For the past 25 years, AdventHealth has partnered with the Orlando Science Center (OSC) to help transform Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) education in Central Florida and inspire the next generation of scientific leaders. A private science museum located in Orlando, OSC provides experience-based opportunities for learning about science and technology. The partnership between OSC and AdventHealth has focused on offering unique medical science programming, live scientific demonstrations, interactive exhibits and children’s education initiatives.
With support from AdventHealth for Children, OSC public education programs are focused on inspiring young scientists and filling the STEM pipeline. Over the last few years, our surgeons have presented and performed live demonstrations, including guiding visitors through the dissection of a cow’s heart in OSC’s Digital Adventure Theater.
We also participate as a sponsor and exhibitor in Otronicon, an annual, four-day electronics and technology event that provides OSC visitors with a glimpse of the latest innovative surgical procedures and advanced health care technologies that are transforming patient care. This includes hands-on demonstrations with surgical robotics equipment. This year’s AdventHealth exhibit featured two DaVinci robots, a Mazor robot, the Stryker Navigation system, the Mimic trainer, surgery training boxes and the community health team with its InBody BMI machine. The goal of these exhibits is to take some of the mystery and fear out of medical procedures — especially those using robotic technology — and to spark interest in health care professions. In addition, AdventHealth for Children has partnered with OSC and the University of Central Florida (UCF) on the NASA-funded STEM satellites program. This consists of developing and implementing NASA-themed science and mathematics kits to provide educational STEM activities for critically and chronically ill children who are hospitalized.
Finally, AdventHealth for Children supported the design, development and construction of OSC’s recent KidsTown renovation, which offers more than 75 interactive learning exhibits targeted to early learners up to the age of seven. The new KidsTown was created to inspire the youngest scientists through hands-on discovery and exploration and has now been made accessible to children with disabilities.
We look forward to continuing to stimulate children’s scientific interest and innovation through this community partnership.
