April 2011
STEM EQUITY PIPELINE NEWS
News from Iowa: Girl Scouts Invent Prosthetic Hand and Win Up to $20,000 for a Patent
A group of Girl Scouts from Ames, Iowa, has invented a prosthetic hand device to
help a three-year-old girl write and will receive up to $20,000 to patent their
invention as the winner of the inaugural FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL®) Global Innovation
Award, presented by the X PRIZE Foundation.
Learn More
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON
Legislation Introduced to Increase Women's STEM Participation
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) introduced the Fulfilling the Potential of Women
in Academic Science and Engineering Act of 2011 (H.R. 889). The bill aims to improve
gender parity in the STEM fields in higher education where women are under-represented.
Learn More
ARTICLES
Bridging the Science Gender Gap
(Hannah Guzik, Ashland Daily Tidings)
Girls with mothers who aren't confident in their science abilities are less likely
to perform well on school science tests nationwide and in Ashland, says Carolyn
Johnson, volunteer with the Ashland chapter of Soroptimist International. That's
a statistic the Soroptimist club and ScienceWorks are trying to change. The two
nonprofits are co-hosting a Mother-Daughter Science Fair Saturday at the museum
to try to encourage females of all ages to study chemistry, biology and engineering.
Read More
Women of Color in Tech: How Can We Encourage Them?
(Vivek Wadhwa, Tech Crunch)
The author writes about the dearth of women of color in tech. In previous articles,
he presented hard data to show that there is a problem and suggested remedies. In
this article he showcases some successes-black women CEOs that graduated from Founder
Labs, a pre-incubator for emerging entrepreneurs and from a related organization,
Women 2.0.
Read More
Semi-Virtual Field Lessons Help Engage Students in Science
(T.H.E. Journal)
A California high-school teacher uses videoconferencing technology to connect students
with science happening in their own community. Teacher Ray Barber accompanied small
groups of students to six sites -- from a glass-making company to a local brewery.
Students produced webcasts for their classmates, who posed questions and interacted
with the on-site experts.
Read More
An Interview with Andrew Kelly: What SHOULD American Businesses Do to Ensure STEM?
(Michael F. Shaughnessy, Education News)
"Our report points out the fact that we don't deal with just one STEM challenge,
but two. On the one hand, our science and technology firms need a new generation
of workers that are proficient in math and science concepts. These are the workers
that make STEM businesses "go," and are the backbone of the American STEM workforce."
Read More
How One Teacher Is Exciting Students About Calculus
(Edutopia)
A San Diego teacher has turned AP calculus into the most popular course at his school
through a combination of dedication and engaging teaching methods. Jonathan Winn,
who recently was named his district's High School Teacher of the Year, said he nearly
ended his teaching career after only two years but was inspired to stay by a fellow
educator who believed all students could succeed in math.
Read More
Best-Paying College Major: Engineering
(Blake Ellis, CNN )
Engineering majors continue to boast fatter salary offers than their peers, according
to the most recent survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers.
Majors in the engineering field dominated the association's list of top-paying degrees
for the class of 2011, with four of the top five spots going to engineering majors.
Each of these majors receive average starting salary offers of more than $60,000.
Read More
Environmental Programs Help Engage Students in Science Learning
(Caralee Adams, Education Week)
Environmental issues studied informally through clubs, summer and after-school programs
can help interest students in science, educators say. Projects and lessons related
to air and water quality or the well-being of animals also can prompt students to
take action or advocate eco-friendly policies. "There is no comparison to just being
outside and in the midst of it," science teacher Susan Hilyer said.
Read More
Girls Interest in Computing Science Piqued by Making Video Games
(Science Magazine)
Computer science professors at the University of Alberta have recently completed
a study on whether game design is an effective way to attract and retain female
students, and guess what? It is. Like many pedagogies that teach computing in a
global or creative context, it turns out that game design appeals to girls.
Read More
Basketball and Computing
A collaboration between Roger Williams University and Girls, Inc. of Taunton, MA,
provided an opportunity for at-risk middle school girls to learn about careers in
computing and campus life. Students majoring in Computer Science and athletes from
the varsity basketball team mentored girls to utilize Alice (a 3-D computing program)
to illustrate basketball drills learned during a clinic.
Learn More
Change the Equation's Vital Signs Reports
A coalition of more than 110 corporate CEOs unveiled a set of state-by-state reports
on STEM learning that it says are aimed at correcting the record in places where
state data may give an inaccurate picture of student achievement, as well as celebrating
the good news and pointing to the challenges ahead.
Read More
Stemming the Tide: Why Women Leave Engineering
(University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee)
This report reveals that three-fourths of women who have left the field of engineering
did so for reasons other than or in addition to family responsibilities. The study
surveyed women with engineering degrees from more than 200 colleges and universities,
and its results run counter to the common claim that women are simply making the
choice of family over career.
Access Report
The Case for Being Bold: A New Agenda for Business in Improving STEM Education Institute
for a Competitive Workforce
(US Chamber of Commerce)
This report aimed at business leaders describes areas of impact for the business
community to improve STEM education. These specific key areas include taking full
advantage of strengthened and streamlined academic standards; rethinking how teachers
are hired, deployed, and prepared; and promoting new models of schooling that can
facilitate STEM learning. In each case, business must push beyond the familiar talking
points and challenge typical routines.
Learn More
RESOURCES
Through the
Latinos On Fast Track (LOFT) program, ExxonMobil partners with the Hispanic
Heritage Foundation (HHF) to create fellowships in STEM fields for Hispanic college
students.
The Association
for Women in Mathematics has developed a mentor network for women and girls
who are interested in mathematics.
ENGAGE provides
everyday examples in engineering.
WNET THIRTEEN's
Get the Math borrows from "The Apprentice" to show how math is used in teen-favored
industries-music recording, fashion design, and video game development.
Oregon Museum of Science and
Industry provides live cams, online exhibits, and activities exploring chemistry,
sound, and energy.
The Museum of
Flight website provides useful information for educators and students.
AAAS Science Assessments
offer insights into which scientific concepts most U.S. students are knowledgeable
about, as well as where a lot of them need to bone up.
SAVE THE DATE
CSCP Webinar: Engaging
Latino Youth in Computer Science: Current Research and Program Models, May
12, 2011, 10:00 AM Pacific
Afterschool
for All Challenge: Expanding STEM After School, Washington, DC May 16-17,
2011
AAUW National Convention:
Breaking through Barriers--Advocating for Change, Washington, DC, June 16-19, 2011
Advancing
Girls in STEM: An NCGS Symposium: Wellesley, MA, June 21, 2011
ASEE 8th Annual K-12 Workshop on Engineering Education:
Collaboration Can Improve Engineering Education, British Columbia, Canada, June
25, 2011
Franklin Institute and Free Library
of Philadelphia: LEAP into Science, Philadelphia, PA July 18-20, 2011
League for Innovation in the
Community College: Second Annual STEMtech Conference, Indianapolis, IN,
October 2-5, 2011
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