STEM Center-Hosted Opportunities

Annual Brain Bee: For students ages 13-19 across Virginia. This is a day of friendly individual and team competition, hands-on experiences in our neuroscience labs with professors and students, and connecting with peers from across the commonwealth with similar interests. The winner competes in the National Brain Bee in April. The study materials are freely available online. This event is held on a Saturday from ~9-2 in early-mid February and is hosted in partnership with the JMU Department of Biology. Check the STEM Center homepage in Ocotber for the 2025 date. No Fee. 

Anato-Bee: For high school students. This event combines individual competition and hands-on lab experiences with JMU Anatomy professors and students. The winner will be invited to compete in the Regional Anato-Bee, which is a run-off competition for the National Anato-Bee. The study materials are available online and the National Anato-Bee offers optional online tutoring sessions at no-cost. Check the STEM Center homepage in Ocotber for the 2025 date. No Fee. 

The "JMU STEM Experience" program in which middle and high school teachers select an experience and bring students to campus for faculty-led STEM exploration will not be offered in AY 2024-2025. We will use this year to test new models for making this type opportunity accessible to more schools, to seek the funding we need to develop and launch a redesign in the near future, and provide programming for campus partners in the Office of Access and Inclusion such as Valley Scholars, TRIO, and Middle School Visitation. See photos from our 2023-2024 JMU STEM Experience program. 

Afterschool Friday STEM with Boys & Girls Club

Other STEM Education Opportunities on Campus

• T- available for K-12 teachers to bring a group of students
• I- available for students to attend individually as part of a workshop or camp
• V- available for families and other visitors to attend together 
• AY- available during the academic year 
• S- available during the summer months

Center for the Advancement of Sustainable Energy
The Center for the Advancement of Sustainable Energy focuses on research, education, and outreach to advance sustainable energy deployment by providing energy-related services to a wide variety of stakeholders including the K-12 community. Teachers can schedule a tour of CASE facilities, organize visits from JMU students to your class, or borrow renewable energy lesson kits. CASE also runs a Renewable Energy Summer Camp for rising 5th-8th grade students in partnership with JMU Youth Programs. Fees vary. T, I, AY, S

Chem-Fest
This is an annual science festival hosted by the JMU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Families and children of all ages are invited to learn about the properties and forces behind chemical phenomena through hands-on explanatory activities and demonstrations. This event is held on a Saturday in early-mid April. Check the STEM Center Homepage in early March for the 2025 date. No Fee. V, AY

College for Kids
College for Kids, hosted by the Office of Youth Programs, provides an enriching, educational, and fun experience for rising K-8th grade students. This innovative program gives children the chance to expand their horizons and experience a world of knowledge beyond the K-12 curriculum. Children will work with area experts (JMU staff/students, teachers, etc.) to discover talents they never knew they had, explore new ideas/fields of study, and develop a new passion for learning. Programming offered in the academic year and summer. Fee ranges from $225-300. I, AY, S

Computing Camp
In partnership with CWS Harrisonburg Immigration and Refugee Program, the JMU Computer Science Department hosts an annual summer computing camp for local refugee students. Many refugees come from countries without tech economies or even consistent internet access, so this camp is an opportunity to give these students a better understanding of what programming can do and the hands-on experience to build their familiarity and confidence with computer science skills. Each camp recruits undergraduate CS students to serve as teaching assistants and offer one-on-one support for the students. No fee. I , S

Cyber Defense Boot Camp
JMU CS faculty hold a Cyber Defense Boot Camp during the summer for high school technology teachers. This program, supported by the National Security Agency and National Science Foundation, was developed with the goal of facilitating cybersecurity education growth and attracting and recruiting college-bound students to the field of cybersecurity. The program provides cybersecurity awareness and education, cybersecurity teaching methodologies for computer science teachers, and establishes resources for both the cybersecurity teaching and learning curricula. I (teachers), S

DIGITAL
Dukes Inspiring Girls Into Technology Across Limits is hosted by the JMU Department of Computer Science in partnership with JMU Youth Programs. This annual event is held on a Saturday during the Fall semester for girls ages 9-12. JMU faculty and students engage participants in a range of workshops offering hands-on experience with tech tools and concepts. No Fee. I, AY

Edith J. Carrier Arboretum
The Edith J. Carrier Arboretum is a public, urban garden and forested greenspace that preserves native species, provides opportunities for research, and promotes knowledge of the botanical and natural world. This woodland sanctuary is open for guided and self-guided tours for K-12  throughout the year on a variety of ecosystem topics aligned with Standards of Learning. It also hosts seasonal workshops, drop-in family programming, an annual public lecture, and other community events such as an annual Harvest Fest. No Fee. T, I, V, AY, S

Engineering for a Better World
Across four Saturdays in October and November, the JMU Department of Engineering in partnership with JMU Youth Programs hosts a design challenge- based experience in which participants work collaboratively to create a final product and solution. The event offers 6th-8th grade students opportunities to explore a variety of fields within engineering. Each week will be sponsored by a different Engineering Club at JMU, including the Engineering Ambassadors, Madison Aerospace Club, National Society of Black Engineers, and Society of Women Engineers. Fee- $25. I, AY

Environmental Stewardships Tour
Explore JMU’s campus through a self-guided walking tour that highlights environmental sustainability and applied research. Sites include a green roof, green buildings, rain gardens, pollinator habitats, a naturalized landscape, and more. Follow this link to the online Story Map, or scan the QR codes on the signs at environmental stewardship tour sites on campus. Printable maps are also available for download. No fee. T, I, V, AY

John C. Wells Planetarium
The John C. Wells Planetarium is a state-of-the-art hybrid facility offering Saturday "Star Parties", Public Science Talks,  "Sunday Science for Girls," and the Science Explorers Summer Camp hosted in partnership with JMU Youth Programs. The planetarium also provides VA Science Standards-aligned programs for K-12 and other community groups during the week. Fees vary. T, I, V, AY, S.

madiSTEM
This is an annual, no-cost STEM conference designed for girls (but open to all students) in grades 6-8. This event is held on a Saturday in March and led by faculty in the JMU Department of Mathematics and Statistics as well as the JMU Department of Computer Science with support from faculty and student volunteers in affiliated departments and colleges. Upcoming conference is March 29, 2025 No Fee. I, T, AY

Mineral Museum
In addition to K-12 field trip opportunities, the Mineral Museum is open for self-guided and guided tours by faculty and students in the JMU Department of Geology and Environmental Science. Visitors will experience over 1,770 cataloged specimens from five different collections. This includes the remarkable Peter L. Via Collection, which has 378 individual specimens on display from 24 states and 39 countries including a collection of fluorescent minerals. No Fee. T, V, AY, S

Youth Programs
Youth Programs is a component of JMU's School of Professional and Continuing Education (SPCE). In addition to partnering with JMU STEM faculty to host many of the programs described above, Youth Programs offers additional STEM-related workshops and camps for K-12 students such as the Esports Summer Camp, Winter Makerland, and Chess at 3. The type of programming and schedule varies each season. Fees vary. I, AY, S