Project Engage Invention Convention to showcase students’ work at UWA

LIVINGSTON, Ala.- The University of West Alabama’s Project Engage and Science Saturday programs will host the fourth annual Invention Convention on Saturday, Sept. 19, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will allow students and teachers to experience hands-on science experiments. Events include a project viewing, renowned guest speaker, and a student award ceremony.

At 9:30 a.m., guests will meet on the University’s campus at Bibb Graves Auditorium to hear an interactive motivational talk from guest speaker Kantis Simmons, rocket scientist, academic guru, author, and nationally renowned speaker.

Simmons will speak again at 10:45 a.m. in Bibb Graves Auditorium to educators on a presentation entitled “Interactive Professional Development for Current and Future S.T.E.M. Teachers.” The students will begin the Invention Convention Competition at 10:45 a.m.as well.

As a motivational speaker, Simmons has spent more than 10 years of working with schools and students, and more than 25 years as a student. Simmons earned three advanced college degrees with honors, and he has worked with prominent companies such as Mobil Chemical Company, NASA Research Center, and CIBA Vision.

The Invention Convention and Project Engage are funded by a grant from the United States Department of Education. Project Engage is designed to increase retention in all S.T.E.M. programs, including science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Through programming like the Invention Convention, emphasis is placed on freshman team building

High school science and math teachers are encouraged to register their group of students for Invention Convention by Sept. 4.

For more information on the Invention Convention or Project Engage at the University of West Alabama, contact Dr. Ketia Shumaker at kshumaker@uwa.edu or call 205-652-3406.