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The College of Sciences and Mathematics is hosting “STEM Day: Science Explosion,” sponsored by the STEM Research and Learning Center, next Friday, February 17, for East Texas area high school sophomores and juniors.  We are expecting approximately 300 students and high school teachers from 11 school districts (including Nacogdoches and Lufkin.)  The keynote address will be given by Dr. Doug Frantz, chemistry assistant professor at the University of Texas at San Antonio, and Alum of SFA!  He will be speaking on “The Chemistry of Stem Cells.”

Students will participate in STEM activities, games and competitions designed and presented by CoSM faculty in chemistry, astronomy, math/statistics, physics, geology, and biology.  Also, activities designed and presented by faculty from computer science and forestry.  I’ve attached the itinerary and list of Activities/Discoveries and Games/Competitions, along with a list of the school districts attending.

Students will also participate in a panel discussion with professionals in STEM careers:

Byron Walker – Software Developer –

Elliott Electric Supply

Pat Oates – Civil Engineer –

Goodwin-Lasiter, Inc.

Scott Thompson – Mechanical Engineer –

Lockheed-Martin Corporation

Gregory McClain – Surgeon –

Advanced Surgery Associates of East Texas

Kristi Owens – Financial Advisor –

Turnage, Owens & Associates

Byron Walker (software developer) is currently a SFA computer science student, and Kristi Owens (financial advisor) is a 1988 BS Math Major.

Here’s the complete schedule:

STEM Day: Science Explosion

Date: February 17, 2012

8:15-9:00               Registration – Kennedy

9:00-9:10               Welcome – Kennedy – Kim Childs

9:10-10:00             Keynote Speaker – Kennedy – Doug Frantz

10:10-11:00           Activities/Discoveries I

11:10-12:00           Activities/Discoveries II

12:05-12:50           Lunch – Twilight Ballroom

12:55-1:50                         Panel Discussion / Competitions

1:55-2:50               Panel Discussion / Competitions

2:55-3:15               Wrap-up – Kennedy – Kim Childs

School districts attending:

Athens                                     Latexo

Central                                                Lufkin

Central Heights                       Mineola

Chireno                                   Nacogdoches

Hemphill                                 Spurger

    Mark E. Turner, associate professor of elementary music education for Stephen F. Austin State University, will deliver a lecture, “Spoken Language and Its Influence on Musical Compositions: A Review of Research,” from 2 to 3 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, in the Music Recital Hall (Room 160) of the Wright Music Building.

p style=”text-align: justify;”>    The lecture, which is the fourth of the monthly Robert G. Sidnell Lecture Series in Music Education, will feature research about the connection between language and music, explained Turner.

p style=”text-align: justify;”>    “Because languages differ in their intonation, their meter and whether they are time-stressed languages or syllable-stressed languages, researchers wanted to determine if these unique differences were evident in music created by French composer Gabriel Fauré, for example, as compared to English composer Ralph Vaughn Williams,” said Turner.

p style=”text-align: justify;”>    The lecture will feature representative music and speech examples from selected countries.

p style=”text-align: justify;”>    The Sidnell lecture series was established by Turner this year and is named for a former dean of the SFA College of Fine Arts.

p style=”text-align: justify;”>    Admission is free. The Wright Music Building is located at 2210 Alumni Dr. For more information, please call Turner at (936) 468-4051.