Supported by a $75,000 contribution from Honda, UAB’s Science on a Roll in Next Generation: Providing Hands-On Experiences (SOARING) program will expand to six east Alabama counties starting in October.

An enduring investment in Alabama’s students and future workforce, SOARING is designed to introduce high school students to potential careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) fields. Through three distinct learning modules covering a range of subjects—brain processing, new approaches to diabetes, and biofuel synthesis—SOARING offers students the opportunity to connect with peer mentors and engage in scientifically rigorous, immersive learning experiences.

Following an introduction by a professional researcher, each module will feature students conducting a hands-on STEM experiment, making a visit to a cutting-edge UAB lab, and meeting a current UAB student—typically with a similar background to the visitors—to discuss their personal journey to pursuing a STEM field at UAB.

“Initially, only 20 percent of high school students show STEM career interest,” said Michael Wyss, Ph.D., professor and director of the UAB Center for Community Outreach Development (CORD), which has worked to advance K-12 science education in Alabama since 1998. “After hands-on STEM experiences, more than 50 percent desire STEM careers, understanding STEM's broad applicability.”

Currently serving Jefferson, Cullman, Shelby, Tuscaloosa, and Walker Counties, SOARING will be able to expand into Calhoun, Clay, Coosa, Etowah, St. Clair, and Talladega Counties thanks to Honda’s partnership.

“For more than 65 years in the U.S., Honda has been committed to making positive contributions to the communities where our associates live and work,” said Bobbie Trittschuh, manager of charitable giving at American Honda Motor Co., Inc. “Our contribution to the SOARING program will help expand STEM education opportunities to students in east Alabama and builds on our mission to help all people fulfill their life’s potential.”

The initial catalyst for the expansion was a successful partnership with Gadsden Community College that brought students from eastern Alabama to CORD’s Summer Science Institute. According to Wyss, seeing students’ and teachers’ enthusiastic response to engaging in hands-on research “underscored the untapped potential within the eastern counties of Alabama.”

“We have had an overwhelming response from administrators, career coaches, and teachers in East Alabama counties eager to participate in the SOARING program,” said Kevin Jarrett, director of SOARING. “It's exciting to see such enthusiasm for bringing innovative STEM opportunities to students in this region.”

In the six counties that will be served by SOARING’s expansion, math proficiency ranges from 12.5 percent to 31.7 percent, and on average, less than 18 percent of adults have attended a four-year college. Confronted with these generational obstacles, Wyss cited the need for accessible learning opportunities and role models in STEM who can demonstrate that students in these counties can realistically aspire to achieve not only a bachelor’s degree, but also a professional career in these fields.

“Our vision is to immerse high school students in these interactive STEM experiences, igniting their passion for science and technology while equipping teachers to enhance their STEM education instruction,” Wyss said. “We anticipate annually bringing about 1,500 students and 30 high school science teachers to UAB to engage in a one-day, hands-on STEM experience—a total of approximately 45 trips per year.”

SOARING is building on a foundation of more than two decades of successful K-12 science programming from CORD. Every year, CORD programs attract approximately 3,000 high school students hoping to engage with STEM learning experiences, as well as teachers seeking professional development opportunities.

“Of the students who have completed similar CORD programs, nearly all have advanced to college, and a remarkable 89 percent have successfully attained a Bachelor of Science or Arts degree within six years,” Wyss said. Roughly 30-40 percent of CORD participants end up applying to UAB for their undergraduate studies.

In the process of fostering these students’ sense of belonging in STEM fields, Wyss hopes that SOARING will assist in creating a large, motivated, skilled labor force who will oversee the expansion of industry and medicine in east central Alabama.

"SOARING is a wonderful opportunity for local teachers and their students to experience all the ways in which the College develops scientists," said Kecia M. Thomas, Ph.D., dean of the College of Arts and Sciences. "My hope is that visitors come to appreciate the diversity of science from questions asked to populations studied to methods used. I am looking forward to watching how SOARING broadens the reach of the College's science community beyond campus and increases its impact on building a generation of students who come to see themselves as scientists in their daily lives."

For more information on SOARING and UAB’s efforts to promote STEM education in the community, visit the Center for Community Outreach Development website.