud light show!

The goal of this project is to introduce STEAM, a combination of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics to the youth of Traverse City. This program focuses specifically on the technology and art aspects of STEAM. Over the course of 4 days, students will learn how to program an Arduino microcontroller for a string of multicolor LED lights with its own unique color pattern. Students will then design a cloud structure using paper lanterns wrapped in cotton, and put it all together as a completed floating piece of art. The class will be taught by Jay Meldrum, faculty member of Michigan Tech, with the help of Michigan Tech students.

Arduino Glowing Cloud Lamp Created at MTU Summer STEAM Program

Suggested grade level:

This course is recommended for kids from 7th to 10th grade. No prior programming experience is required, as this is an introductory level program!

Learning goals:

  • Learn how to program an Arduino Uno using the Arduino programming application.
  • Learn how to write code to instruct the WS2812 LED strips to light up in their own unique color patterns.
  • Be creative! Create your own unique cloud structure to wrap the LED strip around. Choose different LED light settings for a variety of possibilities.

This four day course will be held through the dates of July 31st to August 3rd from 8 am to 12 pm. Classes will be held at the Sabin Data Center in Traverse City (2075 Cass Rd, Traverse City, MI 49685). A course fee of $50 is required for materials. All materials including computers, Arduino Uno microcontrollers, LEDs, and cloud building materials will be provided. At the end of each course, students will be able to keep their Arduino Uno and their Cloud creation!

Sign up now! For more information or questions, contact Jay Meldrum at jmeldrum@mtu.edu or 906-281-1069.

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STEAM program in Traverse City

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Michigan Tech is now offering a summer STEAM course for kids from 7th to 10th grade in Traverse City. This course will teach students how to program LEDs to create their very own glowing cloud light show!

The project:

The goal of this project is to introduce STEAM, a combination of science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics to the youth of Traverse City. This program focuses specifically on the technology and art aspects of STEAM. Over the course of 4 days, students will learn how to program an Arduino microcontroller for a string of multicolor LED lights with its own unique color pattern. Students will then design a cloud structure using paper lanterns wrapped in cotton, and put it all together as a completed floating piece of art. The class will be taught by Jay Meldrum, faculty member of Michigan Tech, with the help of Michigan Tech students.

Suggested grade level:

This course is recommended for kids from 7th to 10th grade. No prior programming experience is required, as this is an introductory level program!

Learning goals:

  • Learn how to program an Arduino Uno using the Arduino programming application.
  • Learn how to write code to instruct the WS2812 LED strips to light up in their own unique color patterns.
  • Be creative! Create your own unique cloud structure to wrap the LED strip around. Choose different LED light settings for a variety of possibilities.

Timing:

  • Two courses will be offered throughout the summer:
    • The first class will be taught from July 10th to July 13th
    • The second class will be taught from July 24th to July 27th
  • Both courses will take place over 4 days and will take place from 9 am to 12 pm.

Requirements:

  • A course fee $199 is required for each 4 day program.
  • All materials including computers, Arduino Uno microcontrollers, LEDs, and cloud building materials will be provided to students.
  • At the end of each course, students will be able to keep their Arduino Uno and their Cloud creation!

Sign up now through NMC’s youth programs page!

For more information or questions:

Contact Jay Meldrum at jmeldrum@mtu.edu or 906-281-1069.

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Michigan Tech STEAM Programs

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Michigan Tech has a new facility located in Traverse City, Michigan. Currently, a STEAM program is being launched through this new facility.

What is STEAM?

STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math. STEAM has always been here but was always called STEM.

The Importance of having Art

A common shortfall in many schools is the lack of funding and interest in the visual arts. This is a shame considering that it is an important part of everyday life. You can find art in everything you look at, whether its the cars that drive, the Lego’s you build, down to the simple way your shoelaces look.

Current STEAM Lesson

The Glowing cloud

The goal of this lesson plan is to teach and focus on the Technology and Art aspect of STEAM.

In this lesson you will make your very own glowing cloud by using STEAM. You will learn how to program and code an Arduino Uno, learn how to program a WS2812 LED strip to create a light show, and learn how to turn it into art.

Other STEAM Lessons

Painting with pH levels

This lesson focuses on the combination of Science and Art. This lesson will teach you about pH levels, how these pH levels are present in every day life, and using chemical reactions to paint a pretty picture.

Cardboard Automaton

This lesson focuses on the combination of Engineering and Art. This lesson will tech you about measurements, ratios, gears, and much more. You will also learn how to make a cardboard creature come alive with what you learned.

Drawing with Graphs

This lesson focuses on the combination of Math and Science. This lesson will teach you about graphs, equations, and how to graph with a calculator. You will learn how to draw with equations.

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