2007-2008 MUSIC Fellows

Brittany Zick

In the MUSIC program, I feel like I have the opportunity to influence these kids in a positive way. No one ever told me that engineering could be fun and interesting when I was in middle school. I like the idea of sparking their interest in something that they may have never discovered.

Elizabeth Harper

This is my 3 rd year participating in the MUSIC program. I decided to participate in the program again because I love helping students discover the same passion for science and math that I found when I was young. I enjoy the challenge of making engineering-focused lessons that are both educational and fun for all students. Moreover, I feel like the skills I’ve gained through MUSIC will help in the future regardless of what career I decide to pursue.

Scott Ings

The MUSIC program has provided me with a great opportunity to explore teaching and give back to the Durham community that I am a part of for my time at Duke. It has allowed me to help introduce the field of engineering to 7 th grade students who might not have ordinarily considered it as a possible field of study, and to hopefully provide the students with a new engineering point of view on traditional science topics.

Yatyng Chang

Working on the MUSIC program has exposed me to the other side of education. Being a teaching fellow has given me insight into my own level of science intellect, and encouraged me to truly understand all that I have studied so that I may best relate it to the students. Most importantly, I enjoy working with children and getting them excited about engineering.

Kristen Bova

The MUSIC program has been a wonderful outlet for me to become more involved in the Durham community. I enjoy working with my students and end up learning as much from them as they do from me. It is exciting to have the opportunity the share my excitement about science and engineering with a group of young people so willing to learn.

Drew Hoffman

I enjoy working with the children and seeing their excitement when we work on a new project. I also love the challenge of developing an engaging lesson plan for the children.

Stephanie Finch

The MUSIC program has given me the opportunity to interact with and impact the kids in my classes. It is such a rewarding experience to be able to use the things I have learned by adapting them for the classroom; the kids get excited and it deepens my own understanding of concepts as well. The program has also given me a lot of opportunities and connections in the engineering school by providing resources for me to incorporate into teaching.

John Pura

My favorite part of the program is the opportunity to help the students reach that "ah-ha" moment when they are able to relate what they've learned in class to why something works in an experiment or when they realize the answers to their own questions. For me, this is the most rewarding part of being a MUSIC fellow.

Grace Ledet

Since I am entering my first year of graduate school, the MUSIC program has given me an opportunity to connect with my new community outside of Duke University. I have had the opportunity to meet great people and hopefully impart a little excitement about engineering into a younger generation

Sharon Smith

MUSIC is a great way to interact with the future generation of scientists, engineers and mathematicians. The MUSIC program offers exposure to engineering concepts and ideas to students who may normally not have direct contact in these fields and allows them to explore this area in a fun and innovative way! This is very satisfying and rewarding. The MUSIC program has also allowed me to better learn how to communicate engineering concepts and to motivate groups in learning and investigating new areas.

Mark A. Castoro

What music has done for me: The MUSIC program has helped me extend my love for math, science, and engineering to seventh grade students who ordinarily are not exposed to “real-life” problem solving activities or demonstrations.