Old Dominion University will host ODU BLAST (Building Leaders for Advancing Science and Technology), a summer and residential, hands-on intensive STEM-related program from for eighty rising 9th and 10th grade students and eight teacher-chaperones from across Virginia.  Tours and other special STEM-related evening events are planned to enhance the on-campus ODU experience.  ODU BLAST is funded by the Virginia Space Grant Consortium. Session in 2019 will be held during these dates: June 23-26, 2019.

Introduction: Old Dominion University will develop and host ODU BLAST, a program that is intended to build leaders for advancing science and technology (BLAST).  ODU BLAST taps into the strengths and talents of the ODU faculty and graduate students who collectively address one of ODU’s signature area, the mitigation, and adaptation to climate change and sea level rise that is aligned with the one of the main NASA topics “EXPLORE EARTH” that focuses on enhancement our understanding of Earth’s atmosphere and climate through scientific research driven by new instruments and data collected.

ODU is poised to offer a unique, exciting, and rewarding STEM-related experience to a total of two-hundred and forty rising 9th & 10-grade students from across the Commonwealth. Video from last year’s event:

Rationale: The following rationale is offered in support of the ODU BLAST program that will focus on STEM in the context of one of ODU’s signature areas, the mitigation, and adaption to climate change and sea level rise.  ODU encourages and supports research, teaching, and outreach on a number of topics related to the mitigation and adaptation to climate change and sea level rise including sustainable building, development of alternative energies, responses to hazardous environments, and how to better communicate and engage the community on visioning and shaping their future.

  • PI: Vukica Jovanović, Ph.D.,  / Vukitsa Yovanovich/, Associate Professor, Engineering Technology, 757-683-3769, v2jovano@odu.edu
  • Co-PI: Cynthia Tomovic, Ph.D., Professor, STEM Education, 757-683-5228, ctomovic@odu.edu
  • Co-PI: Mujde Erten-Unal, Associate Professor, Associate Professor, and Environmental Engineering, 757-683-3769, bterzic@odu.edu
  • Co-PI: Balša Terzić, Ph.D.,  / Balsha Terzich/, Assistant Professor, Physics, 757-683-3769, bterzic@odu.edu
  • Co-PI: George McLeod,  Assistant Director, Geospatial and Visualization Services, Information Technology Services, 757-683-, gmcleod@odu.edu

Previous ODU BLAST sessions’ websites can be found here: