Joint Science and Technology Institute comes to Albuquerque with help from LANL

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Ramesh Jha (B-11), standing on right, helps students analyze data at the JSTI–ABQ workshop this summer.

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Los Alamos scientists from Bioscience, LANSCE, the HAZMAT team, the Student Programs Office, and the Bradbury Science Museum helped inspire and educate New Mexico high school students at a Department of Defense STEM program.

The Joint Science and Technology Institute, which was held for a number of years at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland, came to Albuquerque for the first time this June. JSTI–ABQ included two weeks of fully funded residential STEM research. More STEM for NM The purpose of JSTI is to inspire and encourage students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and math fields; increase STEM literacy; and expose students to the importance of STEM through hands-on, relevant research.

According to JSTI–ABQ organizer Ricardo Marti-Arbona (B-11, now MPA-DO) it is important for New Mexico students to have new learning opportunities in STEM areas.

“The JSTI program not only benefits New Mexico students but also revitalizes our scientists by feeding their insatiable hunger to share their knowledge and prepare future generations to carry on,” he said.

At the end of the first week, the New Mexico students took a break from their hands-on science experiments and data analysis led by LANL and Sandia National Laboratories scientists to field trip to Los Alamos. Their stops included LANSCE and Bradbury Science Museum. More than 35 LANL staff members participated in the outreach program this year.

Marti-Arbona’s goal is to continue working with the Department of Defense team to ensure the program will take place again next year and double the number of instructors/courses from four to eight. If you would like to participate in the JSTI 2020 workshop, please contact Ricardo Marti-Arbona. Funding for JSTI–ABQ was provided by the Department of Defense, DTRA.

Technical contact: Ricardo Marti-Arbona 

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Elizabeth Hong-Geller (B-DO), left, talks with JSTI students during their visit to the Bradbury Museum.