Second ‘STEM Day at the Lab’ in 2024 ignites student engagement

Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) welcomed more than 240 students and chaperones from the Central Valley to the second ‘STEM Day at the Lab’ in 2024. STEM Day is a biannual daylong interactive event focused on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) activities for students (grades 5-8) from underserved communities. The event marked an opportunity for the Laboratory to engage students with creative career opportunities and inspire them to think of STEM fields in a different way. 

STEM Day is sponsored by the Lab’s Office of Inclusion, Diversity, Equity and Accountability (IDEA) with programmatic support from the Academic Engagement Office (AEO).

“We’re so excited to host STEM Day twice this year,” said Tony Baylis, director of the Lab’s IDEA office to STEM Day participants. “You are the second group of students for whom we get to share what we do. We hope that when you leave today, you’re inspired to take what you learn here and apply it to your classrooms. Thank you for being here.”

This year, STEM Day showcased the newest National Ignition Facility (NIF) comic book. The November event was unique in that it landed on ‘National STEM Day,’ a national observance that encourages students to explore careers in STEM.

For the fall event, attendees included students from Livermore Unified School District (LUSD), Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) and Pittsburg Unified School District. For many students, it was their first time visiting and touring a scientific institution like LLNL.

LLNL employees lead by example

Brandon Demory, a materials engineer in LLNL’s Materials Engineering Division, talked about his focus area, which is optics. His main points to students were to show how optics, the study of light, has been inspiring humans since the dawn of time to search for ways to make and use light. Demory also shared how many different items people use daily incorporate optics and light.

“My favorite part of STEM Day is the exposure to the students,” he said. “Students get to see people who look like them working on science and novel technology, and understand how that relates to their daily lives. The energy and excitement that they give off when ‘it clicks,’ makes it all worth it to me.”

Arsenia Rendon, a software engineer and computing group leader at the Lab, was invited to speak on behalf of the Amigos Unidos Hispanics in Partnership (AUHIP) employee resource group. Rendon is the AUHIP scholarship committee chair and passionate for sharing opportunities to underserved communities.

“I stressed the importance of making wise choices about the classes they take,” she said. “The friends they surround themselves with and the life these students aspire to lead all matters. I assured them that, regardless of their upbringing or the challenges they face, they have the power to overcome obstacles by consistently making positive decisions for their future.”

Finally, Lab artist John Jett leaned into the importance of being able to tell the story of the science that goes on at the Lab. Jett, who is part of a team of Lab artists, writers, editors and other creative communicators, told students that he uses his skills to convey how the achievement of ignition was “going to benefit everybody in this room, everybody on this planet.” At the event, Jett shared more insight to the Lab’s newest comic book that debuted earlier this year: “Ignition.”

Fun with science: activities, tours and more   

Participants enjoyed a Fun with Science display by Lisa Belk, the associate director for the Lab’s Business Directorate and Harold Rogers, waste generator services group leader. Through Belk’s and Rogers’s presentation, students learned about the concepts of light, lasers, optics and physics. The activity was coordinated by Science Education Program Manager Joanna Albala and introduced students to the science behind NIF.

Before lunch, participants took a group photo where more than 40 Lab employees joined students and discussed what they do, sharing potential careers students could embark upon at the Lab. In total, 127 (70 general Lab and 67 NIF) employees volunteered to make the second STEM Day in 2024 happen, including Security Police Officers from the Lab’s Security Organization, who escorted participants throughout their visit. 

The afternoon consisted of a NIF tour to see the world’s largest and highest-energy laser system. Sylwia Hamilton coordinated the tour with the support of 67 NIF volunteers. Following the tour, participants engaged in hands-on STEM activities. The hands-on demonstrations, workshops and tours allowed students to be scientists for the day. Activities were led by Dave Rakestraw presenting the Physics with Phones workshop.

Participant takeaways  

Karen Weir-Brown, a science and STEM teacher at LUSD’s Junction Avenue K-8 said the event “provided my students with an unforgettable opportunity to engage with science that was inspiring and dynamic.” Her students enjoyed the interactive cell phone app experiments as it relates to everyday technology they use and are familiar with. “It was amazing to see my students’ curiosity and enthusiasm grow as they explored the app and found purpose in interpreting graphs,” she said.

Felicia Ntui, a computer science teacher at OUSD’s West Oakland Middle School, said the experience was inspiring for both herself and her students. “For my students, it was a powerful reminder of the limitless possibilities in STEM fields, showing them that these careers are not only achievable but exciting,” she said. “Fostering exposure to real-world STEM environments is crucial for helping students envision the impact they can make in the world.”

Tiffany Fancies, executive director of Delta Bay Impact at Riverview Middle School in Bay Point, CA, said touring NIF inspired students to have a deeper appreciation for STEM. “Our students left feeling motivated to explore STEM pathways,” she said. “LLNL’s dedication to fostering young minds is invaluable. We look forward to future collaborations.”

Organizers of the event included Baylis and Jenessa Angel, IDEA program manager. Curious to learn more about the Lab’s community and education efforts? Read how LLNL engages with neighboring communities. LLNL’s AEO is gearing up for their annual Science on Saturday events in 2025. Make sure to stay tuned for more opportunities to learn from LLNL experts. For more information about future STEM Day programming, contact IDEA [at] llnl.gov (LLNL’s IDEA) office.