STEM In The News:
“Step Aside Bill Nye & Neil deGrasse Tyson. Justin Shaifer Is The Emerging STEM Personality We Need to Hear”
X-STEM Speaker Justin Shaifer is doing great things in order to reach underrepresented youths in the field of STEM! “Shaifer enters the stage at a time when the importance of science education is clearer than ever but few are focused on talking to America’s underprivileged youth…Shaifer understands the magnitude of this problem better than most. The 24-year-old founded the nonprofit Fascinate Inc, to get underrepresented young people excited by the science, technology, engineering and math fields, commonly referred to as STEM.” Shaifer is trying to connect young students with STEM by hosting a live science game show on Twitch called Escape Lab, which is centered around space and science. “Fascinate Inc capitalizes on the science sensibilities innate to children like curiosity, exploration and observation – sensibilities that kids possess in boundless quantities.” Read the whole article to learn about Justin and how he makes STEM fun and engaging.
“Let’s ensure the future of STEM is diverse and inclusive”
We not only need to prepare our future workforce but we must also think about what we want the future workforce to look like. Our goal for the future workforce should be diverse and inclusive. “According to the National Science Board, while women make up half of the U.S. college-educated workforce, they only comprise 28% of the science and engineering sector.” In order to achieve a more diverse and inclusive workforce workshops and mentoring programs are imperative. Beyond the programs, it is also crucial that women, especially women of color, reach out to young students and serve as a mentor and role model. Read more to learn how we can create a more diverse workforce.
“Three Women’s Journey in STEM”
In this article read about Amanda Marotta, a recent graduate with a master’s degree in Chemistry who “created a sol-gel of PZT and printed it into a thin film using an inkjet printer”. Also, find out about Alyssa Recinella, an engineering Ph.D. student, who is focusing on a “new, non-invasive thermal imaging technique for detecting breast cancer.” Lastly, read more about Samantha Sorondo, and Industrial Engineering Ph.D. student. “Sorondo is currently working on metals and polymers under the supervision of fellow Puerto Rican, Dr. Iris Rivero — the new head of the Industrial Engineering department”. “Sorondo has faced challenges associated with being a woman in STEM, particularly in engineering, such as impostor syndrome— a feeling that one doesn’t belong, or that one’s accomplishments are invalid. But she hopes to inspire others.” Read the article to learn about these three women’s journey in STEM.
“Education Initiative Brings STEM Subjects to Life in Schools”
“Imagine-X has been developed by RS – as part of its ongoing commitment to raising awareness of STEM subjects – to assist teachers and educators in the delivery of STEM subjects.” This program gives teachers access to free resources for students ages 7-14, “and links dynamic, exciting STEM subjects to real people who have used these skills to make the world a better place.” “We hope the Imagine-X resources will enable teachers and educators to bring STEM subjects to life in a meaningful and engaging way and help ignite the imagination of millions of young people in primary and secondary education,” said Mike England President of RS Components. Read more to learn how Imagine-X is preparing and helping teachers teach STEM.
“6 Books Written by Women Working in Tech”
In this article “you’ll find books written by executives, programmers, and program managers alike. But there are also data analysts, designers, and product owners, among many more. If a young girl attends a coding summer camp and decides it isn’t for her, it shouldn’t prevent her from finding a path she loves in the field. People who love math, art, and organization are all necessary at even the most technical of companies.” Read more to see the whole list of books written by the COO of Facebook, the founder of Girls Who Code, and more!
