We began our parent STEM speaker series with one of our parents, Dmitry Genis, doing a wonderful presentation on the history of computers.
Mr. Genis emphasized how important math is in STEM careers as well as how important it is to be able to collaborate and communicate with others. A real bonus was a video he showed us on how robots are programed to deliver items from where they are stocked in a warehouse in order for these items to be shipped to customers. In fact, we will be taking a field trip to his company in the spring!
I thought this was a really interesting presentation. I owned the programming calculator and the early personal computer!
ReplyDeleteMr. B.
I thought every part of the presentaton was really interesting! The part that I enjoyed the most was when you talked about the three story computer.
ReplyDelete-Abigail
I thought Mr.Genis's presentation was really interesting and fun. I loved the part where he should us the ruler, it was so cool. The video of the robots in the warehouse was amazing and stunning. I am so excited to take a field trip there in the spring! If Mr.Genis is reading this I wanted to say Thank You for the presentation!
ReplyDeleteNoy
Thank You so much for spending your own time to come in and teach us something we wouldn't learn in school. I learned about old fashioned calculators and how they use them. I also thank you for making the power point and putting time in it for us.
ReplyDeleteSincerly Olyvia,
Thank you, Mr.Genis for coming to our class and speaking to us. I loved your presentation and how you showed us earlier devices that were used instead of a computer, such as the abacus and the ruler. I can't wait to go to the warehouse and see those robots that you helped to create at work. Your powerpoint was interesting and fascinating. Thank you, again, for coming to our class and explaining your job,
ReplyDeleteGil
I really enjoyed the presentation. I was amazed about how big computers used to be back then. I learned so many things such as what people used to do math back then.I also never knew that they were first used to crack German codes during WWII. And thank you for showing that video about how they use robots to make deliveries. I used to imagine dozens of factory workers taking things from the inventory and putting them into cardboard boxes to be shipped. But that's what they used to do right? I think its cool how there is a software where you can crack passwords. Not that I would need to though...
ReplyDeleteAndrew
I liked listening about the history of computers. I thought it was cool that the first computers took up so much pace. Benji
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for coming into our class and teaching us about STEM. I learned so much from it and I think what you do is really cool. The robots you designed were amazing, I didn't know that that was even possible. The presentation was really informative about computers and the STEM job that you are working in. As I was watching the presentation, I realized that a job in STEM could be fun and maybe I would do that someday. Again thank you so much for coming in and teaching us all of these things.
ReplyDeleteJordan
i thought that mr. sinclairs presentation was very interesting! i could not beleive that what controlled the computer was a small chip. one question that i thought of is how did he take out the battery with out getting electricuted! it was amazing and inspireing!
ReplyDeletejenny lipof
I appreciated that Mr. Genis explained to us the history of computers! I was interested to learn that he works at Kiva, and to see the interesting video with robots!
ReplyDeleteElla
Thanks for coming to our school to teach us about the STEM career you do and the history of computers. I found it very interesting! One of the things that stood out the most to me was the YouTube video which showed us how the robots moved around the warehouses collecting merchandise for people ordering on online catalogs.
ReplyDeleteMaya
I could tell that you spent a lot of time on your presentation! The warehouse robots seem like a very helpful invention. I never thought much about where the advancements in our technology , but now I can see that computers have come a long way! Thanks!
ReplyDelete- Emma
I thought the presentation was extremely interesting. I like how he explained how important communication is in order to be successful in his field.
ReplyDeleteJack B.
I thought the presentation was really cool. My dad used to own a early personal computer and we played games on it but I don't know where it is now.
ReplyDeleteIsabel
I really enjoyed the presentation. I was really amazed how big computers were back then. I had never knew what they used to solve math problems back then. I liked when you showed us that video of those robots. I always thought that they had dozens of factory workers carrying things from the inventory into boxes to be shipped. But wasn't that how they used to do it? That program where you could crack passwords was cool. Your presentation was very entertaining.
ReplyDeleteI really learned a lot about the history of computers. I think that it is amazing that early computers were so big, prone to breaking down, and slow. I really enjoyed the presentation. Thank you Mr. Genis!
ReplyDeleteBen
This was a really cool presentation. I remember when Mr. Genis had said that one of the old cauculators used to cost about 1000 dollars and thats a really big price range from today! I found that this presentation helped me understand more about one type of job in stem carreer jobs. Thank you Mr. Genis for coming in!
ReplyDeleteIsabela
I thought this was a interesting presentation. I really enjoyed learning about computers. I was shocked on when he said that the first computer was so expensive. I thought it would be cheaper than the ones we have now because you couldn't do alot of things on the first computer than the ones have now. Overall,
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed the presentation.
Thanks Mr. Genis for coming in (:
Irene,
Thank you so much, Mr. Genis, for coming to our class! I really learned a lot from the presentation. I didn't know how much everyone depended on computers, in every field from medical to military, and the early computers and calculators were really interesting! I couldn't believe computers weren't invented until the 1990s. It was also really cool to know that the first computers were used to decode German messages! So, thank you again for taking the time to show our class your interesting presentation.
ReplyDelete--Elizabeth
That was an amazing presentation about robots. It made me think about how many sensors and the power of the main control system at kiva. I am looking forward to our field trip and I might consider trying for work there after college!Thank you Mr.Genis!!!!
ReplyDeleteJack S.
Mr. Genis,
ReplyDeleteI would first like to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to come to Oak Hill to speak to our students about careers in STEM. Your presentation about the history of computers was very interesting. I enjoyed watching the U Tube video about the robots working in the warehouse. I look forward to visiting the warehouse in the spring.
Thank you again.
Mrs. Mac
That presentation was so interesting. I love seeing that tiny Mac. I also thought that the mechanical calculator was really cool! I wish I could own one. Thank you so much!
ReplyDelete~Celine
Thanks so much for coming to our class! I learned a lot about computers that I didn't know before. I love the robots that you make! They were really interesting and it was cool how they knew exactly what to do.
ReplyDeleteSusannah
Hello, kids,
ReplyDeleteI was vary impressed on the comments and I hope you all enjoyed my presentation. I hope my presentation will help you in STEM career if you select one.
And now some answers to your questions:
ReplyDeleteTo Dominic:
Yes, Russians tried to develop their computer industry in 60s-70s using information stolen from Americans but they wasn't really successful in this area
To Elaine:
How to use sliding ruler: in order to understand how to use sliding ruler, you need to know some things from high school. Bottom line: sliding ruler helps you to multiply numbers by the fact that it converts multiplication to addition.
Jenny, that pocket-sized device uses a small battery that isn't dangerous even if you touch it. When I was designing it, our biggest challenge wasn't electrocution, it was actually fire safety - proving that the battery could not catch fire even if it was charged incorrectly, connected incorrectly, or even crushed or punctured!
ReplyDeleteThere are techniques that engineers and technicians use to handle electronics safely. Most of those techniques were learned and taught to us by electricians, who work with wires in buildings that carry much more power than small electronics.
So not only is that little computer chip a million times faster and a million times cheaper than that room-sized computer I first used, but it uses almost a million times less power. In fact, it uses so little power that our gerbil could power 7 of them, using a generator that Jack and I built for her several years ago. (Luna generates 70 milliwatts, the computer takes <10 milliwatts.)
Thank you for the interesting questions, I had great fun with your class.
Thank you SO much for the presentation, every single part was very nice! My favorite part though was the video of the robots that took stuff around!
ReplyDeleteTHANK YOU!
Gianluca
thank you mr. sinclair for explaining that to me!
ReplyDeletethank you again,
jenny lipof
I really enjoyed the presentation. I was really amazed how big computers were back then. I had never knew what they used to solve math problems back then. I liked when you showed us that video of those robots. I always thought that they had dozens of factory workers carrying things from the inventory into boxes to be shipped. But wasn't that how they used to do it? That program where you could crack passwords was cool. Your presentation was very entertaining
ReplyDeleteKaaren