Though the idea might make some people squeamish, bugs are everywhere. But that’s great news for UNC Asheville Assistant Professor of Biology Camila Filgueiras, who was recently awarded a Student STEM Enrichment Program (SSEP) grant from the Burroughs Wellcome Fund for more than $175,000 for her three-year project titled, “Insects Everywhere: Closing the STEM Achievement Gap for Migrant Children.”
“I love to work with kids. The work that I do with insects and invertebrates, kids are normally scared of that,” Filgueiras said. But her work with kindergarten through high school students has opened the door to the amazing world of insects for countless students, and provided a gateway into an appreciation and deeper understanding of science.
With this grant, Filgueiras’ work will focus on the children of migrant workers in Western North Carolina, who face increased challenges as they seek a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education that will prepare them for career success.
“Insects Everywhere” will assist in closing the STEM achievement gap through an annual summer camp program, school-year field trips, and roundtable discussions that engage students in STEM concepts through the lens of insects, expose students to academic and career opportunities in STEM, and prepare students and their families to meet the challenges facing them as they pursue higher education and STEM careers. The project will partner closely with Buncombe County Schools’ K-12 STEM education program and Migrant Education Program, which works closely with migrant students and their families.
Entomology is a tool for teaching young students the value of diversity, as well, Filgueiras said.
“Insects are a super diverse group, and they adapt well in different conditions,” Filgueiras explained. “I’m using insects as a tool to show how important it is to be different.”
“Insects Everywhere” will build off of Filgueiras’ current All About Bugs Engagement Program with K-12 students through her Natural Enemy Management & Applications (NEMA) Lab, which involves visiting local classrooms to engage students with hands-on activities that engage them with principles of diversity, ecology, and conservation–and, of course, bugs. Current UNC Asheville students work with Filgueiras to design and lead these workshops, giving them the opportunity to engage with the subject matter at a deeper level, as well as learning teaching, communication and presentation skills.
“NEMA Lab students are involved from the beginning, developing the activities and adapting them for different age groups and learning abilities,” Filgueiras said. “Some of the NEMA Lab students when they start say they are hesitant to talk in front of a group. Three or four sessions later they ask if they can do the presentation next time. I love to see my students grow to be more confident in themselves.”
“Assisting with these events have been fulfilling ways for me to give back to the larger community and connect with people who share my entomological interests,” said senior UNC Asheville student Jaq Reed. “Next semester I will be starting my own project focused on the importance of soil invertebrates in the form of an educational book for middle school aged children.”
“Being a child who grew up obsessed with insects, it means the world to me to be able to do the insect outreach programs that the NEMA Lab does,” said Eden Simmons, also a senior at UNC Asheville. “Getting to meet kids who share my fascination and seeing their faces light up when I talk about insects makes my heart feel full. It is my belief that saving insects is the key to protecting the environment and educational projects such as ‘All About Bugs’ are great ways to do so.”
The younger students enjoy and benefit from interacting with the UNC Asheville students, as well.
“They love it. They want to know what the UNC Asheville students do in college,” Filgueiras said. “By the end of the workshop they say, ‘oh yeah, I’m going to go to college, too.’”
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