Student Program for Innovation in Science and Engineering (SPISE, see https://caribbeanscience.org/spise/) would like to encourage the top STEM students in St. Lucia who are approximately 16-17 years of age, to apply to SPISE 2021 which will be held from Saturday July 3 – Sunday August 8, 2021, or to learn about SPISE in anticipation of applying for SPISE 2022.
The application deadline is 31st March 2021 and SPISE is free to the participants.We plan to hold Zoom sessions for students, teachers and parents to learn about SPISE and its benefits, from the Director of SPISE (myself) and SPISE graduates, on five consecutive Sundays from 5-6 pm AST, January 17 – February 14, with SPISE graduates from St Lucia at the January 17 session.
You can join using the following link:https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83431894915…
SPISE is modeled after the MITES program at MIT, and is hosted annually by the Caribbean Science Foundation (CSF) on the Barbados campus of the University of the West Indies (or virtually, pending COVID-19). SPISE students are totally immersed (24/7) in university-level calculus, physics, biochemistry and entrepreneurship, and hands-on projects in computer programming (Python) and electronics. The SPISE environment discourages rote learning and teaches students how to focus on understanding and applying the fundamentals so as to achieve mastery of the material, and thus be able to solve complex problems. The value of teamwork (learned in the hands-on projects) is yet another essential skill that is emphasized, along with proactive time-management skills. Instructors in the SPISE include university professors from the Caribbean and the Diaspora (including MIT), and senior management professionals from leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies in the Diaspora. The students also attend workshops and seminars including a career seminar series featuring professionals with STEM careers and workshops with admissions officers from universities such as MIT, Princeton, Columbia University and University of Pennsylvania. The program culminates with student project competitions in which each team first gives an oral presentation of their hands-on project before demonstrating the workings of their project to the public.
