Story Opportunity: Solar Engineer Enjoys Talking with Students Virtually Through Nepris

AUSTIN, Texas ­— Students get fired about solar energy and other STEM careers when Mr. Thompson comes to class. However, Mr. Thompson doesn’t have to leave his office. He connects with classrooms through Nepris and he shares his knowledge about solar energy and engineering with students all over the country.

Nepris brings together educators and industry professionals, like Mr. Thompson, in an easy-to-use online community to collaborate and connect. Professionals give live online interactive sessions and help students connect what they’re learning in the classroom with the working world. These professionals encourage students to explore STEM (and the Arts) careers like being a solar engineer or a biologist or a graphic artist. During these interactive sessions, students ask questions like what college was like or which classes to take now to prepare them for college.

Matthew Thompson of Principal Solar Institute is a frequent Nepris presenter having given five sessions so far. He has spoken with students on the properties of light, on recycling and engineering.

Mr. Thompson is available for interviews about his work with teachers and their students through Nepris. Other speakers and classrooms are also available for interviews.

Quotes from Mr. Thompson, Executive Director, Principal Solar Institute in Austin, Texas

• “I signed up for Nepris immediately because it was obvious how valuable it would be for students in any classroom to directly experience the enthusiasm of professionals in interesting STEM jobs.”
• “Nepris is not a movie or a monologue; it’s a dialogue. You can hear the students' excited chatter; they raise their hands. It's a really engaging way to communicate.”
• “One thing students need to realize is that school teaches them how to think, how to use bits of knowledge to produce a result. The theorems and proofs they are learning now might not be directly used in their careers, but the ability to execute organized thought processes will help them throughout their lives.”
• “Science is about discovering something that has not been known before. Just because a student doesn’t understand a new concept the first time doesn’t mean they can’t understand it.”

About Nepris

Dallas-based Nepris provides an online platform to connect companies, professionals, and experts to expand education outreach to classrooms while providing teachers a way to reach out to and connect with professionals around the world. Over 65,000 students in 2,200 classrooms have been inspired through Nepris, which brings classroom learning to life in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) and the Arts. The finding, connecting, and meeting occurs online through the Nepris community. Sessions include interactive Q&As with working professionals, virtual field trips, project mentorships, and even live Shark Tanks. See Nepris in action at Nepris.com/webinar or sign-up as a teacher or professional at Nepris.com.

Media contact: Jennifer Harrison jennifer@jharrisonpr.com 916-716-0636