The Importance of Art, HSTEM and What Your Teenage Daughter is Thinking
I just finished up a week away in the beautiful Colorado mountains for a women’s writing retreat. It was a great reminder of the importance of the art of writing to me as well as a reminder of why I am so passionate about changing the focus from STEM to STEAM. Not only is it more inclusive to use the term STEAM, but it is also just good for the soul.
STEM + ART = STEAM
I love this opinion piece by Max Akon, an economics student at the University of Vermont, about what he believes the importance of art to be even for STEM students, but I feel especially for STEM students, as well as those of us who are no longer in school.
RIT
I knew nothing about Rochester Institute of Technology, but after perusing the website as a result of stumbling onto an article about the university’s commitment to performing arts (10% of the students have Performance Arts scholarships), in addition to their reputation for excellence in STEM-related studies, I have become a big fan. Their mission is to “shape the future and improve the world through creativity and innovation” and “leverage the power of technology, the arts, and design for greater good.” It is a mission that I can certainly get behind.
HSTEM
I have started reading “Being Human in STEM: Partnering with Students to Shape Inclusive Practices and Communities”, a book that arose from a course of the same name at Amherst College. It is intended to “foster a sense of belonging and inclusion in classrooms and laboratories” but also includes tools that can be carried into and applied to the workplace.
What Teenage Girls Think
Another interesting read is “The Girls’ Index” which is the first large-scale survey designed to understand thoughts, feelings and attitudes of teenage girls throughout the United States. A couple of key takeaways for me:
1 in 3 girls with a GPA over 4.0 don’t believe that they are smart enough for their dream job
1 in 3 girls say they are afraid to be leaders because they don’t want others to think they are bossy
This report is a must read for parents of young girls.
Alternative STEM Pathways
Middle school students in Loveland, Colorado experienced a drone demonstration by a local community college in order to show them alternative STEM/STEAM pathways that do not require a 4-year college education.
Corporations Supporting STEM/STEAM
Raytheon, Hyundai, American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics teamed with the University of Southern California to sponsor a drone education workshop for 24 fifth and sixth grade students at Foshay Learning Center.
Honeywell Aerospace is doing its part to help educate and mentor students in Mesa, Arizona. Honeywell has partnered with Mesa Public Schools to assist students in creating projects that display how STEM/STEAM education can be used in the real world.
Community
Metropolitan State University in Denver recently held an immersive STEM training event for local blind and low-vision kids and adults.
Resources
The NASA STEM Engagement website has an endless amount of resources for students and educators. I can get lost for hours clicking through all of the possibilities.
Project Scientist is a national educational non-profit that helps all girls discover the run and excitement of STEAM.
STEMConnector is a professional service firm committed to increasing the number of STEM-ready workers in the global talent pool.
The Michigan Council of Women in Technology Foundation has a goal of making Michigan the number 1 state for women in technology and they have a great website with opportunities both local to Michigan and remote.
LEGO Stories of the Week
Lewisville, Texas Elementary Stem Academies’ Robotics Competition
My Mission
The value and benefits of a career in a STEM field are well-known and well understood. Adding the “A” to STEM to create STEAM opens new doors for inclusivity, creativity and innovation in fields that are not conventionally considered to be STEM careers.
What if we stopped asking kids “Are you good at math?” and instead asked “What are your interests and what are the problems that you would love to solve?”…