By Margaret Schell

D ozens of high school students from across the U.S. and around the globe are taking upper-level astrophysics classes at Georgia College & State University through Summer Science Program International.

“If humanity is a flower, STEM itself is the stem of that flower,” said Christopher Reyes-Aquino from Yonkers, New York. Reyes-Aquino is one of 36 students currently in residence at GCSU attending SSP.

For five weeks, Dr. Donovan Domingue, interim chair of the Department of Chemistry, Physics and Astronomy, and Dr. Hasitha Mahabadugue, associate professor of Physics, provide a hands-on, up-close experience for the visiting students.

This is the second year Georgia College has hosted SSP, empowering dozens of young STEM students to help fill industry needs. SSP is one of the many summer camps and programs for all ages hosted by Georgia College Continuing and Professional Education.

“The high demand for STEM graduates is something people haven’t seen before,” Mahabaduge said. "It is important for Georgia College & State University to host these types of programs. ... This program literally puts Georgia College on the world map."

Kudrat Ubylkasymov from Kyrgyzstan, is drawn to astrophysics. Although he enjoyed meeting others and experiencing American culture, the most exciting activity was using the university’s large telescope and observatory.

“It’s so impressive to understand that some planets are millions of light years away from Earth,” Ubylkasymov said.

Sophia Li from Troy, Michigan, wants to major in environmental engineering. She hopes to tell stories of how climate change impacts Earth.

“I’ve learned how to take data from three dates of asteroids and use known variables to come up with the orbit of our asteroid,” Li said. “This relates to my future studies, taking data about Earth, then using it to tell a story about the rates of change.”

Justin Ayala of Hemet, California, wants to study aerospace engineering. The experiential learning environment at GCSU gave him the confidence to thrive this summer.

“This rigorous environment expanded my horizon to feel like I can do more than I thought,” he said.

SSP students leave GCSU equipped with the skills necessary to solve future problems.

“STEM drives our civilization forward,” Domingue said. “Technology is improving, thanks to those bright minds … that people expect to improve over time with better health, better medical devices and having a better understanding of the universe.”

Header Images: SSP International participants work together to review research data and solve problems, lead by Georgia College Physics faculty Drs. Domingue and Mahabaduge. (Photos: Anna Gay Leavitt, Video: Chris Brown)