STEM Center Events

Annual Brain Bee: For students ages 13-19. 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. No Fee. 

Annual Anatomy Expo: This event for local high school students is held in conjunction with the JMU Anato-Bee, a run-off competition for the Regional Anato-Bee. The event starts with a keynote speaker and ends with the Anato-Bee (optional). In between, students engage in hands-on learning and E-Hall lunch with JMU Anatomy professors and students. This event is typically held on a Saturday in late January or February in alignment with the National Anato-Bee schedule. No Fee.

Other JMU STEM Outreach Programs

• T- available for K-12 teachers to bring a group of students
• C- offered as a camp or part of a STEM-themed camp
• I- available for middle and/or high school students to attend individually
• 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 with a CASE staff member 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, C, 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, I, 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 by exploring a topic of interest. 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. C, 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. C, 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.  C (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 in 9-12th grade. 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 green space 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, a variety of youth programs, an annual public lecture, and other community events such as an annual Harvest Fest. No Fee. T, C, I, V, AY, S

Engineering 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- $30. C, AY

Environmental Stewardship 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 public shows Public Science Talks, "Sunday Science for Girls", Public Star Parties", 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, C, I, V, AY, S.

madiSTEM
This is an annual one-day conference designed for girls (but open to all students) in grades 6-8. This conference allows for engagement in exiting hands-on STEM workshops, presentations by women in STEM, and interactions with JMU students to learn first-hand about studying STEM fields in college. This conference is led by faculty in the JMU Department of Mathematics and Statistics with support from faculty and student volunteers in affiliated departments and colleges. 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. The museums is open to the public on Mon, Wed, Friday and the 2nd Saturday of each month from 1-4pm. Group visits can be arranged at other times by appointment. No Fee. T, V, AY, S

Science Explorers Camp
The School of Professional & Continuing Education Youth Programs in partnership with the John C. Wells Planetarium host three, week-long science-based summer camps open to students in grades K-12. Campers explore different areas of science including biology, earth science, chemistry, forensic science, and physics & astronomy with hands-on learning in JMU's STEM learning, technology, and research spaces. Fee: $250 for rising 1st-4th graders, $280 for rising 5th-8th graders, and $950 for the high school residential camp. C, S 

Science on a Sphere
This visualization system located in JMU's Engineering and Geosciences Building is an education & outreach component of JMU's Institute for Stewardship of the Natural World. The Sphere technology uses networked projectors to display still and animated datasets onto the outside of a large suspended sphere. Scientists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) developed SOS to increase the public’s understanding of Earth as a system and the role of humans in the ecosystem by bringing NOAA-conducted research on resource management to students, teachers, and learners of all ages. The JMU SOS team offers a variety of VA Standards Aligned programs for grades K-12. 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 some of the programs described above, Youth Programs offers additional STEM-related workshops and camps for K-12 students such as the Esports Summer Camp and Chess at 3. The types of programming and schedules vary each season. Fees vary. C, AY, S