Welcome to 20-1-4: the year of opportunities Galore!

I wish you all a Happy, Happy New Year! 

Summer Research
I want to remind all of you that this is the time of year to begin thinking about your plans for Summer 2014. Many research programs will begin soliciting applications now with deadlines occurring between the end of January 2014 thru March 2014. This blog has some summer research programs listed for you to browse through. The most recent addition is the summer research experience for undergraduates (REU) that is available at Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh. 

FAFSA
Also remember if you are applying for college, that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) is now available for the 2014-2015 school year. When I applied for college, my parents could not support me financially so I filled out a FAFSA.  Thankfully, my college tuition, housing and other fees were primarily paid using grants, loans and work study that I received in my financial aid package. Do not let the cost of attending college deter you! 

Conferences
Scientific conferences occur throughout the year. Remember to determine whether the conference you would like to attend offers travel grants/stipends. Many do, but it may be contingent on submitting an abstract to present your research (orally or as a poster). So check out 1) conference dates, 2) abstract submission deadlines, and 3) travel grant/stipend deadlines. Check out conferences here.

I am sure that there are many other things to consider and remember at this time of the year, but these three topics were immediately on my mind. If you would like to share others, send me an email. Best, Minority.Scientist

LearnLab Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) Program Description

LearnLab at Carnegie Mellon and the University of Pittsburgh has an exciting summer research opportunity available to undergraduate students. This research program encourages applications from students who would like to conduct research in the fields of psychology, education, computer science, human-computer interfaces and language technologies.  This program seeks broad participation, including members of underrepresented groups as defined by the National Science Foundation (African American, Hispanic, Native American) who may be considering pursuing further graduate study in the learning sciences.

LearnLab's REU program allows talented undergraduates to spend 8 weeks during the summer in a research laboratory at Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, or one of our research partners. The REU program aims to make LearnLab's programs more visible to students not traditionally exposed to our fields. The REU program supports LearnLab's commitment to training a diverse set of science, technology, education, and psychology leaders.

Applications are encouraged from students who wish to learn to conduct research in a modern academic research laboratory under the guidance of experienced scientists and engineers and experiment in real classroom environments. The REU program will expose students to the excitement and opportunities of a research career. This experience will provide excellent preparation for students interested in subsequently pursuing a Masters or Ph.D. degree. Although students from other years may apply, this opportunity is most fitting for a student at the end of the junior year of undergraduate studies.

Each student will receive a fellowship stipend of $4000 for the eight-week REU program. Food, housing and travel will also be provided. Students will conduct research in an area matched to the interests expressed in the student's application. Guidance and supervision of the research project will be provided by the faculty member as well as, in some cases, a postdoctoral fellow and/or advanced graduate student.

Seminars specific to those participating in the REU program will be held weekly including seminars on graduate admissions and career opportunities in science, education, computer science and engineering. In addition, LearnLab seminars and those held by Carnegie Mellon's Human Computer Interaction Institute and Language Technologies Institute and seminars at Pitt's Language Research and Development Center will be open to the students, giving them exposure to a wide range of research in learning sciences.

REU Program Benefits

There are several benefits that the participating students may receive.

• If the student’s research in the summer is of high quality and has added value to an ongoing research project, past students have been asked to be a coauthor on the research team's publication on that subject. Addition of publications to the resume of a graduate school applicant always greatly improves the application.
• If the quality of the research is high, the faculty member who advised the student would likely be willing to write a letter of recommendation for the student which could be included in a graduate school application.
• Research experience in one of the National Science Foundation's premier research centers will be viewed attractively.
• Scholarships may be available for graduate research on projects in LearnLab. The student should inquire about these possibilities during the summer.

REU Program Dates: Students will begin their research experience on Sunday, June 1, 2014 with a welcoming reception and information session.  The REU program will end on Friday July 25, 2014 with a poster session in the afternoon.. Submission of an application indicates that the applicant agrees to be present from June 1 to 4pm, July 25, 2014 inclusive.

Application Deadline: Deadline for applications is February 17, 2014. Students will be informed of our decision by March 3, 2014.

Minimum Requirements: Applicants must be current undergraduates who are U.S. Citizens or have current F1 visas.  Applicants should have a minimum of 3.5 GPA out of 4.0 although we will consider students who show by other measures that they are exceptional and who have GPAs over 3.2. Class standing and grades in specific subjects that are close to the field of research will also be considered, as are recommendations.

Number of slots/ positions available: LearnLab can accommodate as many as 10 positions, although in any given year, we may decide to fund less than 10 applicants

Funding Source: National Science Foundation

Partner Institutions: Carnegie Mellon University, the University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Learning

Send completed applications to:
LearnLab - Summer Internship Program
c/o Jo Bodnar
3501B Newell-Simon Hall - HCII
Carnegie Mellon University
5000 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship

2014-15 Application Deadline: November 1, 2013

"The AAAS Fellowship is an amazing opportunity for scientists but more importantly, it is the best way to incorporate smart, accomplished scientists into the policy making process for the betterment of the nation."

-Dr. Terry Adirim, 2006-07 AAAS fellow at the Department of Homeland Security

The deadline to apply to the 2014-2015 AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowship class is quickly approaching. For over 40 years, scientists, social scientists, and engineers have applied their knowledge and technical expertise to policy-making while developing valuable career enhancing skills. Join a network of more than 2,800 current and alumni fellows impacting policy and forging new careers! 

Please share this information with your networks.

DEADLINE

The deadline for applications is November 1, 2013, 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Apply athttps://fellowshipapp.aaas.org/

ELIGIBILITY 

Applicants must hold a doctoral level degree (PhD, MD, DVM, etc.), in any of the following:

- Social/Behavioral sciences

- Medical/Health disciplines

- Biological, Physical or Earth sciences

- Computational sciences and Mathematics

- Engineering disciplines (applicants with a master's degree and three years of experience also qualify).

All degree requirements must be completed by the application deadline.

Visit http://fellowships.aaas.org/04_Become/04_Eligibility.shtml to learn more about eligibility and selection criteria.

BENEFITS 

Stipends range from approximately $74,000 to $99,000. Other benefits include health insurance, travel/training allowance and relocation allocation. For more information about benefits, visit 

http://fellowships.aaas.org/05_Support/05_index.shtml.

DETAILS  

To learn more about the AAAS Science & Technology Policy Fellowships, visit:http://fellowships.aaas.org.

HAVE QUESTIONS!

Join us on Facebook or Twitter or contact Fellowships staff at fellowships@aaas.org or 202-326-6700.

STEM program at NYU-Poly and Northrop Grumman

NYU-POLY PARTNERS WITH HEAF TO OFFER “STEM” EDUCATION TO MIDDLE SCHOOL STUDENTS

Science of Smart Cities Program Helps Students Prepare for the “Jobs of Tomorrow” by Exposing Them to Hands-On, Project-Based Curriculum and Leading Energy and Aerospace Experts

NEW YORK – April 18, 2013 – Continuing its tradition of offering the most advanced coursework to its middle and high school students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) and other areas, nonprofit Harlem Educational Activities Fund (HEAF) has partnered with the Polytechnic Institute of New York University (NYU-Poly) to expand NYU-Poly’s prestigious Science of Smart Cities (SoSC) program to HEAF’s seventh and eighth graders. SoSC offers New York City public school students the opportunity to learn and apply advanced STEM knowledge and skills through hands-on instruction, innovative curriculum and field trips with the hope to prepare students to pursue STEM careers.  

NYU Poly’s Center for K12 STEM Education builds on an existing academic relationship with HEAF, the leading supplemental education nonprofit in New York City that turns underserved New York City middle and high school students into high-achieving college graduates. Taught by the university’s undergrad students, NYU-Poly’s SoSC offers HEAF’s middle school students the opportunity to learn and understand how various urban systems, including water, waste management, energy and communications, function and how advances in technology and engineering can improve the world’s cities. 

Applying what they have learned in these specialized classes, the students visited the downtown Brooklyn offices of Northrop Grumman, a leading American aerospace and defense technology company as well as an avid supporter of STEM education among K-12 students. HEAF students received instruction from Northrop Grumman engineers who covered a range of contemporary urban topics, such as traffic engineering and sustainability. In May, the program culminates in final projects for which students will construct their own model “smart city” using real-world materials and technologies.

Programs such as NYU-Poly’s SoSC that expose students to STEM fields early in their academic careers are more important than ever. The demand for STEM education is increasing both at the federal and local levels, as the U.S. competes to reassert its position as a global leader in the science and technology fields. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, approximately 2.1 million new jobs in STEM areas will exist by 2020. However, only 23 percent of college freshmen are entering STEM majors, and only a fraction of these students are African American and Latino.  Both HEAF and NYU-Poly are recognized leaders in educating underserved communities.

“As President Obama recently stated in his State of the Union address and has reinforced through his Administration’s Educate to Innovate campaign, we need to better equip students for the demands of a high-tech economy,” said Ruth Rathblott, president and CEO of HEAF. “In order to do that, we must increase STEM literacy among students, especially those from underrepresented groups, and provide hands-on, real-world experiences that pique their intellectual curiosity and build their critical thinking and problem-solving skills. Through our great partnership with NYU-Poly and our own curriculum, we are arming our students with highly advanced coursework and exposing them to a higher education experience early on, which will prepare them for college, career and a lifetime of learning.”

“We are delighted to partner with HEAF to provide our STEM curriculum to their students and introduce the field of engineering in the context of urban systems and sustainability,” said Ben Esner, director of the Center for K12 STEM Education at NYU-Poly. “NYU-Poly’s Science of Smart Cities program starts with something young people relate to—their immediate environment—and demonstrates how the tools of science and technology can shape the future they’d like to make happen.”

HEAF’s participation in NYU-Poly’s SoSC is just one example of how HEAF is exposing its students to college-level work and direct experience with higher education institutions. Last year, an NYU-Poly graduate student mentored HEAF’s high school students through the FIRST Tech Challenge robotics competition, during which HEAF students designed, built and programmed robots to compete against other high school teams. HEAF frequently partners with a number of other prestigious universities – such as Barnard College, where students have studied humanities including women’s history, and Touro College, where students have studied health education – to expose them to college-level work that is often not available to inner-city students. For more than 20 years, HEAF has an unmatched track record of success with 100 percent of students graduating high school and 98 percent pursing higher education. This compares to 65 percent of all New York City students graduating high school and only 37 percent of African-American and Hispanic male youth completing high school in four years. For more information about HEAF or the Smart Cities program, visit www.heaf.org. For more information on NYU-Poly’s K12 Center for STEM Education, visitwww.poly.edu/k12stem.

EDITOR’S NOTE: On May 18, 2013 at 12 p.m. ET, HEAF students will present their Science of Smart Cities projects at HEAF (2090 Adam Clayton Powell Junior Boulevard, New York, N.Y. 10027). Media are invited to attend.

About Polytechnic Institute of New York UniversityThe Polytechnic Institute of New York University (formerly the Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute and the Polytechnic University, now widely known as NYU-Poly) is an affiliated institute of New York University, soon to be its School of Engineering. NYU-Poly, founded in 1854, is the nation's second-oldest private engineering school. It is presently a comprehensive school of education and research in engineering and applied sciences, rooted in a 159-year tradition of invention, innovation and entrepreneurship. It remains on the cutting edge of technology, innovatively extending the benefits of science, engineering, management and liberal studies to critical real-world opportunities and challenges, especially those linked to urban systems, health and wellness, and the global information economy. In addition to its programs on the main campus in New York City at MetroTech Center in downtown Brooklyn, it offers programs around the globe remotely through NYU-Poly. NYU-Poly is closely connected to engineering in NYU Abu Dhabi and NYU Shanghai and to the NYU Center for Urban Science and Progress (CUSP) also at MetroTech, while operating two incubators in downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn. For more information, visit www.poly.edu.

About HEAF

The Harlem Educational Activities Fund (HEAF) is a high-impact supplemental education and youth leadership nonprofit that turns high-potential but underserved New York City public school students into high-achieving college graduates. HEAF enrolls qualifying students in middle school and supports them until they are successfully admitted to ― and graduate from ― four-year colleges. HEAF offers a variety of after-school, Saturday and summer educational and youth development programs that enable students to develop the intellectual curiosity, academic ability, social values and personal resiliency they need to ensure success in school, career and life. HEAF’s track record of success is unmatched in the industry: 100 percent of HEAF students graduate college, 100 percent go on to higher education and 35 percent obtain advanced degrees. For more information about HEAF or to get involved, visit www.heaf.org.

Scientific Conventions April 2013

Interested in a little time away from the lab? Want to meet up with others in your field to talk about your studies? Then check out these conferences happening in April 2013! If you attend, Minority.Scientist would love to hear about your experience.

April 6-10
American Association for Cancer Research- Washington, DC

April 7-11
American Chemical Society, Spring- New Orleans, LA

April 11-14
National Science Teachers Association- San Antonio, TX

April 20-24
Experimental Biology- Boston, MA

April 22-25
BIO 2013- Chicago, IL

April 30-May 2
Food Safety Summit- Baltimore, MD

Blerdology Hackathon

Blerdology Rallies Brick City Blerds

with Rutgers Business School

 at #BlackHack Newark Charity Hackathon April 6-7

Who:  Blerdology, the woman-led social enterprise dedicated to increasing the number of African Americans in technology and the first organization to produce hackathons specifically for the minority tech community

What: Blerdology will be hosting a hackathon with the Center for Urban Entrepreneurship & Economic Development at Rutgers Business School, MailChimp, Brick City Development Corp and Initiative Consulting Group to benefit the Center for Collaborative Change April 6-7, 2013. The hackathon will close out a 4-day tech weekend celebrating innovation and the advancement of technology throughout the Brick City.

#BlackHack Newark will bring minority coders and developers to build new and innovative apps and websites in a friendly competition format. #BlackHack attendees are exposed to a wealth of industry insights and business consulting and have the opportunity to get their resumes in the hands of top tech corporations. Building projects on site for little to no costs, #BlackHacks are a novel way for budding entrepreneurs to get their projects off the ground, a fun way to benefit budding tech communities, and an unmatched opportunity to meet and recruit the top minority tech talent from around the world.
Though the event is minority focused, tech enthusiasts from all backgrounds are welcome and encouraged to come. Blerdology is still accepting student start-up projects and local business participation for the event.

Newark Tech Weekend:
WEDNESDAY, April 3^rd

·         Tips for Entrepreneurial Success with Mike Michalowicz , Author of The Pumpkin Plan: A Simple Strategy to Grow a Business in any Field

Rutgers Business School, 6:30 pm, Register at http://rbsaa.org

 THURSDAY, April 4^th

·         TEDxNJIT

NJIT, 5-9pm, TEDxNJIT.com/register

FRIDAY, April 5^th

·         STEM Day at St. Phillips Academy

·         The Future of Newark Tech: A Policy Discussion

NJIT, 12-2pm

·         Newark Tech Happy Hour

Loft 47, 5-8pm, RSVP at NewarkTechHappyHour.eventbrite.com

SATURDAY- SUNDAY, April 6-7

·         Brick City Blerds: #blackhack NWK

Rutgers Business School, 9am-9am, Register at blackhacknewark.eventbrite.com

For additional information on Blerdology please visit: Blerdology.co

For sponsorship inquiries or interview requests, please contact Amanda Spann, CMO at 904-476-8003 or  pr@blerdology.co

The NeXXt Scholars Program

The informational PDF flyer can be downloaded by clicking here.

 The New York Academy of Sciences is an independent, not-for-profit organization that since 1817 has been committed to advancing science, technology, and societies worldwide. With 25,000 members in 140 countries, the Academy is creating a global community of science for the benefit of humanity. The Academy's core mission is to advance scientific knowledge, positively impact the major global challenges of society with science-based solutions, and increase the number of scientifically informed individuals in society at large. 

Visit us at www.nyas.org.

The New York Academy of Sciences

Check out these events and opportunities from The New York Academy of Sciences!

**Deadline for Poster Abstracts and Travel Fellowship Applications this Friday, March 23, 2012**

12th International Conference on Myasthenia Gravis and Related Disorders Conference

Conference dates: May 21 - 23, 2012

Website & Information: www.nyas.org/MG12

**Deadline for Abstracts is Monday, March 26, 2012**

Genome Integrity Discussion Group Meeting

Event Date: April 2, 2012

Website & Information: http://www.nyas.org/Apr2012

**Deadline for Poster Abstracts next Friday March 30, 2012**

Fetal Programming and Environmental Exposures: Implications for Prenatal Care and Pre-Term Birth Conference

Conference dates: June 11 - 12, 2012

Website & Information: www.nyas.org/FetalProgramming

*Call for Poster Abstracts.  Deadline: April 06, 2012

5th Annual Advances in Biomolecular Engineering Symposium

Event Date: April 27, 2012

Website & Information: http://www.nyas.org/​BiomolEng2012

*Call for Abstracts. Deadline: April 08, 2012

Malaria 2012: Drugs, Vaccines, and Pathogenesis

Event Date: April 17, 2012

Website & Information: http://www.nyas.org/​Malaria2012

*Call for Poster and Short Talk Abstracts.  Deadline: Friday, April 27, 2012

Inositol Phospholipid Signaling in Physiology and Disease

Conference dates: June 26 - 27, 2012

Website & Information: www.nyas.org/Inositol2012

*Call for Poster Abstracts.  Deadline: May 18, 2012

Chemical Biology Discussion Group Year-End Symposium

Event Date: June 6, 2012

Website & Information: http://www.nyas.org/​YearEnd2012

UPCOMING EVENT:

Monday, April 9, 2012 | 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

Introduction to Scientific Teaching

http://www.nyas.org/​ScienceTeaching

Dr. Matthew R. Marcello will introduce key elements of Scientific Teaching in this interactive workshop based on the Howard Hughes Medical Institute/National Academies Summer Teaching Institute on Undergraduate Education in Biology. He will introduce the core Scientific Teaching concepts (active learning, diversity, and assessment) and practical information on how to incorporate these concepts into the classroom to improve your teaching effectiveness and student learning outcomes. The workshop will provide current and future faculty the knowledge and skills to incorporate scientific teaching principles into their courses.

About the New York Academy of Sciences

For nearly 200 years, the New York Academy of Sciences has brought together extraordinary people working at the frontiers of discovery and promoted vital links between science and society. The leading minds of academia, industry, and government depend on the unique forum the Academy provides for insight into the most important questions in all disciplines of science. For more information, visit www.nyas.org.

Finding a postdoctoral position

I know it has been quite some time since I last wrote- that is how busy things have been for me. Within the last year I have published a first author manuscript, mentored an undergraduate summer research student, defended my thesis, graduated from my doctorate program and relocated to start my postdoctoral research position. Phew, yeah I know... it all happened so quickly and I have lots that I want to share with you about each of these events. First I will start with how I approached finding a postdoctoral position.

Identify exciting research
Thinking about finding a postdoctoral position nearly gave me an anxiety attack.  But I calmed down and initially approached the search by identifying labs whose research greatly peeked my interest. I view the postdoctoral position as a great opportunity for me to modify my research focus, but remain within the broader scope of what my graduate work centered upon. With this in mind, I scrolled website after website of numerous labs located at a very short list of universities where I wanted to conduct my postdoctoral research.  After reading a variety of research summaries, I decided to further investigate the labs whose research made me feel "giddy."  (I know that sounds unprofessional, but if the research does not garner feelings of excitement, then I know that is not the lab for me.)

Explore the publication record
For these labs whose research I found interesting, I next explored their publication history. Most lab web pages display the most recent or impressive articles that they have published. However, I also visited the NCBI PubMed website to view a more thorough publication record. To do this, I went to PubMed and typed in the last name and first initial of the principal investigator of the lab followed by [au] (For example, Researcher X [au]) and clicked "search."  Sometimes I had to add a key word to narrow results when the professor's last name and first initial was too common). Conducting this publication search was important because examining the lab's publication record shows the types of journals in which a lab publishes; i.e. journals that feature clinical, technical, or basic research, etc.

Review trainees 
Exploration of the publication record also gave me insight into the composition of trainees in a given lab. How so? Well, articles always provide a listing of contributing authors.  I cross-referenced the authors' names with the lab's website, and began to learn that some labs were primarily comprised of postdocs, whereas others had a mixture of individuals at various stages in their career and from varying disciplines, i.e. graduate students, undergraduate students, technicians, biostatisticians, clinicians, etc.). Depending on the publication date, some of the authors of an article no longer were present in thatalab. So it was important to do a little more research to see where trainees went after leaving the lab. Most significantly, I wanted to know what became of the postdocs once they left the lab. Did they go move into faculty appointments...go to industry/biotech...land a position in government? Tracking past trainees this way allowed me to get a sense of how the training received in the potential lab facilitated movement of the trainees into their current positions. Some lab websites readily displayed such "where are they now" information and supplied me with instant answers.  However, when not provided, I simply Googled.

Learn how the lab is funded
Also, to be sure that the funding situation is secure for at least three years, I reviewed what funding the potential lab possessed.  If the lab is funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH), then this information can be accessed on the NIH RePORTER web page. On this site, I also learned what the potential lab has funding for, which allowed me to better understand the goals of the research and the duration of funding.

Time is short right now, so I will continue describing this journey in another post. In an upcoming post, I will share my experience with how I contacted and applied to prospective labs.

Cross-Talk Fellowship!

Here is a great opportunity to attend the CROSS-TALK meeting hosted by the University of Debrecen in Debrecen, Hungary to be held August 31 through September 4, 2010!

CROSS-TALK is an Initial Training Program, funded under the FP7 (European Commission). CROSS-TALK gathers 14 young researchers and 4 associated fellows in Europe in the field of the human microbiome metagenomics to study the health-promoting cross-talk between intestinal microbiota and Humans.

CROSS-TALK is offering fellowships to young researchers to attend this meeting and more information about the conference is available at the Cross-Talk website. Applications are welcomed until July 20, 2010. Check out the agenda for this meeting.  

More about CROSS-TALK (information gathered from the Cross-Talk website):

• The objective is to train a new generation of young scientists, to meet the growing demand for researchers with training in host-microbe interactions and metagenomics, a new supra-disciplinary calling for competencies in microbiology, cell biology, immunology, human physiology, high throughput technologies and bioinformatics, through a personal and adapted training program.

• CROSS-TALK has the overall scientific objective to answer key questions on the role of the host-gut microbiota cross-talk in the development and maintenance of a healthy gut and to achieve major breakthroughs in the understanding of the mechanisms underlying the dialogue between the intestinal microbiota and hosts.

• CROSS-TALK will provide individual training through research projects and organise 3 types of group training events: 1) network meetings allowing scientific exchanges within the network and meeting between all ESRs and supervisors; 2) spring schools focused on the development of transferable skills with a strong involvement of the economic sector and meeting between the economic players and the ESRs; and 3) workshops, time to broaden scientific knowledge and talk with recognized scientists not only in the field of CROSS-TALK but also in cognate fields which represent other career perspectives for the ESRs. Their combination will lead to young researchers who can meet the need of the metagenomics discipline for new curricula and the requirements for European trans-sectorial careers.

Super Saturday! STEM Expo in New York 5/22/10

One of my passions is to get more youth interested in the sciences and thus believe that Super Saturday! in New York City on May 22, 2010 will be awesome. See flyer below for detailed information.

Super Saturday! aims to inspire the next leaders in STEM fields in upper Manhattan, particularly low-income, minority students who may not be exposed to the possibilities of STEM education and careers.  At Super Saturday! there will be hands-on activity stations to engage both children (through high school) and parents in fields of STEM.

More information about the Morningside Area Alliance and its programs can be found at www.morningsidealliance.org.

Women in Science

Visit the listed organizations to learn more about scholarships/fellowships and other valuable career resources (i.e. networking and mentoring opportunities) for women in the sciences.
*American Chemical Society Women Chemists Committee
*American Physical Society Committee on the Status of Women in Physics
*Association for Women in Computing
*Association for Women Geoscientists
*Association for Women in Mathematics
*Association for Women in Science
*Graduate Women in Science
*National Center for Women in Information Technology
*National Research Council Committee on Women in Science and Engineering
*Society of Women Engineers
*Women in Global Science and Technology
Want to add more organizations? Send a link!

STEM careers, how do we appeal to our youth?

STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) careers are failing to attract today's youth.  Why? This concern is briefly explored in the January 27, 2010 Herman Trend Alert, STEM Grads and Competitiveness, which says that,

"our youth (seem) to revere the accomplishments of sports celebrities and rock stars, while our scientific geniuses (go) virtually unrecognized. More recently, United States President Barack Obama at his Whitehouse summit for youth echoed Kamen's words, himself promoting the study of the STEM topics as a matter of competitiveness." 

Competitiveness, eh?  So STEM careers have to compete for the admiration of our youth against Kobe and Beyoncé??  Oh boy, that is a tough battle.  So, I prose two questions:

1. To STEM professionals, what can we do to get our young people interested in STEM careers?

2. To young people, what can STEM professionals do to get you interested in STEM careers?

I am going to take a stab at Question #1 myself. I know from personal experience that young people do not exactly view STEM careers as "cool," UNTIL they learn more about what STEM professionals do either through presentations or hands-on activities. So, I believe that exposure is the key.  Unfortunately, young women and minorities are less likely to be exposed to STEM careers.  I was not exposed to careers in STEM until I was a junior in high school through an outreach program that allowed me to shadow a clinical lab researcher at a local hospital.  Until that experience, I did not know any scientists or what their jobs entailed.  This experience greatly influenced my current career path as a biomedical researcher.  From experiences like this Bottom line: Exposure MUST happen sooner.

Want to learn about STEM careers? Then check out these links below!

Browse Occupations Find details like wages, education requirements, and job demand. Create an Occupation Profile by selecting “Explore Careers” and then “Browse” under “Occupations.” 

O*NET’s STEM Occupations View the full list of STEM occupations. Select a job title to learn more.  

Career Voyages Explore career options and education requirements in emerging, high-growth industries and in-demand occupations. 

What Do You Like? Learn how your interests and favorite school subjects match careers. This Web site can help you make informed decisions about careers, education, and training.

Links courtesy of CareerOneStop.

2010 Science Symposium Jan 29-30 to discuss K-12 STEM-related education!

 SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY LEADERS tackle critical K-12 issues AT McGraw-Hill EDUCATION’S ‘2010 SCIENCE SYMPOSIUM’  JANUARY 29-30

Science educators and thought leaders from across the country will examine the importance of technology in the classroom with focus on national STEM initiative and 21st-century skill-building

NEW YORK, January 25, 2010 — McGraw-Hill Education’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Learning Solutions Center is bringing together a group of the nation’s top science educators January 29-30, 2010 at the University of Michigan-Dearborn for a two-day symposium to address some of the most important issues in K-12 science education including the power of technology in the classroom and how school districts can incorporate new and emerging technologies in their instruction. These issues, which are at the forefront of the Obama administration’s Educate to Innovate STEM initiative, are part of McGraw-Hill Education’s larger efforts to help increase students’ interest and achievement in science and math, provide them with digital learning solutions and enhance their ability to compete in today’s global economy.

The event, “2010 Science Symposium,” will convene science educators and curriculum leaders from school districts across the country along with university professors and industry thought leaders to discuss issues including:

• The implications of technology on classroom instruction
• Transforming classroom instruction with interactive whiteboards and other digital tools
• Using student polling technologies to support data-driven decision making
• Evaluating Web-based science content
• Utilizing digital imaging in the science classroom
  

Featured guest speakers include, among others, Dr. Richard H. Moyer, author and professor of science education and natural sciences at the University of Michigan, who will present “The Technology of the Ball Point Pen” and Dr. JoAnne Vasquez, a member of the National Science Board and past president of the National Science Teachers Association, who will present “A View from the Top – A National Perspective on Technology and Science Instruction.”

“Today’s teachers are embracing digital tools for the effective delivery of science instruction and are seeing the benefits these technologies generate by making classes more engaging, difficult concepts easier to comprehend and exposing students to worlds beyond their classrooms,” said Michael Comer, national marketing manager in the McGraw-Hill School Education Group specializing in science education. “The symposium will assemble our nation’s science education leaders for an exchange of rich ideas where the participants can weigh in on current technologies, discuss their effectiveness and share best practices for implementing them.”

McGraw-Hill’s symposium partners include:

• Smart Technologies: Will demonstrate the uses of the Smart Board and will include StudentWorks/TeacherWorks/Interactive Chalkboard/Classroom Presentation Toolkit/Internet
  

• Turning Point Technologies: Will provide classroom assessment opportunities with interactive response pads (“clickers”) and will include Interactive Chalkboard/Classroom Presentation Toolkit/Test Generator
  

• Science Kit: Will provide hands-on demonstrations of Digital Imaging Devices (digital microscopes) and will use activities from K-12 Science programs (life, earth and physical science examples)
  

• Vernier Software: Will provide hands-on demonstrations on the use of Probeware and Data Collection Devices and will include activities from K-12 Science programs (life, earth and physical science examples)
  

• American Museum of Natural History: Will discuss the variety and approach to online Professional Development Courses. They will model course format and offerings as related to the elementary, middle school and high school markets
  

• National Science Digital Library: Will demonstrate their collection of web-based science resources for teachers as related to the elementary, middle school and high school markets
  

Held at the University of Michigan at Dearborn, minutes away from Detroit, the symposium will honor the tradition of innovation and technological advancement that characterizes the university and metro Detroit area.
Editor’s Notes: The symposium is open to news media. McGraw-Hill Education’s Art Block, STEM senior vice president, and Michael Comer, longtime science educator, as well as guest speakers are available for interviews to discuss the symposium and larger trends in science education. Content from the symposium can be made available to news media upon request.

About the McGraw-Hill STEM Learning Solutions Center
The McGraw-Hill Education STEM Learning Solutions Center helps students master essential math skills, develop competence with technology, understand science and math concepts, and learn critical thinking and analysis. McGraw-Hill’s PreK-12 programs and digital platforms prepare students for jobs in today’s global economy.

About McGraw-Hill Education
McGraw-Hill Education, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), is a leading global provider of print and digital instructional, assessment and reference solutions that empower professionals and students of all ages. McGraw-Hill Education has offices in 33 countries and publishes in more than 65 languages. Additional information is available at MHEducation.com

Empowering Women in Science and Engineering (EWISE) video

Great video produced by Cornell University discussing how featured panelists attain work-life balance, including how they incorporate children into their overall career goals. Watch and get some great info! Note: each video is about 1 hour in length.

Empowering Women in Science and Engineering (EWISE) Part 1

Empowering Women in Science and Engineering (EWISE) Part 2

Increasing minorities in STEM faculty positions

What is being done to increase the numbers of underrepresented minorities, including African Americans, Alaskan Natives, Native Americans, HIspanic Americans, and Native Pacific Islanders, in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) faculty positions? Well, based on the article, From Grad School to a Job: How to Get Underrepresented Minorities into the S&T Workforce by Molly McElroy, the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) recently hosted a conference on December 10-11, 2009 to discuss this issue and to, as the article says, "explore new ideas for achieving the goal."  These ideas included combining the minority-targeted programs sponsored by AGEP (Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate) so that more minorities can interact with each other and "widen mentoring possibilities." The article goes on to explore the underlying reasons for less minorities in faculty positions, which includes the time it takes to achieve a faculty position, which often "can deter students and encourage them to seek better-paying industry positions." To read the complete article, click here.

Attend the SACNAS 2010 conference with a travel scholarship for minorities!

I was looking for opportunities to attend a conference this year and found this video that showcases the goals of SACNAS (Society for Advancing Hispanics/Chicanos and Native American in Science) as an organization in general and what can be expected from attending the SACNAS National Conference, which will be held September 30- October 3, 2010 in Anaheim, CA.  If you are interested in attending the conference, apply for a SACNAS Travel Scholarship before April 29, 2010, which will cover your hotel and roundtrip airfare to/from Anaheim.  Both undergraduate and graduate students are eligible.  Also, if you are not of Hispanic/Chicano or Native American heritage, do not be discouraged to apply for the travel scholarship! SACNAS supports all minority scientists, which is made evident on their website:

"SACNAS serves, supports, and is made up of researchers, students, educators, and administrators at all levels of education and career stage from diverse ethnic, racial, gender, cultural, and sexual orientation backgrounds."

For more details, visit the SACNAS website!