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| Jim Falbo (top left), coordinator of SCC’s mechatronics engineering technology program, shows members of Girl Scouts Troop 02345 a DEPCO robot in Southwestern Community College’s Mechatronics Engineering Technology lab in Bryson City. Pictured with Falbo are, from left: Emma Maney, Mylah Donofrio, Paisley Perere, Lillie Norton, Ally Drury, Kali Wiggins, Audrey Zelenka, Lillyann Donofrio and Presley Perere. |
At a recent meeting of Girl Scouts Troop 02345, troop leader Rebecca Ammann displayed a laptop and asked if anyone knew how it worked.
“Push the ‘on’ button,” said one scout.
“Use the mouse and type on the keyboard,” another said.
So Ammann introduced them to the process of what goes on behind the power button and computer screen by having the girls pretend to be the various components of a computer’s mother board so they could learn the fundamentals of coding. They also got an understanding of memory storage and how processors have improved over the years.
A week later, she took the group to Southwestern Community College’s Mechatronics Engineering Technology lab in Bryson City so they could see robotics and computing technology in action. They saw a versatile DEPCO robot, Baxter the advanced manufacturing robot and a wide variety of circuit boards and cutting edge equipment.
“It really sparked their interest in computer engineering,” said Ammann, who had each girl bring a favorite electronic toy on the field trip. “They got more understanding of how electronics and computers work. All the schools are emphasizing STEM (Science, Technology, Electronics, Mathematics) education right now, and I think it’s great for our girls to learn more about it. It’s great that SCC has this mechatronics lab right here. Maybe these girls will develop ideas for even better toys.”
SCC’s mechatronics engineering lab, which was made possible by grant funding through the Golden LEAF Foundation, is located at the Swain Business Education and Training Center.
Students in SCC’s mechatronics engineering technology program can earn a two-year associate degree.
Program coordinator Jim Falbo showed the facility off to a new generation and was impressed with the scouts’ attentiveness.
"The excitement was great and the questions kept coming,” Falbo said. “Hopefully these young ladies never lose their curiosity towards STEM careers."
For more information about Girl Scouts, contact Carolinas Peaks to Piedmont Council at info@girlscoutsp2p.org or 800.672.2148.
For more information about SCC’s mechatronics program, contact Falbo at j_falbo@southwesterncc.edu or 828.339.4299.
Southwestern, which has been ranked among the Top 10 community colleges in the nation three times in the past decade, serves Jackson, Macon, Swain Counties and the Qualla Boundary.
For more information about SCC and the other programs it offers, visit www.southwesterncc.edu or call 828.339.4000.
