Auburn University unveils 82 million-year-old dinosaur egg for public display

Thanks to a newly unveiled museum exhibit, visitors to Auburn University can travel back in time 82 million years.

Millions of years ago, a fragile dinosaur egg approximately 2 inches long washed out to sea and was protected in layers of sediment for an incredible journey. In the 1970s, the fossilized egg was discovered by a group of teens near Selma, Alabama. One of those teens, Prescott Atkinson, would later conduct a CT scan on the egg after completing medical school.

The dinosaur egg, which includes an intact embryo that is the most complete dinosaur specimen in the eastern United States, was unveiled June 1 in a public display in the Rouse Life Sciences Building, part of the Auburn University Museum of Natural History, or AUMNH, collections.

“It’s very unique, and there’s not another one like it,” said Jonathan Armbruster, director of AUMNH. “It holds great scientific value.”

SCORE Robotics Institute trains teachers in robotics, provides valuable professional development opportunity

The Southeastern Center of Robotics Education, or SCORE, kicked off its two-week Robotics Institute on May 31, giving K-12 teachers an extended, hands-on professional development opportunity to learn about various robotics platforms.

Held at Beard-Eaves Memorial Coliseum, participants at the institute learn about various robotic platforms, basic coding and lesson plans to integrate robotics into the classroom. Attendees can participate in the entire institute or choose specific days of training based on their preferred area of focus. Trainings are broken down daily into different robotics platforms, with this year’s sessions covering Dash, Dot, Cue, VEX 123, Edison, VEX GO (Classroom and Competition), Vex IQ Classroom, Sphero Bolt and RVR, Firia Codebot, Micro:bit, Makey Makey and Raspberry Pi. The institute is designed for classroom teachers, computer science teachers, media specialists, administration or anyone interested in learning how to integrate robotics into the classroom.

Auburn’s College of Sciences and Mathematics offering several on-campus outreach summer programs

School may be out for summer, but the Office of Outreach in COSAM, is gearing up to welcome K-12 students and teachers on campus with an array of exciting programs covering wide-ranging topics in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM.

Program offerings for teachers include Science in Motion, AP Summer Institute and Robotics Institute for Teachers—an extended, hands-on professional development opportunity that will focus on numerous robotics platforms and guidance for how to integrate robotics into the classroom.

As part of COSAM’s Office of Outreach, the Southeastern Center of Robotics Education, or SCORE, has many programs planned throughout the summer that will give students a hands-on opportunity to learn specific robotic platforms as well as 3D printing and design.

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COSAM Today is published by COSAM's Office of Communications and Marketing. Questions? Send an email to mcg0052@auburn.edu.