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Building the Capacity of STEM Practitioners to Develop a Diverse Workforce
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 NGCP Updates
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NGCP Increases Collaboration
High levels of collaboration among educators and programs engaging girls in STEM increases the efficiency, effectiveness, and capacity of programs and therefore increases opportunities and improves experiences for girls in STEM. NGCP Increases Collaboration is a visually appealing and user-friendly publication that describes the strategies used by NGCP and the positive outcomes that result.
Thursday, November 14, 2013; 12:00 PM-1:00 PM Pacific/3:00 PM-4:00 PM Eastern
Like. Follow. Repin. Tweet. How can we grab the attention of girls (and their influencers) and excite them about STEM with all the noise of viral videos, Instagram, Angry Birds, STEM stereotypes, and gender bias? To increase the diversity of those pursing science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields and to engage more girls, the conversation online, in classrooms and throughout our communities must change. Explore research-based practices for engaging girls in STEM and effective messaging, marketing, and media that excites them about STEM careers. This webinar will include relevant findings and strategies from Changing the Conversation: Messages for Improving Public Understanding of Engineering and other resources and publications.
Program managers, guidance counselors, business partners, teachers, and representatives from professional organizations and higher education are invited to learn how the NGCP model can help your organization as well as network with colleagues for collaboration opportunities.
Iowa Girls Collaborative Project Information Meeting, Davenport, IA
October 30, 2013; 2:00 PM-4:00 PM, sponsored by the Putnam Museum.
Oregon Girls Collaborative Project Informational Meeting, Salem, OR
November 8, 2013; 10:00 AM-12:00 PM, sponsored by Oregon ASK.
Alabama Girls Collaborative Project Informational Meeting, Huntsville, AL
December 9, 2013; 1:00 PM-3:00 PM, sponsored by the Huntsville-Madison County Public Library.
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Collaborative Network Activities
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Columbia, MO; October 22, 2013; 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM
Attendees will learn about inclusive education and strategies for engaging youth with disabilities in afterschool and informal science activities. The event will also explore the National Girls Collaborative Project model and efforts in Missouri.
SciGirls Educator Development at La Science Teachers Association (LSTA) State Conference
Baton Rouge, LA; October 31, 2013; 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
At this full-day professional development opportunity, discover how to engage young women (ages 8-13) through inquiry-based STEM instruction. Participants will learn the latest research for exciting and engaging girls (and boys) in STEM; experience hands-on STEM activities; and gain access to free materials that put a creative twist on teaching STEM.
TxGCP - Role Models Matter: Engaging Girls (and All Youth) in STEM
Research shows that girls who interact with female role models are more likely to develop and maintain an interest in STEM. Bringing STEM to life is an important step in getting students interested in STEM careers and excited about their futures. Participants will learn about the "Recipe for Role Model Success" and resources to engage STEM role models in the classroom and beyond. Registration for each location is here.
Houston, TX; October 9, 2013; 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
San Antonio, TX; October 16, 2013; 4:30 PM - 6:30 PM
El Paso, TX; November 18, 2013; 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Austin, TX; November 19, 2013; 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
NGCP Collaborative Mini-Grants
NGCP mini-grants are designed to enhance access to and build collaboration between programs and resources. Mini-grant application resources, including a sample application, exemplary practices, project ideas, and frequently asked questions are available online. Open and closing dates for grant applications are listed below and more information is available on each Collaborative website.
Arizona Science, Technology, and Engineering Collaborative (ASTEC): 10/8-11/18.
GRITS Collaborative Project: 10/15-11/8.
Indiana Girls Collaborative Project: 9/15-10/15.
Mid-Atlantic Girls Collaborative (MAGiC): 10/15-11/14.
Montana Girls STEM Collaborative Project: 10/8-11/18.
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| Champions for Collaboration | |
NGCP Champions Board members are selected to give the NGCP a balance of desirable expertise and regional representation. We are highlighting Champions Board members to inspire and inform your work to engage girls in STEM. This month we feature Ruth Sweetser, Director, Corporate Relations, Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) in Chicago.
What excites you most about your work? As director of corporate relations for Illinois Institute of Technology, a Ph.D.-granting engineering/technical university in Chicago (and globally), I have the opportunity to advocate for education, particularly higher education in STEM and STEM-related fields. Engaging business to view and use the university as a resource spans a multitude of activities and capabilities, so I'm always challenged to discern, and delighted to discover, new connections, new opportunities and new ways of collaborating. Since the university focuses on engineering and the sciences, my efforts are pivotal in raising awareness and connecting women/girls to opportunities in these fields--that's an amazing "extra."
My avocation, in many ways a second job, is advocating for women and girls as a member/leader in American Association for University Women (AAUW). Even before STEM became a cause, AAUW, along with partner organizations, was making the case for girls' participation in "non-traditional" fields--viewing education and employment as a continuum. AAUW advocates toward this end via an effective combination of education, public policy, philanthropy (graduate fellowships), and research; it's very exciting to see the results.
What do you most appreciate in a collaborator? A strong collaborator brings passion, reliability, insight, and a broad view to both the task at hand and the goal(s) to be achieved; not taking oneself too seriously is a definite plus!
Who are your role models? Eleanor Roosevelt, Grace Mary Hopper, Rosa Parks, Rachel Carson, and Mama Lamioni (Tanzanian ombudsman for those with AIDS).
What advice would you give to the NGCP community? Understand the immediate and larger aims of and societal obstacles to your activities; collaborate strategically, keep collaborating; and realize that the goal of parity in STEM participation for females is as essential as it is elusive.
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FabFems Spotlight
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The FabFems Spotlight highlights women from the FabFems Role Model Directory. FabFems are enthusiastic about the science and technology work they do and want to inspire a future generation of FabFems.
Meet Mya Breitbart, Associate Professor at the University of South Florida College of Marine Science. She studies the microbiology of oceans and other environments throughout the planet. Mya was recently named one of Popular Science magazine's "Brilliant 10" for 2013. This award recognizes the nation's brightest young scientific minds. Read more...
Looking for a FabFem like Mya to connect with in your area? Search www.fabfems.org.
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Upcoming STEM Events
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Girls RISEnet Workshops
Girls RISEnet, a partnership between the Miami Science Museum, the Association of Science-Technology Centers, and SECME, Inc., is strengthening the professional capacity of informal science educators to engage and motivate minority girls in grades 6-12 to explore and pursue science and engineering careers. Free workshops and mini-grants are offered in four regions throughout October and November.
Lights on Afterschool
Nationwide; October 17, 2013
Lights On Afterschool, an Afterschool Alliance event, is a nationwide celebration of afterschool programs designed to draw attention to high-quality afterschool and summer learning programs crucial to children, youth, families, and communities. Visit the Lights On Afterschool website to register an event, access planning tools, and find an event in your area.
4-H National Youth Science Day
Nationwide; October 19, 2013
This event seeks to spark early youth interest and leadership in STEM careers in an effort to keep America competitive. This year's national science experiment is "4-H Maps & Apps". Activities for the experiment include designing and mapping an ideal park, using GIS mapping to solve community problems, and contributing data about your community to the United States Geological Survey.
Race in Space Conference
Durham, NC; October 25-26, 2013
This conference will explore the issues of race, culture, and nationality in the colonization of space stations, planets, and stars in space. Dr. Mae Jemison, the first woman of color in the world to visit space, is the keynote speaker. She will discuss the need for Black scientists trained in the STEM disciplines, and the specific and transferable skills necessary to develop technology for interstellar travel and space settlement.
American Indian Science and Engineering Society
Denver, CO; October 31- November 2, 2013
The AISES national conference brings together Native American STEM educators, professionals, and students for mentoring and networking, professional development sessions, and a career fair.
Washington, D.C.; November 5-7, 2013
The Close It Summit will bring together business and education leaders, human resource practitioners, workforce and youth development innovators, social impact organizations, and policy experts actively engaged in creating new talent pathways to close the skills gap and bridge the opportunity divide.
Career Opportunities for Students with Disabilities (COSD) National Conference
Northbrook, IL; November 7, 2013
The COSD National Conference will explore the "gray areas" associated with disability, employment diversity, and career employment challenges for college students seeking to enter the workforce.
Washington, D.C.; November 13-15, 2013
The aim of this conference is to interconnect relevant stakeholders in a Call to Action to achieve positive change towards greater diversity in STEM workforce and leadership, and greater inclusion of sex and gender considerations in research content and process.
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Resources
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Applications for Aspirations in Computing Award Now Open 
The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Award for Aspirations in Computing honors young women at the high school level for their computing-related achievements and interests. Applicants can apply to both the local and national level in one application. Submission deadline: October 31.
National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Congress designates each October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). NDEAM is a national campaign to raise awareness about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities.
Disability.gov is the federal website for comprehensive information on disability programs and services nationwide, including teaching strategies, newsletters, and other resources.
Guideposts for Success: Developed by National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, this transition framework identifies the five guideposts, or sets of experiences, that all youth need to transition successfully to adulthood. The guideposts can help steer families, institutions, and youth through the transition processes.
Working Together: People with Disabilities and Computer Technology: This video presentation provides an overview of adaptive technology and computer applications for people with disabilities. High school and college students with a wide variety of disabilities share their experiences and demonstrate the technology used. This video can be used to train teachers, computer lab staff, students with disabilities, and advocates about how everyone can operate computers.
Earth Science Week 2013 Toolkit
The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) Earth Science Week 2013 Toolkit contains educational materials for all ages that correspond to this year's event theme, "Mapping Our World." The toolkit includes the program poster, activity calendar, and materials from partners. Earth Science Week 2013 will be celebrated October 13-19.
Latinas & Tecnología de la Información Website
NCWIT has launched Latinas & Tecnología de la Información, a Spanish website for inspiring young Latina women to pursue technology. The website provides fact sheets for creating awareness about the current state of girls' participation in technology, talking points about undergraduate courses and careers in computing, videos and profiles of Latina women for addressing the attractions to technology and possible barriers in the field, as well as links to computing activities and recruitment programs.
Spirit of Innovation Challenge 
The Spirit of Innovation Challenge provides an opportunity for student teams to create commercially viable products or services to address issues of global sustainability. This competition is open to students ages 13-18, worldwide. Teams from afterschool programs and science clubs are encouraged to participate. Submission deadline: October 24, 2013.
The TechGirls Blog
TechGirls, a U.S. Department of State initiative, is an international exchange program designed to empower young girls to pursue careers in the science and technology sectors. The TechGirls blog
features blog posts by TechGirls participants.
NGCP Program Directory - Search for Collaborating Programs or Register Your Program
The online Program Directory highlights 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 needs, collaboration interests, and contact information.
Build Your Collaborative Network with the NGCP Program Directory provides an overview of the Program Directory as an effective collaboration tool to maximize impact for your program.
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| Global Resources |
Knowledge Gateway 
The Knowledge Gateway is an open online platform seeking to revitalize women's economic empowerment by building connections and bringing together people who need resources with those that have them. Designed as a user-friendly, demand-driven one-stop service community, you can find and share resources and tools and connect with experts, peers, networks, and potential partners.
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Contact Us
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The EdLab Group is a private, non-profit organization with funding from federal and state governments, private foundations, corporations, and individuals. Our mission is to leverage the power of technology and diversity to transform teaching and learning.
Email: kpeterson@edlabgroup.org Web: http://www.ngcproject.org
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