2025 June 30th STEM Outreach Newsletter

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IEEE CLEVELAND CHAPTER STEM OUTREACH  SPRING 2025

Introducing Cleveland Chapter IEEE New STEM Outreach Newsletter

We’re excited to announce the launch of Cleveland IEEE STEM Outreach Newsletter—a seasonal update celebrating our members’ efforts to inspire the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators.

Each issue will spotlight key elements of our commitment to STEM education, including:

  • Member Spotlight – A feature on an individual IEEE member making a meaningful impact through STEM outreach.
  • Seasonal Highlights – A look back at recent events and activities where IEEE  members are engaged with students and educators in the community.
  • Upcoming Opportunities – Information on upcoming STEM outreach initiatives and how you can get involved.

This newsletter is more than just a recap—it’s a way to recognize our collective impact, share best practices, and connect members who are passionate about giving back through STEM education. Whether you’re a parent involved with their students, seasoned volunteer or just beginning to explore outreach opportunities, we invite you to read, get inspired, and get involved.

Let’s continue building a stronger future for STEM—together.

IEEE STEM MEMBER SPOTLIGHT – GAVIN WHITE P.E.

Gavin White at Akron Schools STEM 

As part of his ongoing commitment to STEM education, Gavin leads an IEEE outreach program that brings electrical engineering to life for the next generation. Through engaging, hands-on demonstrations—including tools like the Van de Graaff generator and ring launcher—he provides local educators with interactive equipment that makes core EE concepts accessible and exciting.

By helping students explore how electricity is generated, transmitted, and distributed, Gavin not only reinforces classroom learning but also inspires curiosity about the field many of us are passionate about. For Gavin, the real reward is seeing that spark of understanding—the moment students connect what they’re learning to the real-world systems engineer’s build every day.

It’s a powerful reminder of the role IEEE members can play in shaping the future of engineering.

Everyone has their own reasons why they pursue STEM outreach .  To hear what inspires  Gavin’s it is best to hear his own words.

“I started in STEM outreach because I’ve always believed that real-world exposure is one of the best ways to spark interest in engineering. Early in my career, I noticed that all of us rarely get to understand the basics of electricity — so I set out to do what I could to help reach the masses at a young age and hopefully inspire some young minds to venture out into the world of engineering. I find this to be one of the greatest rewards in life.”

Seasonal Highlights

CLEVELAND CHAPTER  IEEE 2025 SPRING STEM OUTREACH           

 This spring, the Cleveland IEEE chapter was actively engaged in a variety of STEM outreach initiatives, connecting with students across multiple events. From participating in NBA and MLB STEM outreach days to serving as judges at regional Science Fair competitions, our members demonstrated a strong commitment to fostering STEM education in the community

Cleveland Cavaliers  Score with STEM 2025

Steven Galecki with Cleveland IEEE STEM demonstration equipment: ring launcher, van de Graff generator, generator, electromagnets

On Sunday, March 16, 2025, Tower City in downtown Cleveland buzzed with energy as hundreds of students and families gathered for Score with STEM—an interactive event that seamlessly blended the excitement of professional basketball with real-world STEM learning.

With a record-setting 55+ exhibitors, this year’s event offered immersive, hands-on experiences that demonstrated how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics fuel not only sports performance but innovation across industries.

A key highlight of the event was the invaluable presence of engineering professionals who volunteered their time and expertise. From designing engaging demonstrations to mentoring curious young minds, these volunteers played a crucial role in making STEM approachable, exciting, and deeply relevant. Their enthusiasm and professionalism left a lasting impression on attendees—and helped spark curiosity in the next generation of problem solvers.

Events like Score with STEM remind us that engineers do more than build structures and systems—they build futures. Thank you to all who gave their time to make this event happen.

 Cleveland Guardians STEM Day

 Volunteers: Carolyn Cheich, Allen Morinec, Nick Eschbacher, Gavin White, Steven Galecki in front of STEM demonstration equipment

STEM Day 2025 with the Cleveland Guardians was a home run—and we were proud to be part of it! On May 14th, our members joined thousands of excited students at Progressive Field, which was transformed into an open-air classroom buzzing with curiosity and discovery.

With over 6,400 students from across Northeast Ohio in attendance, we had the chance to connect one-on-one, share our passion for science, technology, engineering, and math, and show how these fields shape the world around us. Whether we were guiding hands-on experiments or answering big questions about careers in STEM, it was a rewarding day of inspiration, learning, and community spirit.

Thanks to everyone who volunteered—you helped make a lasting impression on the next generation of thinkers and doers.

 Cleveland IEEE Recognizes Young Innovators at the 2025 Northeastern Ohio Science and Engineering Fair 

Cleveland IEEE members volunteering as judges at NEOSEF

Since its founding in , the Northeastern Ohio Science and Engineering Fair (NEOSEF) has inspired generations of young minds in grades 7-12 by encouraging students to explore the world of science and engineering through competition. 

This past spring, the IEEE Cleveland Section was proud to support NEOSEF once again by providing volunteer judges and event support during the fair, held at Cleveland State University. Each year, IEEE presents special awards to students whose projects demonstrate innovative applications of electrical and electronic engineering principles.

Our judges were thoroughly impressed by the creativity and technical depth of the student work. This year’s IEEE award-winning projects included a solar-powered aircraft, audio speaker distortion analysis, and novel MOS device design—a testament to the exceptional talent and curiosity among the region’s young engineers.

  The full titles of the 2025 IEEE Cleveland Section Special Award winners were:

  • Designing a Solar Tracker
  • Solar Powered Plane
  • Optimizing Transparent Luminescent Solar Concentrators with Nanostructured Coatings and Smart Photonic Materials: A Comparative Study with Conventional Solar Panels
  • A Comparison of Distortion Levels of Various Speaker Cones Using REQ Software
  • Force- and Angle-Controlled Knee Assistance and Rehabilitation Device Featuring an FOC-Based Force Feedback Motor
  • Novel Flexible Substrate-Based 2D MoS2 Devices and Novel Ionic Liquid Gated MoS2 Field-Effect Transistors on Flexible Substrates

Winners were honored at a celebratory dinner later in the spring, where they had the chance to connect with IEEE members and share insights about their projects. Congratulations to these outstanding students—we look forward to seeing where their passion for innovation takes them next!

STEM OPPORTUNITY BOARD – DO YOU HAVE AN EVENT YOU WOULD LIKE TO  POST FOR VOLUNTEERS , ATTENDENCE OR SPONSORSHIP? LET US KNOW AND WE WILL INCLUDE IT OUR NEXT NEWS LETTER.  EMAIL [email protected]

UPCOMING  IEEE  STEM OPPORTUNITIES

 STEM OPPORTUNITES AT LARGE ARE BELOW

FIRST ROBOTICS –  Event Volunteer or Judge  for the 2025/2026 season.