COSAM News Articles 2019 April Dean’s Leadership Council Has Fun Touring SCORE Facility

Dean’s Leadership Council Has Fun Touring SCORE Facility

Published: 04/30/2019

By: Carla Nelson

Members of the College of Sciences and Mathematics (COSAM) Dean’s Leadership Council recently visited Auburn during the council’s Spring two-day meeting and had the opportunity to learn about educational initiatives through the Southeastern Center of Robotics Education (SCORE).

The Dean's Leadership Council is a network of alumni and friends who believe in enhancing and promoting the sciences and mathematics mission of the college. The members visited the center, which is located inside Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum, and received first-hand experience working with the center’s robots, drones and 3D printers.

The council members enjoyed creating 3D Auburn University logos, tiger paw prints and more with the center’s 3D printers. Dr. Jennifer Spencer assisted the members with learning to use the printer. She told them the strategy is having a steady hand and using continuous motion.

“It’s a lot like using a hot glue gun,” she said. “It takes a lot of practice.”

Instructor Frank Ware and student worker Omar Zuaitur demonstrated robots, and Ware helped the members learn how to operate them.

Student worker Hunter Terry demonstrated how to fly a drone and helped some of the members learn to do so.

“Drones are a great way to teach about the basics of aviation,” Terry told the council members. “They’re really a simple machine, the way they work, but you can teach some of the basis of physics. One of the biggest things we do is use them for coding. It’s a great way to teach coding through a physical activity. In my experience, students have always loved to code something and watch it physically move, especially something cool like a drone.”

Council member Jane Upshaw, a 1969 and 1971 COSAM graduate and endowed scholarship donor, said she was impressed with the SCORE facility and educational resources.

“It puts Auburn and COSAM into the 21st century of education,” she said. “The connectivity to K-12 is critical in so many ways. Of course it’s a great recruiting tool for Auburn to be able to get the best and the brightest because those kids will be excited about this, but it’s a great inspirational tool for students as well. It shows them the value of baccalaureate education and that is so powerful. I’m so proud to be a part of it.”

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