This year’s 5th annual Science, Technology, and Engineering Day, hosted at the GW Virginia Campus for Loudoun County public high school students, features explorer and oceanographer Dr. Robert Ballard as the luncheon speaker.
Dr. Ballard, an “Explorer in Residence” at National Geographic, discovered the sunken RMS Titanic using the latest in underwater exploration technology and deep diving robotic submersibles, much of which he assisted in developing. His pursuit of shipwrecks is creating the new field of archeological oceanography through his discovery of the Bismarck, the Lusitania, John Kennedy's PT-109, and numerous ancient shipping vessels.
Dr. Ballard began his career exploring and mapping the ocean floor. In doing so, he discovered the existence of hydrothermal vents at the Galapagos rift and at the Juan de Fuca Ridge, and an abundance of plant and sea life never before identified.
To bring the wonders of scientific discovery into the classroom, Dr. Ballard created The Jason Project, now headquartered at the GW Virginia Science and Technology Campus. A pioneer of distance learning and an active proponent of STEM education, he has developed telecommunications technology that allows school children worldwide to follow his explorations live.
GW’s annual Science, Technology, and Engineering Day brings approximately 150 Loudoun County public high school students and their science teachers to campus where they select three workshops led by GW faculty and graduate students. Workshops give students hands-on experience programming robots, analyzing DNA, using medical technology, and solving cyber crime, to mention just some of the 8 workshops offered.
This year’s Science, Technology, and Engineering day is scheduled on Friday, April 8, 2011, at the GW Virginia Science and Technology Campus. For more information, call Corporate and Community Relations, 703-726-3650.