Battelle Savannah River Alliance, LLC (BSRA), the manager and operator of Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL) awarded $125,000 in SRNL K-12 Catalyst Grants for STEM Education to Central Savannah River Area (CSRA) schools to advance activities and programs relating to science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).

Grants of $2,500, $5,000 or $7,500 were awarded to 29 teachers at schools in the Georgia counties of Burke, Columbia Lexington and Richmond, and in the South Carolina counties of Aiken, Barnwell, Edgefield and Orangeburg, during a recent reception at Newberry Hall in Aiken, South Carolina.  The Battelle Foundation Fund at The Columbus Foundation provided funding for the grants, which will impact more than 6,200 students in the CSRA this year.

“At SRNL, we put science, engineering, technology and math to work every day in providing solutions to complex problems facing our society,” said BSRA President and SRNL Laboratory Director Vahid Majidi.  “We know the young people of today will provide solutions to the problems our world will face in the future.  These grants will help provide a basic foundation and interest in STEM – critical to the future wellbeing of our society.”

The grants will fund myriad STEM-educated projects, including those relating to robotics, the environment, virtual reality, 3-D printing, radio electronic and satellite technology, astronomy, agriculture, biotechnology and civil engineering. 

“Students’ engagement and awareness of careers and skills surrounding STEM will prepare my students for tomorrow’s world of STEM and cultivate life-long computer skills that students will need to be prepared for jobs in our technology-driven society,” said Jennifer McBride-Donaldson, STEM teacher at Richmond-Hill K-8 School.  McBride-Donaldson’s grant will support her “Coding with Ozobot Robot” project at Richmond Hill, which allows students to design, invent and explore the world of programing and coding using robots.

At Lakeside Highschool in Columbia County, teacher Christopher Wyant will use the grant to acquire 3D scanners and printers for students to develop their own custom bicycle handlebars. “This grant means a lot to the students here at Lakeside High School,” said Wyant. “The addition of 3D scanners and 3D printers will allow students to use new additive manufacturing techniques to create customized, irregular products to solve real-world problems.”

Christie Palladino, a teacher at the Aiken County Career and Technology Center will use the grant for the project “Reach OUT for STEM: Integrating Equitable Laboratory Experiences.” The project seeks to educate students about the life sciences by outfitting a portable laboratory to enable an outreach curriculum of K-12 modules.  The modules incorporate life sciences content, biotechnology applications, and mathematical principles in data analysis and/or modeling. “By providing STEM outreach labs, we are introducing students to biomedical career fields as well as building their laboratory skills,’ said Palladino.  “The mobile lab kit that we will purchase with this grant will enable us to take cutting-edge science to students throughout the district, regardless of location or age.”

An impartial panel of SRNL scientists, engineers and leaders judged each grant submission based on a K-12 Catalyst Grant Rubric with the following six categories:

• Clear description of the project

• Real-world application

• Connection to STEM curriculum

• Purpose and goals

• Budget description

• Sharing – how lessons will be shared

The names of teachers and schools were omitted from the selection process and the judges graded each project submission using only the rubric’s six categories. 

The SRNL K-12 Catalyst Grants for STEM Education is one portion of SRNL’s educational outreach efforts.  In addition to the grants, SRNL offers:

• Behind the Science Virtual Tours - A Behind the Science Virtual Tour takes students on immersive adventures, exploring the scientific wonders and essential business functions of SRNL from the comfort of their own classroom seats.  Students also have the opportunity to ask SRNL staff questions in a live Q&A session. Virtual tours are available for those in grades 6-12 from October through March.  

• Nuclear Science and National Engineers Weeks - During Nuclear Science Week in October and National Engineers Week in February, exclusive STEM kits are available for teachers to delve into these fields. The STEM kits are designed to introduce students to nuclear science and engineering through interactive activities, fostering a deeper understanding and appreciation of STEM. STEM kits are delivered to each participating schools and teachers.

• Interactive Classroom and Community Demonstrations - SRNL volunteers work closely with educators across the CSRA to deliver captivating interactive demonstrations and career conversations throughout the school year. These experts engage students with captivating experiments, leaving lasting memories and igniting students’ passion for learning.  

To receive updates about SRNL educational outreach opportunities - virtual tours, STEM kits, interactive STEM demonstrations – visithttps://survey.alchemer.com/s3/7414269/SRNL-in-the-Classroom.