June 2010
STEM EQUITY PIPELINE NEWS
News from Wisconsin
On July 21, the Wisconsin STEM Equity Pipeline Pilot Project District Representatives
will hold a planning conference call to coordinate activities, resources, and people,
and make progress on its STEM Pipeline Action Plans. Individuals from the following
schools/agencies were invited to attend: Lakeshore Technical College, Plymouth,
Sheboygan and Manitowoc School Districts, the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction,
and the Wisconsin Technical College System.
NEWS FROM WASHINGTON
U.S. Transportation Secretary Signs Memorandum of Cooperation to Encourage Women
to Pursue Math and Science Careers in Transportation
To help counter an anticipated shortage of skilled transportation workers, U.S.
Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood signed an agreement with the Women's Transportation
Seminar International to encourage women to complete undergraduate and graduate
degrees in STEM while pursuing careers in transportation.
Learn More
Third Attempt Successful in Passage of Science Authorization Bill
(Summary from Women's Policy, Inc.)
On May 28, the House passed, 262-150, H.R. 5116, as amended, the latest version
of the America COMPETES Act, which would reauthorize science programs at the National
Science Foundation (NSF), National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST),
and Departments of Energy and Commerce. Last week, the House rejected H.R. 5325,
which incorporated language from a motion to recommit successfully offered by Rep.
Ralph Hall (R-TX) during consideration of the original version of H.R. 5116. The
legislation contains provisions to help improve the number of women in STEM disciplines.
ARTICLES
Analysis Finds Technical Nature of Science, Engineering Not Behind Exit Of Women
(Summary from 6/9/10 ACTE Career Tech Update)
In an opinion article for Forbes, Jennifer Hunt explores the idea that women are
"exiting from science and engineering disproportionately," and asks if this is the
case, "is this exodus simply a hallmark of male-dominated fields in general, or
is it specific to science and engineering?" Hunt notes the "importance of comparing
science and engineering with other fields," particularly if those fields share common
factors such as long or nontraditional work hours, so as to better determine if
"explanations related to the specific technical nature of science and engineering
work can be eliminated." Hunt concludes "explanations hinging on the precise nature
of engineering work should be discarded," and "instead, remedies should be applied
to all fields with a high share of male workers."
Read More
STEM Education Can Help Prevent the Next Disaster
(Eric A. Clayton, District Administration)
With oil continuing to spill into the Gulf of Mexico...it's time to begin grappling
with the necessary question that legislators, bureaucrats and everyday citizens
must now address: How do we prevent this kind of disaster from happening again?
There are strategies and proposals being presented by engineers, technicians and
other experts throughout the world, but the most sustainable and forward-thinking
answer may lie elsewhere-in education. It is within the academic realm of STEM,
often touted as the Achilles' heel of the U.S. educational system, that the foundations
for future disaster-aversion could be built.
Read More
Blinding the Students with Science
(Sharon Weatherall, Free Press)
U.S. native chemical engineer Dr. Nancy Jackson, told Beausoleil First Nation students
that, because of her people's strong relationship to the Earth, she wanted to "work
in technologies that would not damage the environment." Jackson, who spoke at a
recent symposium manages the International Chemical Threat Reduction Department
in Sandia National Laboratories. A highlight of her career was when Jackson was
presented with an award for overall leadership and technical achievement. During
her acceptance speech she warned young Native Americans to protect their lands from
exploitation for energy resources. She wants this passion for protecting the Earth
passed on to future generation and says "it is important that Indians take the lead."
Read More
Techies with a Cause: The Couple Is out to Decrease the Gender and Socioeconomic
Gaps in Computing
(Caroline Winter, Bloomburg Business Week)
When Sep Kamvar showed his newest batch of students how to color the text on their
Web pages purple, they jumped up and squealed. The Stanford consulting professor
and former Google (GOOG) executive has been seeing a lot of that lately. His students
are 10- and 11-year-olds at Girls Prep Middle School, a New York City charter school
that serves mostly low-income families. Kamvar and his wife, Angie Schiavoni, recently
launched CodeEd, a pilot program to introduce fifth-grade girls to computer science.
Read More
Entrepreneurial Women Claim High-tech Turf
(Aimee Miles, Palo Alto Online )
Silicon Valley is a beacon of hope for entrepreneurs. But with women-founded, venture-backed
startups accounting for just 8 percent of the total, it's clear that women in the
valley's high-tech sector who channel that potential into high-growth, scalable
companies are statistically the exception, not the rule. That trend has recently
begun to correct itself.
Read More
Studying Engineering Before They Can Spell It
(Winnie Hu, New York Times)
In a class full of aspiring engineers, the big bad wolf had to do more than just
huff and puff to blow down the three little pigs' house. To start, he needed to
get past a voice-activated security gate, find a hidden door and negotiate a few
other traps in a house that a pair of kindergartners here imagined for the pigs
- and then pieced together from index cards, paper cups, wood sticks and pipe cleaners.
Read More
PUBLICATIONS
Women, Minorities, and Persons with Disabilities in Science and Engineering
(National Science Foundation)
This report provides information about the participation of women, minorities, and
persons with disabilities in science and engineering education and employment.
Learn More
Jump in Fall 2008 Enrollments of First-Time, Full-Time S&E Graduate Students
(National Science Foundation)
This report shows that in 2008 there were more students enrolled in graduate programs
for these subjects than in the previous year. Overall enrollment grew 2.5 percent
over 2007, and first-time full-time enrollments actually increased by nearly 8 percent.
Learn More
Gender Differences at Critical Transitions in the Careers of Science, Engineering,
and Mathematics Faculty Committee
This report presents new and surprising findings about career differences between
female and male full-time, tenure-track, and tenured faculty in science, engineering,
and mathematics at the nation's top research universities. Much of this congressionally
mandated book is based on two unique surveys of faculty and departments at major
U.S. research universities in six fields: biology, chemistry, civil engineering,
electrical engineering, mathematics, and physics.
Learn More
NAPE 2011 PDI
The 2001 NAPE Professional Development Institute will be held on Monday, April 11-14,
at the Doubletree Crystal City, VA.
RESOURCES
The Open Meadows Foundation
is a grant-making organization for projects that are led by and benefit women and
girls.
The Hispanic
Heritage Youth Awards promote young leaders who demonstrate success in the
classroom and community in an effort to encourage other young people to use education
as a vehicle for success.
The Drug, Chemical & Associated Technologies Association "Making a Difference" Award recognizes excellence in a science
program developed and implemented by middle-level science teachers, grades 6-8.
The
Wendell G. Mohling Outstanding Aerospace Educator Award recognizes excellence
in the field of aerospace education.
After School Alliance
After School Advocate Newsletter: "Just one in four kids in the United States
attend summer learning programs."
International Humans in Space Youth Art Competition This is an online competition
for youth ages 10-17 to express what they think about the future of human space
exploration using literary, visual, musical or video art.
SAVE THE DATE
Techbridge Summer Institute to provide curriculum and strategies
for engaging girls in STEM, Oakland, CA, August 2-4, 2010.
2010 National
Conference for Science and Technology Out-of-School Time Universal City,
CA, September 22-24, 2010
USA Science &
Engineering Festival: October 10-24, 2010, Washington, DC
DISCLAIMER
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published in the NAPE Update are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect
the views of NAPE. Furthermore, inclusion of a product, program, or practice in
the NAPE Update does not imply its endorsement by NAPE.
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