Welcome to Kids' Tech University!™
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Kids' Tech University (KTU)Tm is a semester long educational research program at Virginia Tech with one primary goal – sparking kids' interest in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM disciplines). Designed for children between the ages of 9 -12, the program offers:
• Dynamic and age-appropriate lectures given by researchers from the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics fields
• Exciting hands-on activities that encourage kids to transform learning into doing
• Engaging virtual labs to accompany the lectures, giving kids the opportunity to actually practice the lecture concepts
The program can accommodate 450 children living within a four-hour driving distance of the Virginia Tech campus.
Making Kids' Tech UniversityTm a Reality:
With a commitment to science education and outreach, the Virginia Bioinformatics Institute (VBI) at Virginia Tech developed Kids' Tech University to provide children with a positive and exciting educational experience. VBI is committed to KTU and is providing many of the resources possible to make the program a reality. However, the Institute cannot do this alone. Many organizations and groups are already making contributions to the program, including Virginia 4-H, which is serving as a major partner with VBI.
Children who are between the ages of 9 and 12 on Sept. 30, 2009 are allowed to be registered for the program. If there is a mistake and a child is enrolled without being between the age of 9 and 12 on Sept. 30, 2009, their registration will not be accepted and they will not be enrolled in the program; a parent will be notified of this event.
For Teachers - CEUs
While the program serves 450 children in the surrounding areas around Virginia Tech we are excited to offer CEU (Continuing Education Unit) credits for teachers interested in interactive learning and STEM content. This program would be ideal for either teachers or representatives from school districts who are interested in disseminating the information. Please click here for more information and to view registration information.
Supporters Include:
Community Involvement:
~New River Office Supply
Virginia Tech Involvement:
~Virginia Tech Center of Academic Enrichment and Excellence
~Virginia Tech Department of Mathematics
~Virginia Tech Outreach and International Affairs Office
~Virginia Tech Services, Inc.
~Virginia Tech Office for Equity and Inclusion
~Virginia Tech Center for the Enhancement of Engineering Diversity
~Virginia Tech Citizen Scholar Experience
Additional community support is always welcomed. If you would like to help VBI and its partners provide this exciting opportunity for children living near the Virginia Tech community, please contact:
Dr. Kristy DiVittorio
540-231-1389
kdivitto@vbi.vt.edu
Links to Kids' Tech UniversityTm 2010 speakers:
Dr. Arthur Benjamin
Dr. Marya Lieberman
Dr. Lou Guillette
Dr. Rafael Davalos
On this site you will find information about the background of Kids' Tech University,Tm lecture topics that will be discussed, and how to register a child for the program. For updates on the program you can view the KTU Blog. Check it out!