It was a foggy and rainy day outside, but inside the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum things were buzzing for “Kids Week” a series of events conducted during the last week of February 2018.
The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum is a maritime history museum at Pier 86 at 46th Street on the West Side of Manhattan, New York City. The U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Intrepid was one of 24 Essex-class aircraft carriers built during World War II. The ship was decommissioned in 1974 and in 1982 became the foundation of the museum.
In support of the events, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, set up an interactive display station.
The Army Corps recognizes the critical role that Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education and committed to teaming with others to strengthen STEM-related programs that inspire current and future generations of young people to pursue careers in STEM fields.
Parents and children alike learned about the New York District’s mission in the region. They had the opportunity to see displays that highlighted New York District’s projects in the area, as well as photos, and videos.
Participants of all ages also got to play a computer game called “Flood Fighter.” The game put them in flooding scenarios and challenged them to find solutions for flooding in various parts of the United States. The users then found ways, through engineering, to mitigate the flooding and reduce flood risks. The user also found ways to engineer dams and other flood mitigation features to further help reduce flood risks. The New York District participates in several science, technology, engineering, and mathematics events throughout the year.
“I attended high school in New York City, and it was always a great experience coming to the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum as a kid,” Said Capt. Edward Major, U.S. Army, Deputy Resident Engineer, New York District.
“It feels great to be able to give back and to spark some interest in engineering in these kids,” said Major. “Events like this led me to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and then eventually to becoming the Deputy Area Engineer for the New York District.”
Other Federal participating agencies included the U.S. Coast Guard, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).
NOAA had a hands-on display that included a drone that fly’s into the eye of hurricanes and transmits important data back to NOAA for analysis. The U.S. Coast Guard provided pamphlets and information about their fleet in the New York area. NASA provided space suit parts and equipment from the International Space Station to the young explorers in order to broaden their knowledge of our Nation’s mission in the cosmos. Other exhibits were “The Science of Sports & Games, The Science of Arts & Music, and Science & the Natural World.”
A video highlighting the event can be seen here