Spring 2011
Spring 2011
Dear AAUW members and friends,
We're excited to see many science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) events happening across the country this spring as we recover from a snow- and ice-filled winter! Our national leaders continue to make STEM a priority, as was evident when the president pushed for more innovation and education during his State of the Union address. But your planned local activities such as career days, science competitions, and conferences will help spread this enthusiasm for STEM — especially in girls, who are underrepresented in these fields — by stimulating the minds of young people and inspiring them to think about STEM inside and outside of the classroom.
We're looking forward to hearing about your state and branch STEM projects, along with all of your other great work, at your state conventions in March and April. If you haven't registered for our 2011 AAUW National Convention in June, we urge you to do so today to take part in this exciting event that brings together members from across the nation. Take advantage of the STEM discussions at the convention and the many other programming and skill-building opportunities. We hope to see you in Washington, D.C.!
Sincerely,
Linda D. Hallman, CAE
AAUW Executive Director
P.S. Did you miss an issue of Spotlight on STEM? Interested in sharing with a friend? Back issues are now archived on the AAUW website.
AAUW STEM NEWS
The United Nations and AAUW: STEM Goes Global
Representatives from AAUW joined hundreds of women from around the world for the 55th U.N. Commission on the Status of Women (CSW) in New York City this spring. The theme of the meeting was “participation of women and girls in science and technology, including women's equal access to full employment and decent work.” At the event, AAUWChief of Strategic Advancement Jill Birdwhistell discussed the Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics research at a plenary panel discussion for the U.N. General Assembly delegates, and AAUW National Girls Collaborative Project Liaison Dot McLane and AAUW Senior Researcher Andresse St. Rose presented Why So Few? at well-attended sessions. Get a more detailed look at AAUW's participation in the U.N. meeting by reading these blog posts.
Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day — We Need Your Branch!
AAUW is collaborating with the National Engineers Week Foundation and 10 other national organizations to get more girls interested in engineering and technology, and we need your help! Each year, Girl Day, short for Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day, encourages thousands of women engineers to mentor more than 1 million girls and young women with firsthand experiences in engineering. To celebrate the 10th anniversary of Girl Day, this year AAUW is participating in the 10 for 10 program, which will attempt to reach 10,000 10-year-old girls with positive engineering experiences between now and May 8. Find out how you can get more girls involved in engineering and help achieve our 10 for 10 goal. If you are participating in this effort or would like to, e-mail us at stem@aauw.org.
AAUW Women in Science Forum on Nature.com
This spring, AAUW teamed up with Nature Publishing Group, one of the world's leading science publishers, to present an ongoing online forum focused on women and girls in science. We're collaborating with Nature to bring this forum to more kids throughout the country. This is a great way to get kids involved in STEM at home. AAUW Senior Researcher Christianne Corbett will be leading monthly discussions about different chapters of Why So Few?,so log on and join the discussion!
Calling All Tech Trek Alumnae!
Save the date for the Tech Trek reunion on April 10 in Irvine, California. All program alumnae are invited to come share their accomplishments with former campers, hear great speakers, and give back to a project that for many years has fostered girls' interest and excitement in STEM. Check out the details and join in on the fun!
Seeking Successful Community College STEM Programs
AAUW launched an exciting new research project that examines best practices in STEM education for women in community colleges. We will analyze existing research literature and produce case studies of five to seven programs that have been successful in recruiting, retaining, and helping women complete STEM programs in community colleges. To nominate a program, please e-mail a contact person's information to aauw-research@aauw.org. If you have any questions, contact AAUW Senior Researcher Andresse St. Rose at strosea@aauw.org.
Presidential Awards Winners Announced
On January 21, President Barack Obama announced the 11 individual (including four women) and four organization winners of the prestigious Presidential Awards for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring. The honorees were recognized for demonstrating the crucial role that mentoring plays in the academic and personal development of students who are studying science or engineering — particularly those who belong to groups that are underrepresented in STEM fields. Read more about the winners.
STEM and the State of the Union
On January 25, President Barack Obama delivered his second State of the Union address, entitled “Winning the Future.” The speech focused on investments in the economy, infrastructure, and education — particularly the importance of reauthorizing the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. He also reiterated his goal for the United States to have the highest proportion of college graduates by the end of the decade, asking Congress to make the tuition tax credit permanent and expand funding to community colleges. On February 14, Obama released his fiscal year 2012 proposed budget, which makes modest increases in funding for education overall and for STEM education in particular.
AAUW Executive Director Moderates Hill STEM Panel
On March 8, Rep. Donna Edwards (D-MD) hosted the Blastoff: Encouraging our Brightest Stars to Enter and Stay in the STEM Fields event on Capitol Hill. AAUW Executive Director Linda Hallman moderated a Successful Models and Partnerships panel, which addressed programs and partnerships to attract students to STEM. The program included keynote speakers such as Sara Manzano-Díaz, director of the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau.
FOR THE GIRLS
An Engineering Education Makes a World of Difference
A new website from the Center for the Advancement of Scholarship on Engineering Education highlights role models who have used an engineering education to improve human health, welfare, and happiness. Twice a week through July 14, a new video will be released showcasing these trailblazers and emphasizing the value of an engineering education to a variety of career paths. The target audiences for the site are high school and middle school students and the people who influence and guide them. Find out how to subscribe.
Massachusetts Society for Medical Research Student Competition
The Massachusetts Society for Medical Research (MSMR) is sponsoring its 20th annual student competition. The theme of the competition is What a Year! The goal is for middle or high school students to report on a recent research discovery or breakthrough from scientists at a New England research institution or corporation. All the requirements are posted on the MSMR website. Students can enter a poster, an essay, or a video and could earn recognitions and prizes up to $500. The deadline for submissions is April 18, 2011. Sign up — you could be a winner!
NOTES FROM THE FIELD
Tech Savvy Brings Career Training and STEM to Buffalo
The sixth annual Tech Savvy was a one-day workshop where girls got to explore different STEM fields. The event also offered adults a chance to interact with their children and featured a presentation on AAUW's research report Why So Few? The Tech Savvy program, organized by the AAUW Buffalo (NY) Branch, typically attracts more than 500 middle and high school girls each year. The March 12 program received funding from Praxair and was featured in the 2010 AAUW annual report. For more information on the event, read this AAUW Dialog post. To get involved, contact Tamara Brown at aauwts6@cs.com.
Great Explorations in Walla Walla
The AAUW Walla Walla (WA) Branch held the Great Explorations 2011: Launching Your Future in STEM conference March 26, and their keynote speaker was Whitman College alumna and NASA astronaut Dorothy “Dottie” Metcalf-Lindenburger. The conference boasted 23 fun workshops for girls in fifth through eighth grade, parents, and educators at the Whitman College campus classrooms and labs.
AAUW Birmingham (MI) Branch Hosts Explorathon
On April 6, Explorathon 2011 will connect eighth- to 12th-grade girls with women scientists, mathematicians, and health professionals. The event will increase opportunities for girls in the tri-county area of Detroit through access to camps, companies, nonprofits, and universities and chances to strategize about scholarships and internships. Find out how to attend this year's event.
Florida Branch Hosts STEM Panel
In January, three prominent women currently employed in STEM fields, including a professor of aerospace engineering, an associate professor of mathematics, and an environmental compliance officer, participated in the AAUW St. Augustine (FL) Branch's January panel on STEM issues. The panelists discussed their professional and educational experiences, why so few women enter these fields, the barriers women experience, and what AAUW members can do about it. Read more about this event.
Texas Branch Expands Horizons
Workshops like Sizzling Software Sensations, Kitchen Chemistry, and Environmental Engineering spurred girls' interest in STEM professions at the 17th annual Expanding Your Horizons conference in February. The AAUW Nacogdoches (TX) Branch event at Stephen F. Austin University introduced women STEM role models to middle school girls with a variety of hands-on activities. \
Ohio Branch Holds Kids Career Day
Girls in first through sixth grade were introduced to women engineers, polymer scientists, mathematicians, chemists, earth scientists, biologists, and zoologists at the AAUW Akron (OH) Branch's 12th annual kids career day. The scientists led creative, hands-on activities and discussions on February 26 at the University of Akron. The event was intended to let girls know that the career possibilities in these fields are endless and to encourage them to open their minds to what they can achieve.
Math and Science Discovery Day in New Jersey
For the third and fourth graders and moms who attended the Mother/Daughter Math and Science Discovery Day February 26, the morning was filled with stimulating, hands-on math and science activities. Kids and parents flocked to the local planetarium for this AAUW Freemont (NJ) Branch event. Electrical Circuits and Electromagnetism and Gravity-Defying Frogs were only two of the exciting workshops that were available at the event.
Minnesota Branch Gets Girls to Put the “S” in STEM
The first Science Girl Saturday workshop took place in February and got girls in fourth and fifth grade interested in exploring STEM fields. The AAUW Fergus Falls (MN) Branch hosted the free workshop and two STEM professionals — Karen Peterson, clinical laboratory director at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences, and Christie Huber, an instructor at Minnesota State Community and Technical College, Fergus Falls — conducted the lessons. The workshop included hands-on learning including blood samples and bacteria tests!
Girl Power in Maryland
In March, members of the AAUW Howard County (MD) Branch volunteered at Girl Power — Reach for the Stars, an event that showcased career opportunities for the women of tomorrow. Middle and high school girls attended the event, where professionals in STEM fields hosted interactive demonstrations and exhibits to expose the attendees to STEM careers. The conference was held at the prestigious Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory and gave girls the chance to see one of the nation's leading centers for engineering, research, and development.
Arlington Motivates Girls for STEM Careers
On March 19, the AAUW Arlington (VA) Branch hosted a great conference that showcased women in STEM fields and included keynote speaker NASA astronaut Capt. Heide Stefanyshyn-Piper. Presenters held interactive workshops for small groups of girls to get a flavor for the work done in these careers and why it is interesting, fulfilling, and helpful to the community. Girls saw inspiring role models who encouraged interest in STEM careers and in making a positive difference.
STEM conferences and professional development
This spring, look for AAUW staff and booths at the following STEM events.
Launch: Moving Ideas to Next Level
The Launch Conference on April 8 will bring together entrepreneurs, inventors, and innovative thinkers. It will target those who want to find out how to develop and protect their ideas and how to develop 21st-century skills for people of all ages in STEM. Some of the sessions will focus on intellectual property, the challenges of start-ups, STEM literacy, and programming. The conference will take place at Bristol Community College in Attleboro, Massachusetts.
NAPE 2011 Professional Development Institute
The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) conference is designed for professionals and advocates dedicated to removing barriers to equal opportunity in education and the workforce. Some of the topics of the professional development sessions will include education policy, building sector initiatives, and nontraditional jobs. The conference will take place April 11–14 in Arlington, Virginia. Sara Manzano-Díaz, director of the U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau, will be a keynote speaker, and neuroscientist Lise Eliot will lead a seminar entitled Pink Brain, Blue Brain: Females and Males in Math and Science. Find out more and register.
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Questions or comments about this e-newsletter? E-mail us at stem@aauw.org.