Physics Olympics makes science fun on April 7
More than 200 high school students from Volusia and Flagler counties will gather at Daytona State College on Friday, April 7, to compete in the college’s annual Physics Olympics. This DSC tradition gives students the opportunity to apply the principles of physics they’ve learned in the classroom in competitive, fun and inventive ways.
Students will compete in multiple activities testing their knowledge of physics, engineering and mathematics – including bridge building, egg drop, constructing a coat-hook cannon, directing a laser beam around an obstacle (Laser Zap), a paper airplane pentathlon and building a Rube Goldberg machine, to name a few.
According to this year’s event organizer, Dr. Michael Olson, associate professor with the college’s School of Biological and Physical Sciences, “The Physics Olympics is a great opportunity for us to connect with area high school students in a competition that’s designed to strengthen the mind, to demonstrate physics in applied settings and, of course, to have fun.”
Activities will run from 8:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. in the L. Gale Lemerand Center on DSC’s Daytona Beach Campus, 1200 W. International Speedway Blvd.
With few exceptions, the Physics Olympics at Daytona State has been an annual event for over 20 years, challenging students’ physics knowledge and engineering skills. For information, call 386-506-3808 or email Michael.Olson@DaytonaState.edu.
DSC medical students earn high honors
Five Daytona State College students have been named 2017 Siemens Technical Scholars by the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program and the Siemens Foundation.
The five awardees, each hailing from Florida, are: Susan Carchi of Sanford and Marisha Baker of Daytona Beach, both Associate Degree Nursing students; Bachelor’s Degree Nursing student Brittany Canidate of Daytona Beach; and AS in Respiratory Care alumni Ashley Kitchen of DeBary and Alexa Ciepierski of Melbourne. Each was awarded scholarships ranging from $3,500 to $10,000 to continue their education, pay existing student loan debt or support their program.
“The Daytona State community is so proud of these exceptional scholars and the honor they have brought to themselves and the institution,” said DSC President Tom LoBasso. “The quality of our nursing and respiratory care programs is largely dependent on the robust partnerships we have built with our regional hospitals, clinics and public agencies. We consider the Aspen Institute a remarkable partner as well, because its work helps make college affordable for selected DSC students.”
The students and alumni were among 51 exceptional scholars representing 18 schools offering some of the nation’s strongest two-year college STEM programs in science, technology, engineering and math Such programs provide outstanding preparation for high-demand careers in advanced manufacturing, energy, healthcare and information technology, to name a few.
New Student Center breaks ground May 4
Club members at Daytona State College are being given the opportunity to participate in the ground breaking for the new student center at 10 a.m. Thursday, May 4, in front of the old site for Berengren Hall, also known as Building 110.
Interested club members should RSVP as soon as possible by emailing studentactivities@daytonastate.edu. On the day of the event three members (or more if they are available) in their club shirts should be on hand for the groundbreaking ceremony — “the idea being that we would have a rainbow of club members for Marketing to interview and take photos for the ground-breaking event,” says Student Government Association President Sofia Rivas.