Update May 15, 2017

Click Here to see photos from the 2017 STEM Recognition Night!

Check out the video of the STEM Recognition Night, courtesy of Northwest Access TV.

We hope to see you all at our 2018 STEM Recognition Night.


Our annual STEM Recognition Night is fast approaching.  All are welcome to attend.  Come to our event to find out about the STEM Challenge Initiative and find out how we support STEM education in our region.

Event Details:

Date: Thursday May 11, 2017

Time: 6 PM to 8 PM

Location: Bliss Auditorium, St. Albans Historical Society Museum, 9 Church Street, Saint Albans, VT 05478

Program at a Glance:

Welcome and Introductions – Tim Smith – Chair, STEM Challenge Initiative and Executive Director of Franklin Grand Isle Industrial Development Corporation

2017 Mary S. Babcock  Teacher of the Year Award – Presented to a leading STEM educator from Franklin or Grand Isle Counties.  Award presented by SCI Board Member and MVU Teacher, Steve McKenzie.

2017 Rising Star Award – Special Award given to up-and-coming STEM Educator.  Award presented by SCI board member and former Miss Vermont, Alayna Westcom.

Updates from Past Challenge Grant Recipients

Carol Lizotte & Richard Ballard – FNWSU Afterschool and Summer Programs for MVU Middle and High School Students
2015 and 2016 Challenge Grants: Challenger Aviation Camp and Summer Makers Fair

Liza Comiskey – Highgate Public Library
2016 Challenge Grant: First Vermont Lego League

Christine Depatie – Science Teacher, Swanton Elementary School
2016 Challenge Grant: Research on Solar Panels

Olivia Gotaski and Briana Brady – Franklin Grand Isle Bookmobile
2016 Challenge Grant: Healthy Lifestyles and Agricultural Dependency

Previews from 2017 Cycle 1 Challenge Grant Recipients

Samantha Cantell – Folsom Education and Community Center/Grand Isle Supervisory Union
STEM In the Classroom

Ann Foster – Northwest Technical Center
Tech and Engineering Day

Sarah King – Richford Elementary School
Magnet Design

Sandy Brown – BFA Fairfax Elementary
BFA Innovation Lab

Keynote Speaker

Timothy Hunter – Director, Advanced Genome Technologies Core, Vermont Genetics Network, University of Vermont Cancer Center.

Tim grew up on a dairy farm in Alburgh, Grand Isle County.  He attended Missisquoi Valley Union High School where he graduated in 1979 with honors and a passion to pursue an education in the life sciences.  He attended McGill University and SUNY Plattsburg where he graduated in 1983 with a BS in biology and a minor in chemistry.  In 1985 he accepted a Laboratory Research Technician position at the University of Vermont Genetics Lab.  In 1996, he helped establish a new Sequencing Core Laboratory for the UVM Cancer Center, and he currently serves as the director of the Advanced Genome Technologies Core (AGTC) at UVM.
Tim has been an active member in the core laboratory community, having served on boards including the Association of Biomolecular Resource Facilities, NERLSCD, and NiCL.  Tim also developed a User Educational Core Seminar Series at UVM, and has assisted in the development of biotechnology courses with outreach to ten academic institutes throughout the state of Vermont.
In his spare time, Tim spends time with his wife and two sons, traveling to new places, and enjoying outdoor activities that the area offers.

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