News Release

Ninth and tenth graders from Buffalo participate in the STEMcyclists Summer Camp organized by Noemi Waight, with the Graduate School of Education. Students in the program participated in cycling-related activities intended to facilitate a better understanding of how bikes work and what happens in our bodies while riding a bike. The group was photographed in the Hayes Hall Annex and in the space outside in July 2023. Photographer: Douglas Levere.

Noemi Waight, PhD, speaks to STEMcyclist campers during a 2023 session in the Hayes Hall Annex.

Published May 6, 2025

UB to host community STEMcyclists Extravaganza celebrating NSF’s 75th anniversary

BUFFALO, N.Y. — The University at Buffalo STEMcyclists program will host “NSF STEM Day: STEMcyclists Extravaganza with Our Community” on Saturday, May 10, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Rotary Field on UB’s South Campus, located at the corner of Winspear Avenue and Bailey Avenue (near Clark Hall).

Free and open to all ages, the event invites families to explore the science of cycling through hands-on science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) stations, bike-related activities and a community ride led by Slow Roll Buffalo.

The event is one of just over 50 selected nationwide to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the National Science Foundation.

“We’re grateful to NSF for entrusting us to do this work and proud to be part of celebrating its 75th anniversary,” said Noemi Waight, project lead and associate professor in the Graduate School of Education’s Department of Learning and Instruction. “This event is not only about honoring NSF’s impact, but also about uplifting our local communities and inspiring more young people to see themselves in STEM.”

The celebration builds on the success of GSE’s STEMcyclists Summer Camp initiative, an NSF-funded initiative that helps local youth learn STEM concepts through cycling.

In a full-circle moment, former campers will return to campus to serve as mentors and station leaders, guiding attendees through the science of bikes from fixing flat tires to exploring friction and force. These youth leaders were participants in the 2024 STEMcyclists summer camp.

The celebration will begin with an opening ceremony at 9 a.m. featuring remarks from Suzanne Rosenblith, GSE dean and professor, and a keynote address by Jillian Hanesworth, founding poet laureate emeritus of Buffalo.

The morning will continue with a seven-mile community bike ride through Buffalo neighborhoods, followed by interactive STEM activities. 

Event highlights include:

  • STEM learning stations, demonstrating everything from fixing flat tires to exploring friction and force
  • Music and family-friendly entertainment
  • Free lunch (sponsored by GSE)
  • Gift cards for participating families (while supplies last)

“We hope families have a good time and see how science can be interesting, fun and part of everyday things. Aside from formal science, if you just learn to maintain your bike, you're already using any number of scientific principles,” said Ryan Rish, project lead and associate professor in GSE’s Department of Learning and Instruction.

Jennifer Tripp, GSE educator and postdoctoral research associate, and graduate students Stacy Scheuneman, Fatemeh Mozaffari and Finn Goehrig—all doctoral students in UB’s curriculum, instruction and the science of learning PhD program—have helped organize the program.

Community partners include GObike Buffalo, East Side Bike Club, Slow Roll Buffalo, Wheels for Workers, Colored Musicians Club, Colored Girls Bike Too, Norfolk Ave Block Club, Families Aimed Toward Excellence (FATE), and the Buffalo Sewer Authority.

While the event is primarily supported by NSF, additional contributions from UB’s Office of Inclusive Excellence, UB’s Institute for Learning Sciences, UB’s Graduate School of Education, UB’s Department of Learning and Instruction, and the UB Science and Technology Entry Program helped bring the celebration to life.

“We want our community to feel welcome on UB’s campus, to see themselves here and to see their children here. We want them to come, enjoy and understand the ways in which science—and STEM in general—can be fun, too,” said Waight. 

RSVP for NSF STEM Day: STEMcyclists Extravaganza With Our Community

Contact

Contact stemcyclists@buffalo.edu with questions. 

Photo Gallery From STEMcyclists Summer Camp 2023

  • Ninth and tenth graders from Buffalo participate in the STEMcyclists Summer Camp organized by Noemi Waight, with the Graduate School of Education. Students in the program participated in cycling-related activities intended to facilitate a better understanding of how bikes work and what happens in our bodies while riding a bike. The group was photographed in the Hayes Hall Annex and in the space outside in July 2023.
  • Ninth and tenth graders from Buffalo participate in the STEMcyclists Summer Camp organized by Noemi Waight, with the Graduate School of Education. Students in the program participated in cycling-related activities intended to facilitate a better understanding of how bikes work and what happens in our bodies while riding a bike. The group was photographed in the Hayes Hall Annex and in the space outside in July 2023.
  • Ninth and tenth graders from Buffalo participate in the STEMcyclists Summer Camp organized by Noemi Waight, with the Graduate School of Education. Students in the program participated in cycling-related activities intended to facilitate a better understanding of how bikes work and what happens in our bodies while riding a bike. The group was photographed in the Hayes Hall Annex and in the space outside in July 2023.
  • Ninth and tenth graders from Buffalo participate in the STEMcyclists Summer Camp organized by Noemi Waight, with the Graduate School of Education. Students in the program participated in cycling-related activities intended to facilitate a better understanding of how bikes work and what happens in our bodies while riding a bike. The group was photographed in the Hayes Hall Annex and in the space outside in July 2023.
  • Ninth and tenth graders from Buffalo participate in the STEMcyclists Summer Camp organized by Noemi Waight, with the Graduate School of Education. Students in the program participated in cycling-related activities intended to facilitate a better understanding of how bikes work and what happens in our bodies while riding a bike. The group was photographed in the Hayes Hall Annex and in the space outside in July 2023.
  • Ninth and tenth graders from Buffalo participate in the STEMcyclists Summer Camp organized by Noemi Waight, with the Graduate School of Education. Students in the program participated in cycling-related activities intended to facilitate a better understanding of how bikes work and what happens in our bodies while riding a bike. The group was photographed in the Hayes Hall Annex and in the space outside in July 2023.
  • Ninth and tenth graders from Buffalo participate in the STEMcyclists Summer Camp organized by Noemi Waight, with the Graduate School of Education. Students in the program participated in cycling-related activities intended to facilitate a better understanding of how bikes work and what happens in our bodies while riding a bike. The group was photographed in the Hayes Hall Annex and in the space outside in July 2023.
  • Ninth and tenth graders from Buffalo participate in the STEMcyclists Summer Camp organized by Noemi Waight, with the Graduate School of Education. Students in the program participated in cycling-related activities intended to facilitate a better understanding of how bikes work and what happens in our bodies while riding a bike. The group was photographed in the Hayes Hall Annex and in the space outside in July 2023.