Bay Area Manufacturing Association hosts gathering of Tampa Area Eductors

Oct. 14, 2011 - PRLog -- The fourth annual USF Young Innovator Cup judges hundreds of K-12 student invention submissions and selects 15 finalists for a live competition at the University of South Florida every February (on or near Thomas Edison's birthday).

This November 5, 2011, 11 am to 2 pm STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Educator Workshop gives educators new ideas and resources to foster creativity and entrepreneurship in their students. Participation in the USF Young Innovator Cup is an excellent student/class project that engages both student and educator to think "outside-the-box."

Steve Meitzen, President of the Bay Area Manufacturing Association, a primary sponsor for the event, noted “this outreach to educators may be one of the most efficient investments we can make to drive innovation, manufacturing and high-quality jobs in the Tampa Bay area.  The students of today will be leading us tomorrow and educators provide more than instruction, they can inspire children to see the value in science and engineering….the very tools of innovation.  

BAMA, FLATE and the National Science Foundation all contributed to the event which is limited to 150 educators in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Citrus, Manatee, Sarasota and Polk Counties.  Qualified educators may still register at www.innovationexpress.org/STEM_Workshop.aspx.

Workshop Agenda

•11:00 to 11:30 AM Keynote introduction - Dr. Richard Gilbert
•11:30 to 12:00 AM Introduction to the competition and slideshow of past events - Anton Hopen
•12:00 to 12:30 AM Lunch and networking
•12:45 to 1:00 PM Prior grand prize winners present their inventions.
•1:00 to 1:15PM Gifted Teacher and Administrator perspectives on the competition.
•1:15 PM to 1:35 PM - getting children excited about engineering - Dr. Marilyn Barger.
•1:35 PM to 2:00 PM - closing keynote on STEM education and the economy by Steven Meitzen, Bay Area Manufacturing Association President.

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Innovation Express Corporation is an IRS-recognized 501(c)(3) non-profit entity working in cooperation with the University of South Florida to foster interest in science and technology for children K-12.