College of Science, Engineering and Technology

Welcome Week 2017 promises to be another busy and festive time for students as they return to campus. But it’s extremely important, too. “The week says to all, ‘You belong here,’” said Charity Norman, manager of GCU’s Student and Family Program.

Here’s a family that has taken devotion to Grand Canyon University to a new level: Not only does Renee Taillon work and study at GCU, so do her three children — twins Christian and Jared and daughter Kirie. “We really do bleed purple in our family,” Renee said.

More than 130 Chief Science Officers from middle and high schools across Arizona are learning leadership, communication and team-building skills this week at the second annual GCU-hosted CSO Training Institute. In just two years, the program has spread not only across the state but also nationally with 13 states following Arizona’s example. CSOs are elected by their peers to act as STEM ambassadors at their schools and communities.

An Amazon software engineer described her colorful career path Thursday to a Code.org cohort of 25 Arizona educators. The K-12 teachers are at GCU this week to learn AP Science Principles, part of the GCU Strategic Educational Alliances mission to spread love of STEM through the teachers.

Starting in August, GCU is offering a new Master of Science in Cyber Security, an online degree intended to arm students with skills to detect and prevent cyber attacks like the recent WannaCry ransomware worm that raced across the internet. GCU students will learn the tricks of the hackers, but as Hackers-with-Halos their goal is to help and protect people.

More than 30 campers attending GCU’s Cipher Avenger STEM camp this week are thrilled that they are doing computer programming, using code and building servers and websites. The hands-on learning style that GCU champions is so enthralling, the room filled with high school juniors and seniors was quiet with concentration.

GCU faculty members Dr. Roméo Farinacci and Deborah Haralson spoke of the science in the stories during several panel presentations on the opening day of Phoenix Comicon, which kicked off Thursday in downtown Phoenix and ends Sunday. More than 200,000 comic book and superhero fans, many dressed in character, are expected to attend. “We are using so much science now,” Farinacci said. “We all could be super one day.” Both have additional panels today and Saturday.

Some of the best science fiction is based on concepts that might actually become reality, such as the hoverboard that first appeared in “Back to the Future” and tablets used by “Star Trek” characters. Two faculty members from the GCU College of Science, Engineering and Technology plan to explore the science in some of the most beloved fantasty fiction at this year’s Phoenix Comicon, May 25-28.

Several openings remain in Grand Canyon University’s 2017 Think Big Summer Math Institute for high school mathematics educators and school teams. Coordinated by GCU’s Strategic Educational Alliances, the two workshops will be held June 5-8 and June 12-15. Each offers separate topics.

Heidi Rausch was like a lot of students taking a difficult class — she needed help with physics. Bryce Beatty, a learning advocate (LEAD) in the Learning Lounge, was there for her, and Rausch felt so at home, she decided to become a LEAD herself. Thursday at commencement, she’ll graduate with her degree in Biology and is looking forward to medical school.