October 2012

 Building the Capacity of STEM Practitioners to Develop a Diverse Workforce
     

NGCP Updates  

SciGirls Season 2 Full-STEM ahead!
Starting in October, ten new episodes will showcase bright, curious, real girls using science, technology, engineering, and math in their everyday lives. They design an underwater robot, engineer a "chill" ice-cream-making bike, apply real forensic methods to solving a mysterious crime, and more!

In Season Two, there's even more of the unique combination of TV and web that won the series a Daytime Emmy for "New Approaches" in its premiere season. Every episode of the TV show features onscreen clues that lead girls to a "mash-up" game on the website, where they can create their own, unique SciGirls stories. Plus, in other new interactive games, kids can search for underwater treasure, care for a colony of honey bees, and design wildlife dioramas.

Youth can join the SciGirls safe social network to create personal profiles, upload projects, and connect with other sci-minded girls nationwide. It's all about tweens and screens, and SciGirls' sophomore season will empower girls - and their parents and educators - to tap into the collaboration, exploration, and authentic discovery. Every girl can be a SciGirl!
http://pbskids.org/scigirls

NGCP Webinar: Online Resources and Tools: Using the New NGCP Website to Build Program Capacity
November 28, 2012; 11:00 AM-12:00 PM Pacific
The National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) recently launched an enhanced website with easier navigation and more tools and resources. Join us for this informative website tour that will focus on helping programs find relevant links, resources, statistics, and other information to build organizational capacity to offer high quality STEM opportunities to increase girls' interest in STEM.
Register: http://www.ngcproject.org/online-resources-and-tools-using-new-ngcp-website-build-program-capacity

 Collaborative News  

Collaboration: The Key to Successful Programming for Girls in STEM
Bowling Green, KY
October 12, 2012; 8:30 AM - 4:00 PM Central

The Kentucky Girls STEM Collaborative is proud to present their fourth annual Collaboration Conference for organizations and individuals committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). The goal of the conference is to encourage collaboration, improve communication, and explore partnerships.
Register: http://www.ngcproject.org/collaboration-key-successful-programming-girls-stem

Kentucky Girls STEM Collaborative "Girls STEM Day"
Bowling Green, KY
October 13, 2012; 12:00 - 3:00 PM Central
As a follow-up to the Collaboration Conference held on Friday, October 12th, girls in grades 5-8 are welcome to join an afternoon of hands-on, minds-on exploration into science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). Female STEM practitioners and educators will lead girls through activities that mirror real-world STEM tasks and highlight creative and innovative problem solving.

Register: http://www.ngcproject.org/kentucky-girls-stem-collaborative-girls-stem-day

Maine Girls Collaborative Project: Boards on Fire! Inspiring Leaders to Raise Money Joyfully
Orono, ME
October 19, 2012; 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM Eastern
This session will be presented by Susan Howlett, an author, board member development director, executive director, and consultant. This interactive session features no-cost solutions to remove the barriers organizations have unwittingly put in the way of board members to raise money. University of Maine students are admitted free with Maine Card. Group rates and scholarships are available.
Register: http://www.ngcproject.org/maine-girls-collaborative-project-boards-fire-inspiring-leaders-raise-money-joyfully

PA STEM GCP Fall 2012 Collaboration Forum
Hermitage, PA
October 26, 2012; 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Eastern
The Fall 2012 Collaboration Forum brings together organizations and individuals committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to encourage collaboration and improve inter-program communication. Participants will learn about mini-grants and have the opportunity to share exemplary practices and resources.
Register: http://www.ngcproject.org/pa-stem-gcp-fall-2012-collaboration-forum

Boosting Girls' Interest in STEM: Louisiana STEM Girls Collaborative Project Kick-Off Conference with PBS' Design Squad Nation
Baton Rouge, LA
October 27, 2012; 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Central
The newly formed Louisiana Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math Girls Collaborative Project (LaSTEM GCP), offers the chance for those committed to informing, motivating and inspiring girls in the state of Louisiana to pursue careers in STEM to share exemplary practices and develop new collaborations. Informal educators, school administrators, engineers, technical professionals, business partners, professional organizations, K-12 educators, and university staff are encouraged to attend. The Emmy award-winning PBS' Design Squad Nation will host a hands-on breakout session to discuss how we can boost girls' interest in engineering using multimedia resources and activities.
Register: http://www.ngcproject.org/boosting-girls-interest-stem-louisiana-stem

 
CalGirlS Kick-Off Conference
Berkeley, CA
November 1, 2012; 10:00 AM - 3:30 PM Pacific
Connect, communicate, and collaborate California-style as we launch our statewide initiative to increase girls' involvement in STEM. Participants will collaborate and learn how to implement effective role modeling. Gain access to mini-grants that help fund collaboration and network to share exemplary practices and resources. Program managers, guidance counselors, business partners, technical professionals, K-12 teachers, parents, representatives from professional organizations, and higher education are invited.
Register: http://www.ngcproject.org/event/calgirls-kick-conference

Missouri Girls Collaborative STEM Initiative Kick-Off Event
St. Louis, MO
November 3, 2012; 12:00 - 7:00 PM Central
This Kick-Off Conference will be held in collaboration with the Missouri School Age Community Coalition's annual Professional Development Institute (PDI) and includes a luncheon, STEM-specific workshops, and a networking dinner. Afterschool administrators and frontline staff, business partners, K-12 teachers, parents, and representatives from higher education are invited to attend.
Register: http://www.ngcproject.org/missouri-girls-collaborative-stem-initiative-kick-event

NMGC Kick-Off & NM Celebration of Women in Computing
Las Cruces, NM
November 8, 2012; 10:00 AM - November 9, 2012; 3:00 PM Mountain
The New Mexico Girls Collaborative (NMGC) Kick-Off Conference and the New Mexico (NM) Celebration of Women in Computing will bring together students, faculty, business leaders, informal and formal K-12 educators, and technology experts from across NM and neighboring states to discuss the role of women in today's computing and STEM fields. The goal is to provide an opportunity for women to explore opportunities in computing, to network with other groups from academia, industry, and government, and to create friendships among women and men in the region who share the same interest and passion for computing and STEM.
Register: http://www.ngcproject.org/nmgc-kickoff-nm-celebration-women-computing

 Exemplary Practice Spotlight

The Exemplary Practice Spotlight for October focuses on a recently released research brief on mathematics and science engagement. 'Math and Science Engagement: Identifying the processes and psychological theories that underlie successful social-psychological interventions' provides an overview of social-psychological theories and interventions that show promise for impacting students' engagement in mathematics and science. The theories and interventions discussed help students alter their 'academic mindsets - the beliefs, attitudes, and ways of perceiving themselves as students and their learning environment.' We know this can be particularly important for girls, women, and other underrepresented minorities in mathematics and science-related courses and activities.

Interventions highlighted range from having 9th grade science students write brief essays on how the material they are studying applies to their lives (Hulleman & Harackiewicz, 2009) to a comprehensive program designed to change Algebra teachers' and students' beliefs about the nature of intelligence (that it is malleable and can grow with effort) (Bush-Richards, et al., 2011).

The research brief acknowledges that social-psychological interventions do not take the place of rich content and instruction, but rather help students take advantage of their learning environment. The research presented has limitations and future work needs to be done related to informal learning environments, in particular, but the research and examples presented provide valuable information for practitioners interested in increasing students' motivation, interest, and/or achievement in mathematics and science.

FabFems Spotlight

The FabFems Spotlight is a new monthly feature highlighting inspiring women from the FabFems Role Model directory. There are over 100 FabFems profiles in the database and this number is growing. FabFems are enthusiastic about the science and technology work they do and want to inspire a future generation of FabFems. Visit FabFems to search profiles, connect with role models, and find resources on career pathways.

Meet Dr. Tonya Matthews from Cincinnati, Ohio, whose interests have led her to become a scientist, educator, community activist, and a writer/poet. Dr. Matthews received her undergraduate degree from Duke University and her graduate degree from Johns Hopkins University, both in biomedical engineering. Her career history has been varied, including community science education, creating a biotechnology program with the Maryland Science Center, developing a biomedical science curriculum with Project Lead the Way, and working as a biomedical engineer for the Food and Drug Administration. Dr. Matthews currently serves as the Vice President for Museums at the Cincinnati Museum Center. Her message to girls: "My advice for you is to declare a dream and get on the path... any path. If I have learned anything, it is that it really is the journey, not the destination. I have never ended up where I thought I would be, but every moment has been worth it and every place I have ended up has surpassed my dreams." To learn more about Tanya, visit her FabFems profile at: http://www.fabfems.org/users/tonya-matthews.
 
If you or someone you know is interested in becoming a FabFem, visit: http://www.fabfems.org.

Award for Aspirations in Computing   

The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) is seeking applications from women in grades 9-12 for the NCWIT Award for Aspirations in Computing. Awardees are selected for their computing and IT aptitude, leadership ability, academic history, and plans for post-secondary education. National award winners will receive cash and prizes. Many states have local affiliates that also offer awards and recognitions. Applications will be accepted online through October 31, 2012.
Apply: http://ww2.ncwit.org/award/award.apply.html  

NCWIT Case Study: How Do You Introduce Computing in an Engaging Way? Teaching

Programming and Language Concepts Using LEGOs®  

This National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) study details how to engage students not already drawn to computing by creating academic and social environments where they feel like they belong. Students respond positively to solving real-life problems that draw on their existing knowledge and interests and that involve collaboration in hands-on projects. This easy-to-implement classroom activity, individual LEGOs® bricks are used to express a special-purpose programming language, allowing students to kinetically approach concepts and skills in computing in a non-intimidating fashion. 

http://www.ncwit.org/resources/how-do-you-introduce-computing-engaging-way-teaching-programming-and-language-concepts

Various programs carried out throughout the month increase the public's awareness of the contributions and skills of American workers with disabilities and also highlight the specific employment barriers that still need to be addressed and removed.

Community Grants for Children with Disabilities

Disability Mentoring Day: October 17, 2012

The American Association of People with Disabilities' (AAPD) Disability Mentoring Day

Spirit of Innovation Challenge 

The Spirit of Innovation Challenge invites students from around the globe to submit an idea to create the next world-changing, commercially-viable product or solution in the areas of: Aerospace and Aviation, Cybertechnology and Security, Energy and Environment, and Health and Nutrition. Free access to mentors, webinars, and forums to answer participant questions are available. Student teams will compete for a chance to attend the 2013 Innovation Summit at the NASA Johnson Space Center and vie for $10,000 seed grants, patent assistance, and commercial opportunities. Submission deadline is October 24, 2012.

Register: http://www.conradawards.org

NGCP Program Directory -  Register Your Program Today!

The online Program Directory lists organizations and programs that focus on motivating girls to pursue STEM careers. The purpose of the directory is to help organizations and individuals network, share resources, and collaborate on STEM-related projects for girls. When you sign up for the Program Directory, you will enter your program description, resources available within your organization, program and/or organizational needs, and contact information.

http://www.ngcproject.org/programs