FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Four professors from the School of Human Environmental Sciences in the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences were recently honored for their efforts in creating e-textile activities to engage middle school students in learning about the science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the so-called STEM fields.

The interdisciplinary team consisted of two apparel merchandising and product development professors and two from human development and family sciences.

Associate professor Laurie Apple and clinical associate professor Kathy Smith are in the apparel program while clinical associate professor Zola Moon and associate professor Glenda Revelle are in human development and family sciences. The group received the ATEXINC Award for Innovation in Textile Instruction at the International Textile and Apparel Association annual conference held in Santa Fe, New Mexico, in November.

"We are thrilled to have been recognized by our peers for our innovative teaching," said Apple. "This grant project has allowed us not only to research STEM interest in middle school girls, but also to incorporate it into our U of A classes, which gives our students exposure to our research focus."

They created a textile design course specifically aimed at engaging female middle school students in the areas of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. University students in a senior level AMPD class created designs for bookmarks, key fobs, baseball caps or headbands and a T-shirt. The group used the LilyPad Arduino textile circuit kit to create design activities, including LED lamps sewn to the bookmark, a key fob, a baseball cap or headband, or T-shirt. One design was chosen for each category to be prototyped and developed for the curriculum. 

With fewer females pursuing STEM-related careers, the researchers targeted middle school females by using e-textiles and circuit kits to combine activities of traditional interest to girls through sewing and crafting, with electronic circuit design.

The research team will create kits for each of the chosen designs to be used for e-textile activities to engage female middle school students in STEM-related activities in a larger research study.

About the Dale Bumpers College of Agricultural, Food and Life Sciences: Bumpers College provides life-changing opportunities to position and prepare graduates who will be leaders in the businesses associated with foods, family, the environment, agriculture, sustainability and human quality of life; and who will be first-choice candidates of employers looking for leaders, innovators, policy makers and entrepreneurs. The college is named for Dale Bumpers, former Arkansas governor and longtime U.S. senator who made the state prominent in national and international agriculture.

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.