Carnegie Science Center’s STEM director sees artistic side

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When it comes down to it, says Linda Ortenzo, the arts and sciences are two sides of the same coin.

They both use investigation, imagination, curiosity and experimentation for different reasons, explains the Carnegie Science Center's director of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) Programs.

She brings her ongoing involvement in the arts to that work, including tapping her experiences in film, acting and musical performance.

“The sciences seek to reveal the mysteries of our physical world and the arts express the human experience,” she suggests. “And if you are looking at engineering, you're talking about (artistic) design, as well. People are figuring out we really do a disservice when we silo things. It's all part of the same brain.

“Scientists use creativity in ways that are often underappreciated,” she says. “They need imagination to take what is known about the physical world and envision what is possible in order to develop questions that form a hypothesis. They also use creativity to develop the experiments to test a hypothesis and advance human knowledge.”

Ortenzo's persistence, determination and creative improvisation have served the Penn Hills native well through her life and career so far — a path in which she first considered the performing arts and Broadway, propelled by her formative years on the stage and in music; then explored the health field, public relations and eventually finding a home in 1995 at the Carnegie Science Center.

The part-time professional cantor of 13 years achieved legendary status in Pittsburgh Catholic Diocesan circles when, during a televised Christmas Eve liturgy, Ortenzo's candle shield/wax catcher became engulfed in flame in the candlelight procession.

“She continued singing, blowing puffs of air on the candle in between musical phrases. She was quite persistent,” says Donald Fellows, director of music at St. Paul Cathedral in Oakland.

Ortenzo says music and the performing arts “feed my soul” and expressing herself through the arts is an integral part of her identity.

“When you have the talent for something, you have a real need to use it. I spent my growing up years exploring all of those things,” she says.

“It gave me poise, discipline, confidence and a means of self-expression so personal that I probably feel like I am my most authentic self when engaging in those things.”

At the Science Center's Chevron Center for STEM Education and Career Development, she draws on all of her experiences in the arts, informal science education and other pursuits as the director of STEM programs

“She is at the epicenter of so much of the programming that is central to our mission,” says Susan Zimecki, director of marketing and community affairs.

The programs reach 10,000-plus middle- through high-school students each year and thousands more online through additional programs aimed at girls.

She leads the team responsible for such endeavors as:

• SciTech Days, bringing together students with professionals in STEM fields to make them aware of the wide range of careers available

• The Pittsburgh Regional Science and Engineering Fair; the third oldest in the country at 74 years.

• The Future City competition

• Chain Reaction Contraption competition

• The Math + Science = Success initiative

• Storm Fest

• The “Panic at the Point” summer camp launched last year.

“She is passionate about education, about science, about expanding opportunities for girls and the underserved,” Zimecki says. “She is extremely articulate and engaging, quick to see the humor in a situation, and a great person to work with.”

“I think I've found the right path for me,” says Ortenzo, who now resides in McCandless.

“We are more reliant on STEM in our everyday lives than ever before, so effective STEM education is critical, not just for students who plan to go into these fields, but for all of us in order to become informed and successful citizens of the 21st century,” she says.

In Western Pennsylvania alone, industries will require more than 150,000 new STEM employees over the next 10 to 15 years, she says. These jobs offer higher wages and stable employment, she adds, and offer opportunities to create the future of how we live, work and play.

“So, we need more students to pursue STEM careers to stay globally competitive,” Ortenzo says. “There's a lot on the line!”

One of the most personally satisfying undertakings of her career was the first STEM project on which she worked: Developing the concept for the”Zap! Surgery Beyond the Cutting Edge” traveling exhibit and leading the team that produced it. It let visitors be the surgeon and explore the science behind the minimally invasive technologies, seeing real surgeries and stories of patients, surgeons and other diverse professionals. Much of the exhibit can be seen on the Science Center's first level.

Chuck Vukotich Jr., founding member of the SciTech festival, which evolved into the advisory board for the Chevron Center, praises her leadership.

“Linda led the charge, possessing the talent to work with and motivate everyone who created this success,” he says. “Linda and SciTech were involved in STEM education before anyone was talking about STEM.”

The core mission has always been to create a sense of wonder about science and to help students see that they can find a life and a career in science and engineering, Vukotich says.

Several years ago, a fourth-grade boy from a school described as “underserved” attended the robotics workshop competition, paired with a student he did not know. Students were asked to program a robot to negotiate a maze.

“They did this task in record time — 20 minutes,” Ortenzo says. “On the way back home on the school bus, his teacher asked him why he was so quiet, and he replied, ‘I never knew my brain could work like that.' ”

That's the power of the informal experience that the Science Center offers, she says.

The Science Center has always been about making science accessible, fun and relevant to all ages, she says, and it is extremely satisfying to open their eyes to such new possibilities.

Ortenzo has been described as a high-energy, results-oriented person, and she believes that makes her well-suited to her role, which is multifaceted and requires her to handle a wide range of projects and responsibilities on tight deadlines.

“The grass does not grow under her feet. She is always running at full speed,” says Ann Metzger, co-director of the Science Center and one of the interim co-directors of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History. “She is a bundle of energy and bursting with ideas.”

Ortenzo says she is proud to work at such a highly regarded regional organization with a mission that grows more critical every day.

“Her willingness to change and embrace new challenges has been her greatest strength,” says Ronald Baillie, Science Center co-director and interim co-director of Carnegie Museum of Natural History.

Cheryl Kubelick, former vice president of the Buhl Foundation and, until 1998, president of the Westinghouse Foundation, credits Ortenzo with bringing the STEM Center to the attention of major science- and math-oriented corporations in the Pittsburgh community and beyond. “She had the vision to see that the future of the Pittsburgh region depended on STEM jobs,” Kubelick says.

Kubelick says Ortenzo also was very helpful in attracting the premier high-school science fair (Intel International Science and Engineering Fair) to Pittsburgh. Young scientists from throughout the world attended and competed at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in 2012 and will return in 2015 and 2018.

Ortenzo says her most important goal is to help youth and adults learn how to think critically about the world around them, both its possibilities and its challenges, and to know how to discern and use credible sources of information to make crucial decisions that affect us all.

“She is always so full of life, good ideas, positive solutions and intelligence,” Kubelick says. “We are so lucky to have her in our community.”

Rex Rutkoski is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. He can be reached at 724-226-4664 or rrutkoski@tribweb.com

Michigan STEM Partnership [St. Clair Hub]

Monday, May 13, 2013

ARTS & SCIENCES (Two Sides of the Same Coin)

Carnegie Science Center’s STEM director sees artistic side

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