1. The Whole stem
Building Community Through Programming That Encompasses All STEM Disciplines
Michael Petro, program coordinator, University of Connecticut
Northeast Louis Stokes alliance for minority participation

2. Northeast Louis Stokes alliance

3. History and composition
2002, UMass, UConn, URI, WPI, Northeastern
2016 renewal added Tufts University, changed lead institution
UConn, UMass – STEM and larger numbers served
URI, Northeastern, Tufts, WPI – Engineering focused, smaller numbers
Desire and struggle to collaborate due to schedules, institutional differences, and geography

4. Enter the symposium
Student feedback provided through our evaluator indicated that life and physical sciences were feeling left out or less engaged in the material and offerings from NELSAMP
Previous activities had been reserved to one get together annually in the fall (GRADLab), and it focused on juniors and seniors
With a new lead institution and new energy in the alliance, a desire to provide a spring semester annual event

5. Symposium Agenda Welcome – Who was Louis Stokes, What is NELSAMP?
Graduate Student Panel – Featured Bridge to the Doctorate students as well as LSAMP alums currently in graduate programs
2 NELSAMP students discussing iREU
Dr. Linda Barry, M.D. – Young Innovative Investigator Program
Dr. Rudolph Moseley, Jr., STEM Academy director

6. Agenda Continued Lunch/Networking time Problem Solving Competition
Processing time

7. In search of the whole stem: our problem solving “competition”
What do you do to engage the full breadth of STEM at a diversity of institutions?
What are the common experiences?
How do you make it challenging, fun, engaging, and achievable?
ESCAPE THE ROOM!!!

8. Escape the room Draw on foundational courses
Engage different kinds of learners
Puzzles have a certain universal understanding
Give it a “theme”

9. What is escape the room ? Based on the popular concept of escape rooms
A series of puzzles that unlock one another, leading to a solution that allows you to “escape” the room
STEM focus to “balance” the effort on each team

10. Getting started (with apologies to any copy editors in the room) Riddle 1
To secure your position in our top reseurch lab, it is crucial you work together as a team. You will be required to go through a series of trials to test your intelligence, creativity, and cooperration. Each team will be provided scrap paper and pens.
In order to advance to the next task, you must give our facilitators a code word. Each code word will unlock a secret envalope containing clues for upcoming tasks. You have to use everything within the envelope, and you must work sequentially from one task to the next.

11. Riddle 1 continued
Teammates are recquired to work together, and each team cannot communicate with the next. It is absolutely prohibited to use any electronic divices during this game. Cheating will not be tolerated. Any inter-team communication or unnecessary use of electronic devices will result in immediate disquallification.
There can only be one winning group.
You may begin.
Good luck.

12. Riddle 2

13. Riddles 3 and 4

14. Riddle 4 – casting a shadow
A little help?

15. Riddle 5 – I’m not telling!

16. Riddle 6

17. Riddle 7
Welcome to your final task. To win, you must find the coordinates and plot the location of our secret lab using the map below.
The following information is provided to you:
14+3y+7x=-y+68+6x
-6x-(-11y)+18=13y+36-7x

18. Riddle 7 solution

19. Results (29 responses/44 attendees)
100% surveyed enjoyed the activity
93% reported everyone from their team participated
90% found it to be a good way to connect with other students
79% wanted to see it again next year

20. Your turn!

21. How do you do it for yourself?
Everything displayed, utilized, and provided is available from the following sources: Dollar General or Dollar Tree, Amazon.com, createjigsawpuzzles.com, and google.com
Program is completely customizable for size of group, skill-level, age, and topic
Designate a facilitator/judge/lifeline

22. Acknowledgement
Emily Breitsprecher, University of Connecticut B.S. Pharmacy Studies, 2016, Pharm.D. Candidate 2018
Tutor, TA, Program Assistant, Web Designer, etc. etc.

23. Questions? Happy to share any solutions to the problems you saw today
Feel free to follow up with me personally if I can offer further information or clarification
Michael Petro University of Connecticut