LINN — Linn R-2 fifth and sixth-grade students explored real-world applications of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through a traveling, grant-funded program that brought drone demonstrations and hands-on learning directly into the classroom.

The visit was part of Missouri’s Science 2 Jobs initiative, a statewide program led by the Missouri Biotechnology Association (MOBIO). The program expands and enriches students’ learning experiences by igniting interest in human, agricultural, and animal life sciences while highlighting career opportunities within those fields. Removing barriers to access—especially for students in rural areas—is a key goal.

Fifth-grade teacher Debbie Wagner organized the student experience with help from a parent. Julie Baker, who serves as Assistant Vice Chancellor for State Relations at Washington University in St. Louis, is a member of the MOBIO Executive Committee Board of Directors. Her son, Rhett, is a student in Wagner’s class.

“Julie contacted me after visiting the (mobile Discovery Life Sciences) trailer with her family at the Missouri State Fair,” Wagner said. “She gave me (MOBIO Chief Operating Officer) Lisa Zimmerman’s number, and I was able to talk with her about how we could bring the experience to Linn.”

MOBIO representatives at the Linn visit included Executive Director Kelly Gillespie, Zimmerman, Chief Science Officer Dr. Richard Norris, Director of Outreach and Logistics and drone specialist Ryan Watson, and Field Representative Cindy Rollins.

Watson, who graduated from State Tech in 2020, led the drone demonstrations, and has spent the past several years working with drone technology across the country. His experience includes agricultural applications, marketing demonstrations for farmers, and search-and-rescue operations, including deployments in Alaska with Coast Guard support. “We travel across Missouri, flying at various schools,” he said. “It is a perfect way to let students see some of the opportunities ahead of them—for them to see the value in learning and where it might lead them. Our goal is to introduce students to STEM opportunities by creating interest and letting them know these career paths are available right here in our state.”

Watson brought real-world experience into the demonstration. “I’ve been all over the U.S. using these drones,” Watson said. “A lot of what we do is showing proof of concept—how this technology works in real situations.”

Linn students were introduced to how drones are used in agriculture, including precision spraying and field analysis, offering a glimpse into how emerging technology is shaping modern farming practices.

Watson demonstrated a 250-pound drone spraying water on the football field, noting it’s capable of a 15-minute run using a powerful battery that takes only 10 minutes to recharge. High-tech guidance and recognition systems ensure that even with zero cellular connectivity, the drone will complete its task or return to the pilot.

The drone is also capable of lifting 150 pounds, making it ideal for other applications, including those Watson undertook with the Coast Guard.

MOBIO’s agricultural biotechnology program also features specialized smaller drones tailored for practical uses in agriculture. Multispectral drones provide crop farmers with advanced, high-resolution imaging of fields and crops throughout the growing season, while thermal drones assist with herd management, locating lost calves, and supporting deer recovery during hunting season.

Program materials highlighted agriculture drone demonstrations as a way to “transform learning in precision agriculture,” allowing students to see real-world applications and gain insight into practices contributing to the future of farming.

In addition to drone technology, the program includes a range of mobile science experiences designed to immerse students in STEM fields. “Our goal is to show students that even if they don’t want to go into agriculture, these drones demonstrate the science behind them,” said Gillespie.

Students also visited the mobile Discovery Life Sciences trailer, which features virtual reality environments, hands-on laboratory activities, and interactive learning stations covering topics in health, agriculture, and animal sciences.

Students engaged in experiences such as BioZone virtual reality, where they enter a human cell to learn about its function and health within a fully interactive 3D environment. Additional mobile lab stations provided access to scientific tools and techniques and demonstrated the roles they play in everyday life.

“There are many career opportunities using STEM,” said Gillespie. “This is just a few of them. This opens the door for students to grasp that there are all sorts of applications and careers using this kind of technology. Our innovative science experiences are delivered directly to students and communities at no cost. We remove funding and logistical barriers, ensuring access to enriching opportunities.”

Watson added that those connections are critical, especially for younger students who may not yet have considered how classroom learning translates into real-world careers. “So we show them—this is how it works, this is what it does, and this is where it can take you,” he said.

Wagner noted the experience extended well beyond a single-day visit, beginning weeks earlier with hands-on classroom preparation tied directly to the program.

Wagner explained that students were introduced to key concepts in advance through the use of a MARSfarm greenhouse, which allowed them to grow plants while collecting real-time environmental data.

“The fifth-grade students were able to borrow a MARSfarm greenhouse for several weeks prior to the mobile trailer visit,” Wagner said. “With it, we were able to grow flowers from seed to adult. The greenhouse has software that controls heat, light, and water. It uploads data and pictures hourly.”

That data, she said, connects classroom learning to real-world scientific research.

“The data collected helps NASA researchers identify which plant varieties, such as radishes, thrive in microgravity or controlled environments,” Wagner said. “That aids future Martian missions and also improves vertical farming on Earth.”

Along with the mobile trailer visit, Wagner expanded the opportunity to include additional students. “They wanted me to fill their day, so I invited the sixth-grade classes to join us,” she said.

In addition to seeing live drone demonstrations, students rotated through a variety of interactive stations in the trailer designed to introduce scientific concepts through hands-on experiences.

“Students were able to see a variety of technology,” Wagner said. “The virtual-reality game was a class favorite.”

She added that some of those tools are also available for extended classroom use.

“I found out they loan out sets of VR goggles to classrooms, similar to how we borrowed the MARSfarm greenhouse,” Wagner said.

Other activities focused on introducing foundational scientific principles through interactive learning.

“Students were also able to build monsters based on the DNA profiles of two parents,” Wagner said. “This coding game was a fun way to introduce how parents pass different traits to their children.”

Wagner said the accessibility of the program was a key factor in its success.

“The program was completely free, and they said they change the activities each year,” Wagner said. “I will definitely try to have them visit again next school year.”

The visit provided Linn students with early exposure to career pathways they may not have previously considered, while reinforcing how science and technology apply beyond the classroom.

For more information, visit mobio.org.