Wednesday, August 7, 2024
Courtesy of OSU News Since 2021, over 40,000 students ranging from pre-K through 12th grade have been provided with engaging, hands-on activities that inspire and prepare them to pursue career paths that are vital to the nation’s safety.
OSU CEAT K-12 STEM program making an impact across Oklahoma Courtesy of OSU NEWS
Oklahoma students. In 2021, Dr. Paul Tikalsky, Regents Service Professor and Don and Cathey Humphreys EnLouie Lopez, director dowed Chair, was awardof Department of Defense ed $6 million, the largest Science, Technology, En- university grant in the Nagineering and Math from tional Defense Education the Office of the Under Program from the U.S. Secretary of Defense for DoD. Since then, over Research and Engineer40,000 students ranging ing, visited the College of from pre-K through 12th Engineering, Architecture grade have been provided and Technology’s STEM with engaging, hands-on program this week to ex- activities that inspire and plore what opportunities prepare them to pursue Oklahoma State Univercareer paths that are vital sity was providing for to the nation’s safety and
success. The Department of Defense employs roughly 300,000 STEM professionals across the United States. “We are committed to building our nation’s future, and that starts with investing into the youth of our communities,” Lopez said. Several OSU alumni came to speak with Lopez, sharing how OSU led them to a successful career and seeing what the DoD STEM grant was allowing the university to
offer to the next generation. CEAT’s K-12 DoD STEM program offers camps and outreach opportunities across Oklahoma. Lopez toured three of these during his visit this week. One camp was held at the new Garden Oaks Community Center. This center is run by the Alpha Community Foundation of Oklahoma, a nonprofit organization established by members of the Beta Eta Lambda Alumni Chapter of Alpha Phi
Alpha Fraternity, Inc. The 21,000-square-foot building was acquired in July 2021 and has undergone significant renovations thanks to generous community members’ monetary and labor donations. The center is designed to offer civic engagement, educational outreach, health and wellness, and community service to the northeast Oklahoma City community. The center was buzzing with students working on catapults, jumping robots and even building
FM radios. Councilwoman and Senator-elect Nikki Nice expressed gratitude for the partnership between the Garden Oaks Community Center and CEAT. “What is happening here speaks to the lives that have been changed and will continue to change through programs like these,” Nice said.
See STEM on page 4
OSU engineers achieve first-of-its-kind sample collection using UAS Courtesy of OSU NEWS
Just as a runny nose, warm forehead or body aches can indicate a person’s well-being, researchers can detect details concerning a dolphin’s well-being through an exhaled breath. As you might imagine, collection of a dolphin exhalation is likely harder than it sounds. However, a group of researchers from Oklahoma State University’s Oklahoma Aerospace Institute for Research and Education – along with biology researchers from Stephen F. Austin State University and members of Dolphin Quest, an organization dedicated to creating meaningful connections between people and dolphins – did just that using an unmanned aerial system (UAS)
The recent first-ofits-kind breath sample capture, made at Dolphin Quest’s Hawaii location, is part of ongoing research efforts, started in 2019, to observe and document health and stress levels in dolphins affected by human disturbance. “We’ve recently had success in the collection of mucus from a dolphin, using an unmanned aerial system during a field test at Dolphin Quest Hawaii,” said Dr. Jamey Jacob, director of OAIRE. “The breakthrough demonstrates that sample collection is feasible using a UAS that has little to no impact on the animal.” The system used for sample capture has been through several iterations, overcoming performance obstacles and determining the vehicle See UAS on page 2
Bruce Waterfield/OSU Athletics Justin Kirkland is one of the defensive linemen whom OSU will need a surge from this season.
OSU football position preview: Defensive line ma State football position groups during the next four weeks. Next up: the offensive line.
Daniel Allen Staff Reporter The O’Colly is previewing the eight Oklaho-
Mike Gundy hasn’t shied away from his perception of his team’s defensive line depth in 2024. The Oklahoma State head coach is adamant that the Cowboys’ defen-
sive depth in the trenches is immense. “I know we have depth at that position,” Gundy said. “I don’t know how deep — I guess we’ll have to see. But I’m confident with the depth and (experience) I know that we do have.” To Gundy’s credit, OSU returns 21 starters from its 2023 roster, the
most in college football. That includes nine starters on defense and two on the defensive line. The unit is unequivocally among, if not the most experienced, in the sport. But is it deep enough? In 2023, Gundy hired Bryan Nardo from See Football on page 5