Get Involved
Contact Us
MSC05 3040
1 University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
Physical Location:
Education Classrooms
Building 67, Room #211
Phone: (505) 277-0878
stem@unm.edu
Discover Your Science has been postponed. Please check back for updates.
What is "Discover Your Science"?
Discover Your Science is an opportunity for you to learn more about science majors, research projects, cutting-edge technology, student organizations and student support programs at the University of New Mexico. It is a celebration of science, an introduction to new friends, and a jump-start on planning your science career. During the Discover Your Science, you will meet professors, undergraduate and graduate students, and other individuals who will be important to your future success. You will engage in activities that introduce you to key concepts and opportunities. Discover Your Science will be held on Saturday, August 18th, 2018.
Who is invited?
Discover Your Science is open to all new first-year UNM students who are interested in learning more about science, technology, engineering, mathematics or health science fields.
Why should I invite my parents, spouse or partner?
Succeeding in college usually requires a supporting cast. It’s important that your family understand the challenges you will face and the support structures in place to help you achieve your goals. Also, it’s fun to plan your future in the company of those who love you most! All guests must be 18 years of age or older.
What is a “Campus Road Trip?”
At the University of New Mexico, you will have countless opportunities to participate in scientific research, utilize cutting edge technology, and meet world-renowned innovators. Those experiences start here. During the Campus Road Trips, you will tour high-tech university research labs and design studios, meet your future professors and peers, go behind-the-scenes at university museums, participate in hands-on demonstrations, and explore new ways of thinking. Check out the list of Road Trips below. During Discover Your Science, you will join the Road Trips that most appeal to you. Your guests will also go on Road Trips, and they can pick the ones that appeal most to them. Check back soon for a full list of Campus Road Trips.
Where will Discover Your Science be held?
Discover Your Science will be held on Saturday, August 18th, at the Centennial Engineering Center, 300 Redondo W Dr, Albuquerque, NM 87106 (UNM Building #112, see map below). Campus Road Trips will take you to centers and studios all around campus, and will leave from the Centennial Engineering Center. Parking will be available at the Visitor Parking Center (see map below).
How much does Discover Your Science cost?
Discover Your Science is funded by various departments at the University of New Mexico. So participation is free, including parking and meals.
How do I register? How does my guest(s) register?
There are two registration links above. The first link (Student Registration) will allow you to register yourself and up to two guests. If you are not yet sure if will be bringing guests, no worries. Go ahead and register yourself. The second link
(Guest Registration) will allow your guests to register themselves separately, before or after you complete your own registration. All guests must be 18 years of age or older.
Who can I call for more information?
For more information, please contact the STEM Collaborative Center at stem.unm.edu or 505-277-0878. After you register, you will receive email updates as we get closer to the Discover Your Science dates.
Bonus STEM Movie
Join us fro a free movie at 3:00pm in the Centennial Engineering Center Auditorium, 300 Redondo W Dr, Albuquerque, NM 87106 (UNM Building #112, see map below). We will be screening Black Panther.
Are you interested in becoming a volunteer?
We have more than 150 incoming Freshmen coming to UNM for a day filled with fun STEM activities. Come help us show these students that they are part of the UNM STEM team. It’s a great opportunity to recruit freshmen into your student organization. All volunteers get free lunch and entrance into a STEM movie night in the SUB after the Festival. Click here to learn more.
Map to Discover Your Science
FIRST-YEAR STRATEGIES
Sometimes college students are told that the best way to select or finalize a major is to enroll in your required core courses (English, Math, Social Sciences, Lab Sciences, etc.), and then major in the one you like the most. While this can certainly work, it’s not the most efficient or strategic way to plan your future. Indeed, UNM offers MANY ways for you to STRATEGICALLY explore your own interests, learn more about majors and careers, and finalize your degree program and profession.
Learn time management skills. In college, your daily schedule fluctuates regularly and the semester flies by quickly. But by organizing your commitments, and scheduling “me-time,” you can open up space to be more involved in academic pursuits in and out of the classroom. To learn to manage your time more effectively, check out the workshops and services offered by the UNM Center for Academic Program Support (http://caps.unm.edu), or just stop in and ask for advice. CAPS is located on the third floor of Zimmerman Library.
Visit the UNM Career Services office. Career Services staff can help you at all stages of your education, from your freshman year to your senior year, and beyond. At Career Services, you can learn more about yourself. What values drive you? What work environments do you prefer? What types of jobs are likely to inspire you? You can also learn about specific professions and jobs. If you’re interested in engineering, for instance, what are the different engineering disciplines? If you want to be a civil engineer, what education and experiences are necessary to get you there? What do these engineering jobs look like on a day-to-day basis? Finally, Career Services staff can put you in places where you experience different professions first-hand, including mentorships, job shadowing, and internships. To learn more about Career Services, visit career.unm.edu.
Enroll in a First-Year Learning Community (FLC). FLCs pair two courses that are taught together around a theme. They explore connections between the two areas and how they intersect and connect. One of the classes is a Seminar (a small class with a theme), and the other is a course that’s part of UNM’s Core (required courses). These small classes are taught using cooperative and collaborative learning methods that engage you as an active, involved learner, with a minimum of “lecture”. To learn more about FLCs, visit http://firstyear.unm.edu/course-schedules/.
Get involved in academic engagement outside of the classroom. At UNM, your classes will provide you with rich learning experiences, but you should also supplement classroom learning with other activities if possible. For instance, nearly every science discipline at UNM has at least one student professional organization. Most of these organizations do not require that you are admitted to the accompanying degree program to join. So, for instance, if you’re interested in biology, then join the Biology Undergraduate Society of UNM (BUGS), even if you’re not a biology major. You will make new friends, and learn about opportunities and activities related to biology. To see a list of science student organizations, visit http://stem.unm.edu, click on “UNM STEM Programs” and then click on “STEM Student Organizations.”
Many departments also offer science-based academic engagements. One department, the STEM Collaborative Center, offers free workshops, research site visits, research projects and mentorships during the fall, spring and summer. Past events have taken students to the Very Large Array (learning about research into deep space), the Air Force Research Lab (participating in mentorships with engineers, physicists and other scientists), Intel (exploring cutting-edge computer tech), and Meow Wolf (experiencing Santa Fe’s new mind-boggling art space). New Mexico’s incredible geology comes to life during our trips to the Angel Peak badlands, the Grand Canyon, El Mapais, and the Valles Caldera supervolcano. To learn more about the Collaborative, visit stem.unm.edu. To see upcoming events, visit http://stemuniversity.unm.edu. Check back often as new events are added regularly.
Engineering Student Services also offers a wide array of activities, including outreach opportunities that allow you give back to your community. To learn more, visit ess.unm.edu. To see a full list of UNM departments that offer science opportunities and support services, visit stem.unm.edu, click on “UNM STEM Programs” and then click on “STEM Services and Resource.” Stop in and visit any of these departments to learn more!
Get involved in undergraduate research. In your entry-level science courses, you will often perform experiments where the results are already known. These experiments are essential to your understanding and academic growth. But, if you get involved in undergraduate research opportunities, you can take this a step further by creating and conducting research where no one knows what will happen! This is the exciting part of science… discover and create something new! This is how science changes the world for the better every day! There are several key ways to get involved in undergraduate research.
First, check out undergraduate research programs. The College Enrichment Program offers several such opportunities: McNair/ROP offers opportunities for first-generation students from low-income families, or from populations traditionally underrepresented in STEM. To learn more about McNair/ROP, visit http://mcnair.unm.edu/. First Year Research Experience (FYRE) is open to all first-year students. To learn more, visit http://cep.unm.edu/scholarPrograms/FYRE.html.
Second, talk to your professors in classes you enjoy. This is crucial. Faculty members sometimes hire undergraduate students in their labs to help with their research. From these experiences, you will get to know professors, graduate students, and other undergraduate students, and you will learn key research concepts. Undergraduate research looks GREAT on your resume when you graduate and apply for jobs or graduate school. It all starts with approaching your professor before class, after class or during office hours. Start by asking if they conduct research at UNM. If so, ask them to tell you about their research (researchers love to talk about their work, so this will get the ball rolling). Then ask them if they hire undergraduate students in their labs, and if you could apply. If they don’t have the money to hire students, then ask them if you can volunteer a few hours each week. Volunteering looks just as good on your résumé, and you learn just as much! Finally, check out UNM Research Match at http://research-match.unm.edu/. This website will show you which professors are looking for researchers, and will help you connect with them.
These are just a few of the many ways you can explore majors and professions during your first year at UNM. To learn more, email stem@unm.edu and ask to speak to a staff member at the STEM Collaborative Center. We will be happy to meet over coffee and help you discover new opportunities!