By Jade Kim, Operations Administrator at Base 11
Ah, it’s that time of year again: dazzling lights, freshly cut trees, and horrendously long lines at department store check-outs that would make even the most zen people pull their hair out. Gift shopping can be pretty stressful, but never fear! Base 11 has teamed up with GeekWrapped.com to bring you a list of some of the coolest STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) gadgets out there. So whether you’re shopping for an engineering student, a tech professional, or simply someone who’s just crazy about STEM, we’ve got you covered.
LEGO Ideas Women of Nasa 21312 Building Kit http://a.co/b5QlFGl
Inspire your future astronaut by getting them this awesome LEGO set featuring some epic women of NASA, including Sally Ride, Margaret Hamilton, Nancy Grace Roman and Mae Jamison. We here at Base 11 couldn’t help but fall in love with the Women of NASA LEGO set; we may or may not be buying one for ourselves! The set includes a poseable Hubble Space Telescope and the Space Shuttle Challenger with three removable rocket stages.
LEGO Flash Drives http://amzn.to/2fxY3Jm
If you’re a fan of LEGO (who isn’t?), grab these awesome, limited edition brick flash drives. Available in a variety of colors and storage sizes they’re also the perfect small gift for your favorite nerd. Just don’t step on them barefooted.
3D Printing Pen http://amzn.to/2b8UIAg
Check out the world’s first 3D printing pen. It can draw vertically, it can draw horizontally – there are no limits to lifting your imagination off the page! You can easily change colors and create freely in 3D space above any surface. We know how much our Base 11 students love working with 3D printers, and now here’s you chance to have your own!
SolarPuff http://amzn.to/2euR96x
This water-resistant, foldable, and altogether cool cube is a high-tech solar light that you can inflate and use for 12 hours. So no matter if your power is out or you’re just planning on a walk in nature, SolarPuff will light the way!
Smartphone Paper Airplane http://amzn.to/1XCkZce
It doesn’t get much cooler than this: Check out the world’s first remote controlled paper airplane! Even better? You can fly it via Bluetooth using your smartphone. Students at Base 11 have designed, built, and flown many of their own drones, and now YOU can get close to doing the same!
Rocket Launch Set http://amzn.to/28j0pkc
In 2017, Base 11 helped UCI launch a rocket program. But you don’t have to be a Base 11 student or go to UCI to get your hands on a rocket this holiday season! This set includes two rockets that can fly to cloud-bursting heights of 1,150 feet. Comes with parachutes, launch pad, controller and more. Get ready for your first real-life rocket test flight.
The Martian Garden https://www.themartiangarden.com/
We met the wonderful Earthlings of Martian Garden at the 2017 Mars Society Convention, where they donated several of these gardens to our students. The set includes Mojave Mars Regolith simulant, which is about as close to Mars are you can get without leaving the planet! If you didn’t get your set at the conference, or if you’re simply too impatient waiting for Elon Musk to get us to the red planet, grab a Martian Garden today
Bonus: Donating to Base 11’s fundraiser for the Newman’s Own Foundation $500k Holiday Challenge
Want to spread holiday cheer while also making a difference in a student’s life? Donate to our fundraiser where we are striving to send 10 more high-potential, low-resource students to our PAID summer fellowship programs. These fellowships put talented students on the pathway to success by placing them in world-class facilities while working alongside and being mentored by STEM professionals. So if you’re unsure of what to get someone for the holidays, or if you’d simply like to donate to a great STEM cause, give the best gift of all and make a donation in their name or yours!
And there you have it, Base 11 and Geekwrapped.com’s STEM Holiday Gift Guide 2017. What STEM toys will YOU end up getting this year? Let us know in the comments!