October is like the grande finale for my apprenticeship because of the ballon fiesta which is no doubt the biggest even of the year. This was a 3 day festival where we are working from 4pm to 10pm all of the days. I unfortunately could not go for the first day because of school so I came in the next day which was a Friday. On Friday I got trained in the stations and then got to work. It was so cool getting to see the balloons all light up, and being able to be part of the installation. While we did have a VR station at the event my favorite part of the installation was the Space Messengers wall. It is an interactive projection that senses your movements and you could send your own messages to the wall. Once we finished on Friday I was able to have a pretty chill mornings till going back to the ballon park for the last night. The traffic in Albuquerque was so bad you would have to leave like an hour early to be able to get anywhere on time especially the ballon park. The last night went smoothly and we wrapped up our last installation. I have had so much fun this year learning about the science and technology behind these large scale installations, and I’m so grateful for everyone I met through the apprenticeship. Next month is our very last month together and I can’t imagine if i hadn’t taken this opportunity. Heres to a fabulous October and an even better November!
0 Comments
September means Paseo for the STEMArts team. This and the ballon fiesta next month are what the entire apprenticeship have been leading up to! To prepare for Paseo which is an art installation in Taos NM we had to learn a whole new VR program. The program was pretty straight forward so it didn’t take long and before I knew it we were setting up for the first night of Paseo. Unfortunately right before people were going to start showing up for the night it started raining. The rain was so heavy that we had to stop and call it a night. The next day we did it again and this time without the rain, and it couldn’t have gone better. I was working as a VR guide and I found it fun to explain to people how to work the equipment and the story behind what they were looking at. I had some trouble keeping the line to my station organized more or less but I got the hang of it eventually. I has such a good experience this month as an ambassador and I’m looking forward to next month’s experience.
August 2023 was a month of both transition and creativity. It marked the end of summer vacation and the beginning of a new school year, but it was also a time filled with exciting experiences.
My August commenced with participation in a bootcamp organized by STEMArts, focused on preparations for the upcoming Paseo Festival. The primary goal was to ensure the success of STEMArts' VR installation at the festival. During the bootcamp, we delved into the logistical aspects, discussing how to make the VR installation captivating for festival attendees. It was a period of planning, coordination, and strategizing to bring our vision to life. August also marked the beginning of a new school year. I am officially a sophomore! I can already tell this year is going to be drastically difrent from last year. My classes are harder and require more time outside of school to complete all the work. However, the start of a new school year also means I get to see my friends more and I at least have something to do. In conclusion, August 2023 was a month of both preparation and creative exploration. The STEMArts bootcamp provided valuable insights into logistics and planning for the Paseo Festival, while my return to school marked a separate chapter in my academic journey. As the Paseo Festival drew nearer and the school year continued, I eagerly anticipated sharing our VR creation with the community while continuing to expand my academic horizons. August 2023 will always hold a special place in my heart as a time of innovation, learning, and boundless possibilities. You won't believe the incredible adventure I had this July, immersing myself in space technologies and creating mesmerizing augmented reality (AR) experiences! First, we visited the Q Station, a captivating place dedicated to space tech. It was truly eye-opening to witness the diverse ways people are utilizing their skills to explore the boundless field of space. Next, we journeyed to the Very Large Array (VLA) in Socorro. Picture this—27 massive radio telescopes in the desert, all aimed at the sky! It felt like stepping into a scene from a sci-fi movie. The VLA isn't an ordinary telescope; it uses radio waves to reveal hidden celestial wonders like stars, supernovae, and black holes. It's as if we possess a superpower to unveil the universe's invisible secrets. But the excitement didn't end there! The AR boot camp later in the month was an absolute blast, thanks to the fantastic platform, Hoverlay. Together, we crafted mind-boggling AR experiences that truly transported us to diffrent worlds. Throughout this cosmic journey, I discovered something remarkable—space isn't just about science; it's a realm of imagination too. Merging creativity with knowledge allows us to unlock the true essence of exploring the cosmos. The universe is vast and filled with intriguing mysteries, and I'm eager to keep learning and delving deeper into its secrets.
This adventure was an unforgettable experience! From the captivating space tech at the Q Station to the wonders of the VLA and the awe-inspiring AR boot camp, it was like entering a whole new world. I genuinely feel like a space explorer now, driven to reach for the stars and uncover the enigmas of the universe. As we venture forward together, I'm excited about the surprises space has in store for us. Let's continue our journey into the cosmos with both curiosity and passion! June has been crazy!!! My first month of summer is in full swing and I have barely had any time to relax, but its all for the best I have been having some amazing opportunities and it has been fun. Even if I'm not able to see my friends as much as I would like that will change next month when my schedule relaxes substantially. My summer started off with a trip to Arizona for 5 days then the day after I got back STEMArts has a zoom presentation about augmented reality. This really opened up the world of augmented realities for me, because I'm not the hugest fan of virtual reality (it freaks me out and gives me a headache) so augmented reality was a much easier pill to swallow for me. We learned about the augmented reality from the artist Claudia Hart who taught us about Hoverlay. Later in the month a went on a road trip to San Fransisco where I put my new driving skills to the test. By the end of the trip I think I have now driven 1,000 miles easy.
May was a very event full month to say the least. With the end of my first year of high school and finals I was cramming to get in all the work I had procrastinated all quarter. Luckily I made it through and I was pleasantly surprised with my final grades. This month I have also been trying to fund raise as much as I can for my up coming trip to Japan. I am no where near my goal, but I just have to keep working at it. If you would like to donate the link is bellow. I also finished my drivers ED course which I had started in April. For the Apprenticeship this month has been relatively calm with just the weekly zoom meetings.
As an apprentice at STEMArts lab, I had the opportunity to participate in an exciting event this month called the Invent Event in Taos, NM, hosted by Twirl. At the event, we set up a booth where kids could try on headsets and enter a virtual world called Mission: ISS. Being a part of this event was not only fun but also a great learning experience for me. One of the most valuable lessons I learned from guiding people in the virtual world was the importance of communication. In virtual reality, it can be difficult for people to understand what they are supposed to do, especially if they have never used a headset before. As a guide, it was my job to explain to people how to use the headset and the controls. I quickly realized that I had to adjust my communication style depending on the person I was guiding. Some people needed more detailed instructions, while others were more comfortable exploring on their own. Guiding people in virtual reality also required problem-solving skills. Sometimes people encountered technical difficulties, such as the headset losing connection or glitching a little bit. It was up to me to quickly identify the problem and find a solution. This required me to think on my feet and come up with creative solutions to get the headset working again. One example of a problem I encountered was a child who was having trouble seeing clearly through the headset. I realized that the headset was not properly adjusted for the child's head size, and I had to figure out how to adjust it quickly without disrupting the flow of people waiting to try it out.
Overall, the event was a great experience that allowed me to develop important skills. I learned how to communicate effectively and adjust my communication style based on the needs of the person I was guiding. I also learned how to think creatively to solve problems quickly and efficiently. These skills are valuable not only in virtual reality but also in many other areas of life, and I am grateful for the opportunity to have learned them through this experience. The first two months of my apprenticeship have gone by in a whirl. Once I signed up to be considered for the apprenticeship I honestly thought that would be the end of it. I never expected to actually get it. I did my interview while I was in Costa Rica then a week or two later I found out I had gotten in! The first order of business was to get together to meet all the other apprentices and get our VR headsets. We had a bootcamp at the UNM Hive where we learned about dark matter and particle physics from Andrea Albert, we then learned about space law from Michelle Hanlon, and we got training on VR and how to use the headsets. Later in February we had another bootcamp to work on how to train people to use the headsets. Unfortunately I was unable to attend. Just like that the first month of the apprenticeship was over. We started working on new projects such as building this website, and now we are working on a project for space messengers through WeVideo. This has been such a great opportunity for me and I'm so excited to see where this goes!
|
Details
Why are we here?I'm an apprentice with Agnes Chavez in the STEMArts lab program, learn more about this and other programs by clicking the button. |