MARION, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—The Ohio State University at Marion is expanding its hands-on STEM Engineering Workshops to high schools across central Ohio, offering the program at no cost to districts or students.
The expansion is funded by a $10,000 Outreach and Engagement Grant awarded by The Ohio State University Office of Outreach and Engagement. Led by engineering faculty members Chandika Annasiwatta, Ph.D., Nima Mansouri, Ph.D., and Golrokh Mirzaei, Ph.D., the initiative aims to spark early interest in engineering, strengthen STEM pathways in local school districts, and help students make more confident decisions about future college majors.
While the program is tailored primarily for high school sophomores and juniors, freshmen and seniors are also welcome to participate. Faculty members emphasized that the workshops benefit all high school students regardless of prior experience, moving beyond an initial focus on those already interested in math, physics, engineering, and robotics.
The program is delivered in two distinct phases.
The first phase takes place directly within participating schools. Students at Marion Harding High School and Olentangy Berlin High School recently completed this portion, learning foundational concepts in circuit components, programming, and problem-solving. Each participant received a custom-designed circuit board to keep, allowing for continued independent learning through guided instructions and challenge problems.
The second phase brings students to the Ohio State Marion campus for advanced engineering experiences. This immersive component introduces students to college-level tools and environments, featuring instruction in engineering design, prototyping, 3D printing, programming, simulations, robotics, and programmable logic controller (PLC) systems.
The workshops also provide resources for local educators. Participating teachers receive hands-on STEM materials and professional development opportunities to integrate engineering concepts into their own classrooms, helping school districts strengthen their STEM curricula.
Initially launched in Marion and Delaware counties, Ohio State Marion is now expanding the program’s availability to school districts in Union, Logan, Ashland, and other surrounding counties.
“We believe this workshop increases awareness of STEM major opportunities among high school students and benefits both students in their college decision-making and Ohio State Marion in recruiting more students for future academic years,” said Mansouri, who serves as the primary contact and communications coordinator for the program.
School administrators or teachers interested in bringing the STEM Engineering Workshops to their students can contact Dr. Nima Mansouri, assistant professor of practice in mechanical and aerospace engineering, via email at mansouri.7@osu.edu.
