November 2013

PNWGCP Updates  

Speakers and Session Details for the Exploring Collaborations Conference

December 4, 2013 | 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM | Redmond, WA

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Jenny Lay-Flurrie, Senior Director, Accessibility, Customer Partner Advocacy, Microsoft
A long time champion of NGCP, Jenny is passionate about disability issues. She formed and chairs the cross disability group at Microsoft, an employee resource group focused on 'enabling people to be successful regardless of ability or disability'. She has been influential in driving accessibility and awareness of disability internally and externally, with wide recognition of these efforts.

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National Expert in Gender and Gaming - Dr. Carrie Heeter

Dr. Carrie Heeter will be participating in the Girls and Gaming in Today's World panel, moderated by Dr. Dana Riley-Black, Director, Center for Inquiry Science at the Institute for Systems Biology. Dr. Heeter is a Professor in the department of Telecommunication, Information Studies, and Media at Michigan State University (MSU) where she teaches foundations of serious games and human-centered experience design.

Afternoon Breakout Sessions

The 2013 Afterschool Matters Fellowship: Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from researchers with the Afterschool Matters Fellowship program, a year-long action research program in which teachers and out of school time professionals joined forces to research educational practices in their own sites for better STEM education for all youth. Research topics will include:

• Pushing to Persevere: How to create a culture of perseverance both in and out of school.
• Listening to the Language of STEM After School: Designing After School STEM Experiences to Support Collaborative Inquiry Processes and Skills.
• Math is like a scary movie? How can a carefully designed math inquiry centered on a "real-life" problem that is solved with flexible hands-on learning help to change a math- anxious student's disposition toward math?
• Introducing STEM to our Afterschool Philosophy: This research seeks discover the possible barriers that exist for programs and direct service staff when attempting to integrate STEM activities into their program structure and curriculum. 

Strategies for Engaging Diverse Girls:  In this interactive session and panel discussion local experts will share successful strategies they have implemented to engage diverse girls in their youth programming. Attendees will engage with panelists and fellow attendees to identify strategies they can implement in their own programs to reach new and diverse populations of girls.

Registration Closes Wednesday, November 27.  Register today!

Hosted jointly by the Pacific Northwest Girls Collaborative Project and the National Girls Collaborative Project, this full day conference is supported by our partners, Microsoft, the Institute for Systems Biology, the 2013 Afterschool Matters Fellowship program, and Northeastern University's G.A.M.E.S. Initiative.

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FabFems Spotlight

FabFems are enthusiastic about the science and technology work they do and want to inspire our future generations. Encourage girls to visit FabFems to search profiles, connect with role models, and find resources on career pathways. To get more involved, 'like' our Facebook page, 'follow' our Twitter feed, and/or help fill our boards on Pinterest.

Meet Katie Doran, Program Manager at Microsoft. Her work focuses on education and gaming, including making games to promote exercise, teaching others how to make games, and coordinating events for playing games. Outside of work, she loves to read, watch movies, and listen to music. Katie will be the moderator for the Exploring Collaborations: Successful Strategies for Increasing Equity and Access to STEM panel "The Girl Perspective" on December 4. 

Learn more about Katie by visiting her FabFems profile at: http://www.fabfems.org/users/katie-doran. If you are a role model, submit a profile on FabFems.org to show girls what you do and what you are passionate about.

Events and Opportunities    

Women in Science: Challenges at the Intersection of Race, Gender & Culture

Seattle, WA

December 3, 2013; 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM

Attendees will discuss a case study, share stories and insights about issues surrounding women and diversity in science, and how to build a supportive environment.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/185800716/Women-in-Science-Challenges-at-the-Intersection-of-Race-Gender-Culture 

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.

http://csedweek.org 

The Hour of Code: The Hour of Code is a movement to help every student try computer science during Dec. 9-15 (Computer Science Education Week). With 3 million students across 20,000 schools, in 150 countries signed up, this will be the largest learning event in history. Is your school on the list yet? If not, tell a teacher you know to visit http://hourofcode.com to make history. 

Computing Open House, Seattle, WA

December 7, 2013; 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM

Attendees will participate in hands-on activities and visit research labs to find out what computing is all about. Students and faculty from UW's computing majors will introduce participants to the broad range of problems computing can address. Representatives from local technology companies will show cool demos and talk about why they love their jobs.

http://www.cs.washington.edu/openhouse 

Hands-on Winter Break

Anchorage, AK

December 28, 2013 - January 3, 2014; 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

Keep youth engaged during winter break with a family activity each day. Build an indoor "snow fort" with white cardboard blocks. Examine a snowflake up close and learn the science behind snow or make a glittery winter village decoration.

http://www.anchoragemuseum.org/calendar/GroupDetails.aspx?ID=30 

Evening with Industry

Seattle, WA

January 14, 2014; 12:00 PM - 7:30 PM

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) at the University of Washington is hosting an Evening with Industry, a career fair open to all students looking for internships, co-ops, and full time employment in the fields of engineering, science, or technology.

http://students.washington.edu/swe/EWI 

Hawaii Island Regional Science Olympiad Tournament

Hilo, HI

January 18, 2014

The Hawaii Island Regional Tournament is a qualifying tournament for school teams to participate in the Annual State Finals Tournament. Regional Tournaments are open to all public, private, charter, and home secondary schools that operate in the State of Hawaii.

Registration deadline is November 30, 2013.

http://www.hsso.org 

Resources

Alaska Native Perspectives on Earth and Climate
A free collection of curriculum aligned with traditional ways of knowing which is categorized by elements (spirit, air, fire, water, earth) and by earth systems. Lesson plans and student activities are provided in a variety of media which look at Alaska's unique geology and the impact of development and climate change featuring Alaska Native scientists who are working toward solutions.
http://www.teachersdomain.org/special/ean

Common Core State Standards Factsheet

The Common Core State Standards in Math and English Language Arts describe what every U.S. student should know and be able to do in order to be ready for success after high school, whether that student goes directly to college or to the workplace. Change the Equation, created a fact sheet that provides an overview of the Common Core State Standards in Math and English Language.

EngineerGirl.org
EngineerGirl is a program of the National Academy of Engineering, designed to introduce middle school girls to engineering careers. The website has recently been updated and features a new interface and content such as "Try on a Career," a place to explore different engineering fields. Original features such as the "Gallery of Women Engineers" and "Ask an Engineer," still serve as a regular resource for educators, parents, and students.
http://www.engineergirl.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 

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.