USU Uintah Basin Hosts Successful STEAM Expo

ROOSEVELT, Utah — More than 1,100 students flocked to Utah State University Uintah Basin as the Roosevelt campus hosted the first STEAM Expo on Oct. 3-4. Students in grades 5th-8th participated in the event, which aims to foster excitement for science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics.

“The hands-on experiences sparked their curiosity, and it was heartwarming to hear them say, ‘Can't the bus wait so we can see a few more things?’” said Don Busenbark, assistant department head of Mathematics and Statistics for Statewide Campuses and one of the leaders of the expo.

David Law, associate vice president for USU Uintah Basin, said it was an honor for the campus to host the event. USU Uintah Basin seeks to engage with the local community and instill a love of learning that can last a lifetime.

“Community engagement is one of the three pillars in our vision statement at USU Uintah Basin,” Law said. “For this STEAM Expo, we collaborated with community agencies and Uintah and Duchesne School Districts to provide rich learning experiences for our local 5th-8th graders. This expo was a great example of our community coming together to inspire and support our future scientists, technicians, artists, mathematicians and engineers.”

Students from various schools in Uintah and Duchesne County school districts participated, as well as students from Terra Academy and home-schooled students. Participants commented on how engaged the students were with the presentations and learning opportunities, wishing it could have lasted longer.

“I can't even tell you all the wonderful reports I got about the Expo,” said Lori Oman, principal at Altamont Elementary. “The students and teachers both talked about how great it was. We had students saying they wished they could come back the next day because they didn't get to do everything. I hope this is something that USU continues to do each year.”

More than 30 organizations as well as many USU faculty presented at the expo, leading workshops, booths, presentations and tours of the USU Uintah Basin campus. USU faculty included several guest presenters from USU Eastern.

“We are very grateful to USU and all the volunteers who helped bring learning to life for our students,” said Jason Young, superintendent for Duchesne County School District. “The presentations were very engaging and well done. Our students loved experiencing real-life application of what they are learning in the classroom.”

The next STEAM Expo has already been announced for Oct. 2-3, 2025.

Complete list of organizations that participated:

• Roosevelt City Water
• Roosevelt City Police Department
• Roosevelt City Fire Department
• Roosevelt City Animal Shelter
• Jones and Demille Engineering
• Uintah Veterinary Services
• Strata Networks
• Moon Lake Electric
• Union High School Robotics
• Alliance Learning
• Division of Wildlife Resources
• Uintah Basin Healthcare
• Utah Musuem of Natural History
• Tri-County Health Department
• Northeastern Counseling Center
• USDA - NRCS (U.S. Dept of Agriculture - Natural Resources Conservation Service)
• UB Tech College

Operating campuses in Vernal and Roosevelt for more than 50 years, Utah State University Uintah Basin gives students the personalized attention and small class sizes of a small-town college with the resources of a large university, all in the backdrop of the outdoor oasis that is the Uinta Mountains and Ashley National Forest. With degree options ranging from associate to doctorate degrees and more than 125 programs available, as well as access to the renowned Bingham Research Center, USU Uintah Basin offers programs that help fuel local economies and empower individuals and their communities. Learn more at uintahbasin.usu.edu.