|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Building the Capacity of STEM Practitioners to Develop a Diverse Workforce
|
|
 NGCP Updates
| |
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.
Libraries are essential to STEM education efforts because of their strong connections to families and communities. This white paper includes information about STAR_Net education programs that were created to inspire lifelong learning through inquiry and play and resources for librarians. STAR_Net's Discover Earth and Discover Tech programs provide an example of the impact that a public library can have on its community by offering exciting and engaging STEM experiences.
 New U.S. Department of Energy Initiatives The U.S. Department of Energy has recently announced the Minorities in Energy Initiative, which will be a continuous dialogue between several federal agencies and private partners, with energy at the helm. This initiative will link together representatives from diverse community organizations, academia, business, and industry to address shared challenges in the areas of energy economic development, STEM education, and climate change.
In addition to the Minorities in Energy Initiative, the Energy Department has been actively working to address the shortage of females engaged in STEM in the United States. The Honorable Dot Harris, Director, Office of Economic Impact and Diversity, serves as a part of the White House Council on Women and Girls STEM Speakers Bureau, adding outreach sessions about her work in STEM to her travel for meetings around the country. In August, Director Dot Harris visited the Oak Ridge National Laboratory and spoke to middle school girls from the East Nashville area. This visit was coordinated by the GRITS (Girls Raised in Tennessee Science) Collaborative Project and you can learn more about the girls' experiences here.
The Department of Energy has also created a website resource, Women@Energy, showcasing talented and dedicated employees who are helping change the world, ensuring America's security and prosperity through transformative science and technology solutions. View profiles of women across the country, sharing what inspired them to work in STEM, what excites them about their work at the Energy Department, sharing ideas for getting more underrepresented groups engage in STEM, offering tips, and more.
STEM-Focused Youth Programs Honored
Congratulations to three STEM-focused programs recently honored for their high-quality programming and positive impact on youth. Project GUTS - Growing Up Thinking Scientifically of the Santa Fe Institute and Science Club, a partnership between Northwestern University and the Boys & Girls Club of Chicago, were each awarded 2013 Afterschool STEM Impact Awards by the Afterschool Alliance and Noyce Foundation, and GirlStart Summer Camp in Austin, TX was selected as an exemplary STEM learning program by Change the Equation. Read more
|
|
Collaborative Network Activities
| |
NGCP Informational Meetings
Program managers, guidance counselors, business partners, educators, and representatives from professional organizations and higher education are invited to learn how the NGCP model can help your organization and to network with colleagues for collaboration opportunities.
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.
January 7, 2014; 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM, sponsored by the Putnam Museum.
Great Plains GC Forum Event: Collaboration 101
Fargo, ND; November 14, 2013; 3:30 PM - 6:00 PM
Collaboration can help reduce the isolation among professionals working in the STEM fields. It can also strengthen relationships among organizations, increasing the potential for learning by sharing exemplary practices. This networking event will allow participants to learn and share information on how to develop and grow programs as well as obtaining resources including grants from GPGC.
Experience Hands-On STEM!
Louisville, KY; November 14, 2013; 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM
Attendees will explore a variety of STEM activities geared towards girl-friendly programming and discuss strategies for integrating hands-on, open-ended investigations that will help foster girls' interest in STEM and shape their attitudes towards these fields. This forum is sponsored by Girls RISEnet, a national network of museums working to strengthen the professional capacity of informal science educators to engage and motivate minority girls to explore & pursue science and engineering careers.
KY Girls STEM Collaborative West Kentucky Forum
Paducah, KY; November 14, 2013; 4:00 PM - 6:30 PM
The Paducah Area Chamber of Commerce Business Education Partnership committee, in partnership with the Kentucky Girls STEM Collaborative, invite female students to participate in a regional forum to encourage exploration of STEM disciplines through hands-on activities and demonstrations presented by area professionals. Parents and other adults will attend a panel discussion while girls participate in the hands-on activities.
TxGCP - SciGirls Workshop
This workshop is based on SciGirls, a PBS KIDS weekly series and website out to change how millions of tween girls think about science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Participants will learn how to engage young women (ages 8-13) through research-based, high quality activities, and resources. Registration for each location is here.
El Paso, TX; November 18, 2013; 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Edinburg, TX; December 13, 2013; 9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
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.
El Paso, TX; November 18, 2013; 4:30 PM - 5:30 PM
Austin, TX; November 19, 2013; 5:00 PM - 7:00 PM
Edinburg, TX; December 14, 2013; 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM
Exploring Collaborations: Successful Strategies for Increasing Equity and Access to STEM
Microsoft Campus in Redmond, WA; December 4, 2013; 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM
This is a full-day conference of inspiring panels and thought-provoking sessions hosted jointly by the Pacific Northwest Girls Collaborative Project and the National Girls Collaborative Project.
The morning will include networking and resource sharing opportunities, plenary sessions, and two panels: 1) Girls in STEM - High School Perspectives, and 2) Girls and Gaming in Today's World. The afternoon will include multiple breakout options, including sessions with researchers from the 2013 Afterschool Matters Fellowship program and leaders of Northeastern University's G.A.M.E.S Initiative.
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 are listed below and more information is available on each Collaborative website.
Mid-Atlantic Girls Collaborative (MAGiC) (DC, DE, MD, VA): 10/15-11/14.
Montana Girls STEM Collaborative Project: 10/8-11/18.
|
| Collaborative Leadership Team Member Spotlight | |
This month we feature Rachel Rigsby, Associate Professor of Chemistry at Belmont University. She has been on the Girls Raised in Tennessee Science (GRITS) Collaborative Leadership Team since 2009. She was nominated for this spotlight because "[she] brings fresh ideas to the table. She has taken on the role of the Mini-grant lead for GRITS with a passion for collaboration and a desire to share best practices in STEM for Tennessee girls."
What excites you most about the work you do every day? Interacting with students and helping them understand chemistry.
What drew you to participate in the GRITS Collaborative Project in a leadership capacity? I was asked by our Collaborative Lead, Judith Iriarte-Gross, to join the team, and I was excited to participate in a project aimed at helping girls overcome barriers to succeed in STEM.
Which NGCP resources do you find most valuable? The Program Directory as it is the most valuable - it centralizes so many contacts in one place.
How has being involved in NGCP impacted your work? It has made me more aware of difficulties faced by females entering college in STEM fields. I am especially diligent in trying to support new students who are minorities.
Who are your role models? Early in life it was definitely my high school chemistry and math teachers, a husband-wife team who taught and inspired all of their students. I remain in awe of so many women pioneers in STEM who faced immense obstacles to succeed. Maud Menten, Canadian physician-scientist, stands out in my field of biochemistry. She was not allowed to do research in Canada, so she pursued her career in other countries. She was successful in science, medicine, and in the pursuit of many hobbies as well.
|
|
FabFems Spotlight
| |
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 Kim Wilkens, founder of Tech-Girls. Kim lives in Charlottesville, VA. She is establishing a non-profit with a mission to empower girls to imagine new futures for themselves in the field of computer science. Read More
Looking for a FabFem like Kim to connect with in your area? Search www.fabfems.org.
|
Upcoming STEM Events
| |
STEM Smart: Lessons Learned From Successful Schools Focus on Early Learning
Washington, D.C.; December 3, 2013
Attendees will learn about reports from the National Research Council, "Successful K-12 STEM Education" and "Monitoring Progress Toward Successful K-12 STEM Education: A Nation Advancing?," with special focus on the critical importance of STEM learning and early intervention in pre-K through third grade. Breakout session include: National Science Foundation funded projects, resources and initiatives that align with the reports' evidence base on effective instruction, access to high quality STEM for all students, and building supportive infrastructure.
Association for Career and Technical Educators (ACTE) National Conference
Las Vegas, NV; December 4 - 7, 2013
 Career and technical education (CTE) professionals will learn about best practices and innovative programming, how to use technologies to enhance learning, ways to help students plan their secondary careers, and information on project-based learning.
Computer Science Education Week
Nationwide; December 9-15, 2013
Computer Science Education Week (CSEdWeek) provides an opportunity to raise awareness about the impact of computing, the richness of computing careers, and the critical need for computer science (CS) education. CSEdWeek is a call to action to inspire students and colleagues about CS education, to employ new and better strategies for engagement, and to connect with the broader community about the need for and value of CS education.
The Hour of Code
Code.org is launching the Hour of Code as part of the annual CSEdWeek, a celebration to encourage interest in the field and show that anyone can learn the basics. Code.org will host a variety of hour-long tutorials on the CSEdWeek website for students. Many of the tutorials are compatible with tablets and smartphones, and there are "unplugged" lessons available as well.
|
|
Resources
| |
DuPont Essay Challenge
DuPont is challenging students in grades 7-12 to write an essay addressing one of four challenges:
feed the world; build a secure energy future; protect people and the environment; or be innovative anywhere. Application opens November 15.
Google and Raspberry Pi Coder
Google and Raspberry Pi PC recently created a new tool called Coder. It is an open-source educational programming platform. It is designed to work alongside instruction from other programming websites like Codecademy and Khan Academy. With Coder, users can develop their own apps for the web and then host them on a miniature server located directly on Raspberry Pi.
NASA Survey for Informal Educators
NASA's Informal Education Working Group has developed a survey to assess the science, technology, engineering, and mathematics resource and professional development needs of informal educators. The results of the survey will help NASA's Science Mission Directorate Education and Public Outreach community better meet those needs and plan future opportunities for the informal education community. The survey is open until November 15, 2013.
Making the Future U.S. Afterschool and Summer Program GrantsCognizant awards grants to child-serving U.S. non-profit organizations wishing to run after-school, in-school, and summer Maker programs. Programs must support the Cognizant mission of inspiring young learners in the STEM disciplines by providing fun, hands-on learning opportunities.
Deadline: November 15, 2013.
Play-i Help a School Program
Play-i was founded with the mission of making programming fun and accessible for every child. Play-i recently launched a crowdfunding campaign to help bring robotics and computer programming to schools and programs serving underrepresented students.
Science in Fiction Video Contest
The USA Science & Engineering Festival, in association with the Kavli Foundation, is launching the "Science in Fiction" video contest. Using popular movies, TV shows, and video games, students will investigate cutting edge advances in science and engineering to explore how science fictional scenes could be realized using current and developing technologies. Deadline: March 21, 2014.
 Space Foundation Teacher Liaison Application
Selected teacher liaisons will receive Space Foundation training and resources to integrate space based education into their classrooms. Applications are open to public, private and homeschool teachers and school administrators, including principals, specialists, curriculum and instruction developers and administrators, and others who deliver education programs to students. Deadline: December 6, 2013.
Tri-IT
Tri-IT provides learning opportunities to high school girls through year-round, interactive IT instruction. The curriculum includes research-based strategies to engage girls in IT, math, and science.
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. 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.
|
| Global Resources |
Global Education Conference
Online; November 18 - 22, 2013
The Global Education Conference is a collaborative, inclusive, world-wide community initiative involving students, educators, and organizations at all levels. It is designed to increase opportunities for building education-related connections around the world while supporting cultural awareness and recognition of diversity.
|
Contact Us
| | |
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: [email protected] Web: http://www.ngcproject.org
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
