A Marymount University professor has taken her push for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education across the ocean, with an October visit to Stranmillis University College in Belfast, Northern Ireland. Dr. Usha Rajdev taught, observed faculty and helped 85 students sign up an International Association of STEM Leaders (IASL) chapter.
“Everyone has gone above and beyond to make me welcomed, and faculty have been open to sharing their ideas and experiences with me,” said Rajdev, a professor of education at Marymount. “It was an awesome teaching and learning experience for me. They welcomed my ideas as well.”
Rajdev made the trip as a member of the panel for IASL. Stranmillis, a college of Queen’s University, has students volunteering in schools throughout Northern Ireland, providing students STEM activities in order to gain IASL recognition. Such recognition is offered to students and graduates who demonstrate that they can display innovative practices.
On Oct. 7, Rajdev helped facilitate a NASA webinar in conjunction with Marymount at Stranmillis, where students went through four tasks linked to challenges NASA faces when designing, building, launching and landing projects on the moon and Mars. One of the activities involved making batteries from pennies, washers, saltwater and filter paper.
Rajdev said she looks forward to developing a stronger partnership between Marymount and Stranmillis that will benefit both students and faculty.
