Our Mission
At Odyssey S.T.E.M. Institute, our mission is to create a safe space to serve the youth community by fostering an environment where individuals are inspired to forge an unorthodox, inquiry-based learning odyssey through scientific discovery, computer literacy, design of complex products and quantitative data analysis.
Roderick S. Dampier Founder, CEO
Roderick embarked on this quest over 20 years ago in a computer lab at his elementary school in small town Prentiss, Mississippi where he ascertained that learning is not a destination rather an ODYSSEY!
While utilizing the MS-DOS operating system to code on an antiquated IBM machine and printing on a dot matrix printer; subsequently he unearthed an aptitude for computing. By profession he is a Computer Scientist. He brings over a decade of expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning, robotics, flight simulation, people/project management, game development, model-based systems engineering, industrial engineering and consulting services.
As a Certified S.T.E.M. educator specializing in robotics; he has a deep passion for education and is a huge proponent of the positive ripple effects of S.T.E.M. learning in early childhood education. He enjoys the outdoors, fitness, travel, food, culture and all things tech! His philosophy is that individuals who: engage in the engineering design process, learn how to code in various IDE tools, apply growth mindset concepts and identify solutions to real-world problems are ingenious and well-equipped for global citizenship.
