“I have truly never seen so many happy people under one roof, and that kind of community energy is hard to replicate,” Lazenby said. “AURORA is a brand-new, graduate student organization sponsored by the I-STEM Connectory and centered on informal STEM outreach, and seeing an event of this scale succeed so remarkably is deeply rewarding.”
Attendee feedback also highlighted the level of engagement and the enthusiasm of the volunteers.
Dr. Rebecca Riggs, Auburn University faculty member and parent of event attendees, praised the presenters for making STEM engaging and accessible to young learners.
“It was all incredible! The variety of topics at each table and exposure to different disciplines in STEM was excellent. I loved the intentionality that each group had with the kids and explaining what they were doing/learning. The enthusiasm about each table was contagious,” Riggs said.
For Lazenby, the evening reinforced the idea that STEM belongs to everyone, regardless of age or background.
“Jr. Mad Scientist proved that STEM really is everywhere, and that everyone, regardless of age or background, has a place in it,” Lazenby said.
One parent, Dee Adkins, summed up the evening’s impact, sharing, “This was an amazing event! Thank you to all who organized and participated. I really appreciated the excitement and energy each presenter showed to the kids. My budding scientist loved every minute!”
Source: wire.auburn.edu
