This month, over 70 middle school students from Visalia visited UC Merced for a hands-on STEM experience hosted by our VISTA team, student interns, and in collaboration with F3 Innovate (F3i). Students participated in engaging activities including:
- Designing and assembling a capacitance-based soil moisture sensor to measure water in soil
- Building gears to activate mechanical flowers on the farm
- Constructing a fan to cool a temperature sensor and ensure it works properly
- Flying mini drones, or UAVs, which are increasingly essential in modern agriculture for data collection, precision farming, and resource management
Students also toured the campus, interacted with agricultural robots, and enjoyed lunch in the university dining hall. This immersive day highlighted the exciting intersection of STEM, technology, and sustainable agriculture while inspiring the next generation of innovators.