Throughout the year, Moraine Valley hosts several events related to science, technology, engineering and math. Below are some examples of some of these events. To see all upcoming events, visit our STEM Center page.
STEM Expo
Our inaugural STEM Expo was held on May 5, 2017. Each spring since then, the STEM Expo hosts district seventh graders at Moraine Valley to engage in fun, educational and hands-on STEM activities. The event is free and requires middle schools to complete an application to participate. Participating schools are encouraged to bring diverse students – from students already extremely interested in STEM, to students that may have never considered a STEM career.
Our STEM Expo is unique in that students participate in three or more small group sessions on a specific topic with a designated STEM workforce or faculty presenter. This component of our Expo is in addition to time in our Exploration Zone, set up in the more traditional exhibition hall format, and visiting our Creation Station, where students get to work on a STEM project to take home. See our event calendar to learn more about the upcoming STEM Expo.
STEM Talks
The STEM Talks series brings presenters representative of diverse STEM careers to talk about cutting edge topics in their respective fields. The talks prepare students for the quickly expanding and changing landscape of STEM careers. The talks are offered multiple times in the fall semester in Moraine Valley’s library. See our events calendar or contact Brian Kurth at kurthb2@morainevalley.edu for information on the upcoming STEM Talks.
Integration Bee
The Integration Bee contest for Moraine Valley students takes place in the spring semester. It consists of one practice round and three elimination rounds in which participants find antiderivatives of given functions. As the contest progresses, the functions increase in complexity. This event is fun for both participants and observers. The Integration Bee occurs each spring semester in late March or early April. To learn more about the competition, contact Professor Brian Kurth at kurthb2@morainevalley.edu.
AMATYC Student League & Competition
A national mathematics contest for students enrolled in community colleges throughout the United States. The contest is offered at Moraine Valley twice a year – once each semester in October and March. Students compete both as individuals and as a member of a team representing their school. Students individually take a one hour, 20-question multiple-choice exam which contains some nonstandard, challenging questions. Students get to test their problem-solving skills, represent Moraine Valley and see how they compare to others around the nation.
The competition is open to all students, though it is recommended that students have at least an understanding of the topics and skills in courses like College Algebra (MTH 141) and Trigonometry (142). You can view past exam questions here.
To learn more about how to participate, contact Frank Johnson at johnsonf65@morainevalley.edu.
Observatory Telescope Viewings
The observatory, located in the Nature Study Area (off Kean Avenue), features a 6.5-foot Newtonian reflecting telescope. Monthly telescope open viewings are offered throughout the year. The targets for each viewing differ. Please see our events calendar or visit the observatory page for more information on the offered viewings or to book a field trip.
