Our SPL team has been selected for a Vibrant Virginia seed award of $10,000 for the project: “The Future of Next: Empowering Youth in Decision Science and Human-Automation Interactions Through "STEMkits"!

Guided by the University’s Council on Vibrant Virginia, the Vibrant Virginia initiative engages Virginia Tech in bridging divides for broader prosperity and more vibrant communities in every part of the state.

The awareded project will focus on K–12 students, middle school and high school students, from communities in Northern Virginia, including a key partnership with the Westover Village Civic Association, a local community organization with a strong interest in expanding educational opportunities and youth engagement in science, technology, and public infrastructure awareness.

The project will co-create youth engagement events that are directly relevant to the neighborhood’s interests in transportation, infrastructure, and civic well-being, while engaging students in immersive learning experiences using Virginia Tech’s advanced research infrastructure, including the drone lab, and the Immersive Visualization Lab (1700 ICAB1), in partnership with different sections/departments in ICAB1, including the Innovation Campus K-12 team, the Thinkabit Lab, and the System Performance Lab in ICAB1.

Through hands-on exploration and guided experimentation, participants will experiment, learn and understand their roles as decision makers and designers of the world to come.  Ultimately, students will start thinking like engineers, scientists, and designers as they tackle critical questions such as: How can humans and machines collaborate to prevent accidents or mistakes? What happens when we depend too much on technology? Can technology actually help us make better decisions? By exploring these questions, students will gain a deeper understanding of the strengths and limitations of both humans and machines.  The project will include interactive workshops and activities that will teach students how people and technology work together to solve real problems.