TxGCP eNewsletter  
 
August 2012 
Greetings!

Exciting times for STEM in Texas! Are you connected??  If you're in HOUSTON - don't miss out on our event next week! 

Our Google Groups are continuing to be active...and the best way to be connected in your region with all things K12 STEM - are you connected to the conversation?  It's your BEST way to keep up with all thing STEM in your region and beyond. Join the group in your region of Texas - details below. 

 

Our TxGCP eNewsletter arrives ~monthly in your inbox to learn about science, technology, engineering and math resources, educational opportunities and more around Texas and beyond!

Techbridge and PBS SciGirls Professional Development Opportunity in Houston August 15th

 

Educators across Texas are invited to attend free professional development opportunities and discover how to engage young women and all kids through research-based, high quality activities and resources.

 

We encourage you to attend all three portions of the day...but you also have the option to participate in just one or two of them.  

 

Houston Area K-12 STEM Outreach Workshops and Forum  

United Way of Greater Houston, 50 Waugh Drive  Houston, TX 77007  

 

Hosted in collaboration with Girls Inc. of Greater Houston and Schlumberger 

  • 1:00 - 2:15 p.m. - Techbridge Role Model Training 
  • 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. - SciGirls Connect Professional Development 
  • 3:30 - 4:00 p.m. - Networking 
  • 4:00 - 5:30 p.m. - K-12 STEM Outreach Forum 

Registration is FREE to attend. Details for each portion of the program below. Register online today to secure your space! 

 

 

Techbridge

Techbridge Role Model Training  

1 - 2:15 p.m.

 

Participants attending this workshop will:

  • Explore the key components to engaging role models in your program or serving as an effective role model yourself
  • Learn some interactive ice breakers to help role models warm up the crowd
  • Discover important aspects of role model introductions and what to share throughout role model interactions
  • Learn how to lead a hands-on activity (you'll get more on the hands-on activities in the follow-on SciGirls workshop portion of the day) and how to wrap-up a role model interaction  

 

SciGirls Connect Professional Development SciGirls

2:30 - 3:30 p.m.

 

Participants attending this workshop will:

  • Learn latest research for exciting and engaging girls (and boys) in STEM
  • Experience one of the hands-on STEM activities such as using dough to teach circuits, designing their own wind measurement machine and creating your own experiment to identify mystery plastics
  • Leave with curriculum for 20 hands-on, video enhanced activities that put a creative twist on teaching STEM
  • Learn how to modify any activity to excite and engage kids in STEM using the SciGirls Seven
  • Discover additional online resources that enhance teaching and learning experiences for all kids  

 

Houston Area K-12 STEM Outreach Forum

3:30 - 4:00 Networking / 4:00 - 5:30 Forum

 

Participants attending the forum will:

  • Learn about free resources available to support K-12 STEM outreach and education in afterschool, classroom, and other venues
  • Get connected to other organizations, companies and individuals across the Houston area engaged in K-12 STEM outreach and education
  • Enjoy facilitated networking activities designed to generate collaborative connections
  • Share with others about your program, needs, resources and opportunities for engagement 

 

Get all the details and register to attend at http://txgcp.org/forums. Space is limited. FREE to attend. THANKS to Girls Inc. of Greater Houston and Schlumberger for making it possible!
 

 

Additional Techbridge, SciGirls and TxGCP educational opportunities will be scheduled throughout Texas. Stay tuned for more opportunities in your region of Texas. Informal Science Learning Associates of Laredo, Girlstart, and the Women in Engineering Program at The University of Texas at Austin are certified SciGirls trainers connected with TxGCP.

Did Your Org Miss Out on a Request from a potential FUNDER! Are You Listed in the Program Directory?

 

TxGCP was just asked for STEM program connections in one of our regions of Texas. And earlier this year, one of our partners was asked for a list of informal education organizations across the state and others engaged in K12 STEM education. We pulled the list to share for BOTH of these opportunities from the Program Directory!

 

Gain access to mini-grants and have the first shot at opportunities such as the Water Works camp curriculum, role model training and other curriculum and resource dissemination across Texas! Sign up your program, organization and/or event in the National Girls Collaborative Project Program Directory.  Join over 200 listings from across Texas and find collaborators and other STEM educators in your area. Registration is free...can't get better than that!

 

Regional K-12 STEM Outreach Listservs
 
You want to be included....AND connected! Check the regional listservs out online.   

Have you missed out on the following recent posts:

Then subscribe to your regional listserv and don't miss out on fabulous opportunities in the future!

 

To help create a community of K-12 STEM Outreach providers, supporters, educators and organizations, regional listservs have been created.  These groups are all about sharing resources, information, events, volunteers, needs, and more with others reaching out to K12 students aiming to excite them about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).  Join whichever group(s) make sense for you and start collaborating, connecting, communicating and sharing!

 

For those not in one of these areas who still want to receive information going out to all groups, join the Texas K-12 STEM Outreach group. 

 

Contact Tricia Berry for any specific regional requests or questions.

Conferences, Events, Contests & More

    

  

Future City Competition Future City Competition

Future City Registration is now open!  New to the program this year, we are now accepting registrations from afterschool programs and groups.  Register today or learn more about the Future City Competition at www.futurecity.org

  

SXSWedu SXSWedu
Early Bird Registration Deadline - September 21, 2012

Austin, Texas 

SXSWedu features four days of compelling presentations and informative sessions from education professionals, industry leaders, and policy practitioners committed to engaging all learners. Learn more and register online at http://sxswedu.com/attend.    


Manufacturing Day

Friday, October 5, 2012 

Manufacturing Day has been designed to expand knowledge about and improve the general public's perception of manufacturing careers and manufacturing's value to the U.S. economy. Manufacturing Day is for students, parents, educators, media, customers, suppliers and the community at large. The core element to Manufacturing Day is the schedule of manufacturers' open houses. Manufacturing Day will promote the open house schedule through its planned general and trade media
campaign, which will alert thousands of people to the opportunity to visit manufacturers and see for themselves that manufacturing is alive and well in America and that it needs skilled employees. Visitors will learn about real career opportunities, training, and resources.  For more information and to learn how you can get involved please visit: http://www.mfgday.com/.  

 

2012 Women of Color STEM Conference

Hosted by Northrup Grumman Corporation and Women of Color magazine Dallas, TX

October 11-13, 2012
Learn more about the conference and how to register online at http://intouch.ccgmag.com/page/woc_conference.   

Articles, Reports, Resources
 
Science of the Olympics NBC Learn and NBC Sports, in partnership with the National Science Foundation, explore the engineering and technology helping athletes maximize their performance at the 2012 London Games. Check back later in August 2012 for lesson plans by the NSTA. http://www.nbclearn.com/portal/site/learn/science-of-the-summer-olympics

Engineering: It's Time to Change How We Promote the Profession" Webinar Now Available.

The National Engineers Week Foundation has joined forces with the National Academy of Engineering and the National Society of Professional Engineers to present "Engineering: It's Time to Change How We Promote the Profession", a national campaign to improve the public's understanding of engineering. By changing how we present engineering, we can encourage young people to make a difference in the world through an engineering career.  To listen to a recording of the webinar and to view the PowerPoint presentation, please visit http://www.eweek.org  (in the announcements section on the homepage).  

National Science Foundation's Science360
Sponsored by the National Science Foundation, Science360 is an up-to-date view of breaking science from around the world.  One of the videos especially resonates with pre-college and college students.  "Engineering a Difference" follows three teams of engineering students and professional engineers as they work with communities in Ghana, Kenya, and Nicaragua to build critical infrastructure. Together they develop a clean water supply, electricity, and a bridge to help these isolated communities thrive. To view these colorful, compelling stories of how engineers make the world a better place, please visit:  www.science360.gov

Museum of Science Boston Offers Free After-School Engineering Curriculum - Engineering Adventures
Engineering is Elementary, at the Museum of Science, Boston, is proud to announce that the Engineering Adventures unit Bubble Bonanza: Engineering Bubble Wands is now available to download from the website. Engineering Adventures is a new engineering curriculum designed for 3rd-5th graders in out-of-school time settings. The activities allow all learners to act as engineers and engage in the engineering design process. To learn more, or to download the Bubble Bonanza unit, visit the website.


Additional Reports and Articles
   
The TxGCP eNewsletter is distributed approximately once a month. Visit the TxGCP web site for additional updates on upcoming events, resources and mini-grant information.
Share Your Events and News 
Submit information or events to be included in future TxGCP eNewsletters. Complete the short online form.  Remember TxGCP eNewsletters are typically sent at the beginning of each month.
STEM Program Highlight:
STREAM STEM App

Get your event listed in the STREAM app and be part of a national effort to get STEM events in the hands of parents, educators, and students. STREAM was launched at the U.S. News STEM Solutions Summit and TxGCP has collaborated on the development. Get it on your iPhone today...and add in your events!

STREAM app

Email us at [email protected] to get added as an event coordinator...and then start entering your events!
Conference Highlight:
SXSWedu

SXSWedu will happen again in Austin March 4-7, 2013. Submit your workshop, panel, or presentation now...they are including a STEM focus this year so don't miss out! Details about presenting at SXSWedu online. Deadline to submit is September 7th.

SXSWedu

And consider submitting for the Future15s! Future15s are a series of 12-minute solo presentations that are curated from proposals submitted to the PanelPicker. Future15 presentations are grouped into two-hour program blocks related to a single theme...and STEM presentations are wanted!!
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About TxGCP
Texas Girls Collaborative Project
The Texas Girls Collaborative Project (TxGCP) connects organizations and individuals across Texas committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The TxGCP is excited to provide opportunities across Texas for collaboration, networking, sharing of best practices, and leveraging of resources through in-person forums, email listservs and mini-grants.   

Led by the Women in Engineering Program (WEP) at The University of Texas at Austin along with a dynamic Leadership Team and Champions Board, the TxGCP brings together advocates and leaders from non-profits, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, companies and organizations across the state of Texas. 
About NGCP
National Girls Collaborative Project
The vision of the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) is to bring together organizations throughout the United States and Puerto Rico that are committed to informing and encouraging girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). 
FabFems
Website Launched with
Amazing Role Models
http://www.fabfems.org/

The FabFems directory is a national database of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) professions who are inspiring role models for young women. The FabFems directory is accessible to young women, girl-serving STEM programs, and other organizations that are working to increase career awareness and interest in STEM.

http://www.fabfems.org/