STEM Adventures:
Bringing K-12 Students to Research Labs and Facilities 
Half Hallow Hills High School East

On April 18th 2023, twenty-two students from Half Hollow Hills East High School toured the Center of Excellence and Wireless Information Technology (CEWIT) building.  The students were part of the school’s Project Lead The Way engineering program led by Chris Regini who is a New York State Master teacher that holds a degree in physics from the University of Connecticut and teaches two courses: Intro to Engineering and Principles of Engineering.

“Thank you to the Stony Brook AERTC and CEWIT facilities for hosting Half Hollow Hills engineering students for a day of observing what engineering in the field looks like.  It is so important for us to be able to have partnerships within our community that enrich the student experience.  The ability to give my students insight into potential career paths is invaluable and I look forward to making this a regular part of what we offer our students as we continue to build our program."

Mr. Regini's group first attended the Advanced Energy Research and Technology Center (AERTC), where they engaged with postdocs about ongoing research and laboratory work in the renewable energy disciplines of Battery Storage, Combustion, and Power Electronics. Afterwards, the group moved to CEWIT for the technology portion, entering the sensor-driven Home of the Future Lab which was specially created to develop and test smart home technologies, testing AI-driven robotics via remote-controlled cars sponsored by Sunrise Technology Inc. and experiencing the world's largest Virtual Reality Deck.

Upon completion of the tour, lunch was served, graciously sponsored by the Institute for Workforce Advancement (IWA) and partner Orsted, with a discussion involving career pathways provided by Susan McQuillan (IWA).

Organized by Derek O'Connor - Workforce Development Manager (Economic Development)