U Akron To Host STEM Career Day for Middle, High School Students

The University of Akron will host a STEM career day featuring a challenge asking students in grades 6-12 to build a Rube Goldberg machine in competition for $15,000 in prizes.

More than 2,000 students and 1,000 parents and teachers are expected to attend the Goodyear-sponsored event for an opportunity to explore the campus and meet representatives from 50 local organizations hosting hands-on activities such as a zombie-themed engineering challenge.

Along with the Rube Goldberg prizes, which include $4,000 for the winning team, Goodyear will donate more than $40,000 in grants and scholarships at the event.

"We are pleased to welcome the participants of Goodyear's STEM Career Day to The University of Akron campus," said George K. Haritos, dean of the College of Engineering, in a prepared statement. "I applaud Goodyear for its leadership in encouraging students in their interest in engineering. The U.S. can only benefit from enhanced interest in the field among middle and high school students."

About the Author

Joshua Bolkan is contributing editor for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe. He can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • Tyrannosaurus rex bursts out of a computer monitor playing a dinosaur documentary

    Free Virtual Field Trip Takes Students on Dinosaur Digs

    BBC Studios has launched a free virtual field trip based on its Walking with Dinosaurs television series, designed to bring prehistoric adventures to life for students in grades 3-6.

  • Red alert symbols and email icons floating in a dark digital space

    Report: Cyber Attackers Are Fully Embracing AI

    According to Google Cloud's 2026 Cybersecurity Forecast, AI will become standard for both cyber attackers and defenders, with threats expanding to virtualization systems, blockchain networks, and nation-state operations.

  • woman working on laptop, holding documents, sitting at desk indoors

    OpenAI Unveils ChatGPT for Teachers

    OpenAI has introduced a free version of ChatGPT for teachers, aimed at providing a secure workspace to adapt classroom materials, streamline prep, collaborate with peers, and more.

  • robot brain with various technology and business icons

    Google Cloud Study: Early Agentic AI Adopters See Better ROI

    Google Cloud has released its second annual ROI of AI study, finding that 52% of enterprise organizations now deploy AI agents in production environments. The comprehensive survey of 3,466 senior leaders across 24 countries highlights the emergence of a distinct group of "agentic AI early adopters" who are achieving measurably higher returns on their AI investments.