17 Sep KC STEM Alliance welcomes KC FIRST staff members
KC STEM Alliance is pleased to announce the addition of two staff members, both at the ready to support KC FIRST programs and teams.
As FIRST Regional Director, Laura Bauer will serve as the primary contact for FIRST programs in the Greater Kansas City metropolitan region – including FIRST Robotics, FIRST Tech Challenge and FIRST Lego League.
Laura has more than sixteen years experience in multiple disciplines in the engineering industry. She worked as a manufacturing engineer at Marion Merrell Dow, AT&T and McDonnell Douglass. As a long-time volunteer in the Shawnee Mission School District, Laura served two seasons as FIRST Lego League coach at Mill Creek Elementary School and brings with her extensive volunteer management experience. Laura earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Kansas and a Master’s Degree in chemical engineering from Washington University. She lives in Overland Park, Kansas with her family.
A new initiative between the national FIRST organization and VISTA (Volunteers in Service to America) provides KC STEM Alliance with an exciting opportunity and welcome addition to our staff. Malcolm Strickland joins us as a FIRST/AmeriCorps VISTA member for the Kansas City region. During his one year tenure, Malcolm will be responsible for recruiting mentors and providing technical support for FIRST teams, particularly those in underserved communities. He will also serve as a role model to support community organizations and schools to encourage problem-solving through scientific and technological innovation. As a 2010 graduate of Lee Summit West High School, Malcolm was a member of his alma mater’s FRC Team Titanium. Malcolm is currently a student at Metropolitan Community College-Longview studying computer science.
Join KC STEM Alliance in welcoming these two STEM educated professionals to our team.
