At the New Mexico Governor’s STEM Challenge earlier this year, where 35 high school STEM teams from around the state competed for cash prizes and networking opportunities, Arcadis was the proud sponsor of Espanola Valley High School and their project Steady Hands, a pioneering and replicable prototype designed to treat tremors in individuals with Parkinson’s disease.
The New Mexico Governor’s STEM Challenge aims to recognize achievement and cultivate potential in the diverse students of New Mexico. It encourages participation in STEM fields from underrepresented populations and assists teachers in integrating the Next Generation Science Standards into classrooms. The event also fosters collaboration between industry partners and New Mexico’s STEM students. Arcadis was proud to participate as a Team Sponsor, contributing $5,000 to provide scholarships for the team selected by Arcadis in the competition.
According to contest judges, the Espanola Valley STEM students showcased the project’s scientific principles with a focus on empathic design. Their approach to the project involved a comprehensive methodology of product design, testing, creating useful metrics for evaluation, and multiple iterations of product improvement. The team demonstrated storytelling of the project, and showed that each person deeply understood the project, technical aspects, and real-world implications. Arcadis’s representatives were impressed by the project’s overall excellence and the group’s presentation, expressing confidence that Steady Hands will enhance quality of life for individuals affected by tremors.
For the Steady Hands Project, the Espanola Valley High School STEM Team successfully created a practical and replicable prototype that uses vibrations to desynchronize abnormal neuron firing in the brain. Steady Hands sends vibrations through the fingertips to the brain, which resets electrical firing in the substantia nigra and reduces tremors, leading to more autonomous movement.
Joey Gallegos, representative for Arcadis at the New Mexico Governor’s STEM Challenge, said: “We met hundreds of young people who are following STEM research and design methodologies to improve quality of life. We are inspired by the New Mexico’s students and their projects. Their minds are open to possibilities and their approaches to problem solving are impressive. The Steady Hands project creates access to medical technology and demonstrates the power of STEM solutions that begin with empathy.”
