As I read my colleagues posts about their internship, I realize that my experience is vastly different. I am learning about the application and product development of science and technology. Lee is an innovator. She sees things differently and thinks “what if…” all the time. I have been learning so much about business and product development. I have read about… Read more »

Here are some different ways PlyGem is using their synthetic slate shingle material. Furniture and jewelry! You could have your outfit and patio set match your roof! But seriously, this is the cool stuff that they are thinking about… different ways to use the materials they make. It’s all about innovation — finding a connection between two things. Sometimes you… Read more »

In business and education you need to see measurable results. In education, it is a bit more challenging to identify successes in learning. There are many variables that make up the equation. In the construction business you can look at economic trends and building starts. Both industries look at large amounts of data and try to find the important pieces… Read more »

My internship is allowing me to experience the many facets of innovation — from early ideas to market launch. I am looking at construction projects and lots of data to help a new sales team find customers. I am looking at patents and new products to see how they could be integrated into a material for buildings. I am thinking… Read more »

My wonderful mentor, Lee Clark-Sellers and me at PlyGem. I need to add some pictures of some of the cool products, but that will be at a later date.

When I teach states of matter to elementary school kids we investigate the 3 main categories: Solid, Liquid, and Gas. A gas takes up the space/area that it is given. A liquid takes the shape of the container it is in. A solid does not change it’s shape. Well, there is a new (2006) technology called self-healing materials. Here is… Read more »

I am so excited to have the opportunity to be a Kenan Fellow for many reasons: 1. I love to be a learner. 2. I’m excited to get kids excited about STEM in elementary school. 3. I have more questions than answers. 4. I enjoy collaborative learning. 5. Thinking all the time! I will teach third grade at Washington GT Elementary… Read more »