Welcome to the AV STEM Center Blog

This blog will provide information about Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics efforts within the Antelope Valley, as well as links to helpful STEM sites and info from beyond. Check back periodically for updates.

Connect a Million Minds Tagline

Connect a Million Minds Tagline

Thursday, December 16, 2010

"Focus Your Future" Event for Middle School Girls/Parents 3 Feb. 2011

The AVUHSD CTE staff will host a "Focus Your Future" informational event for middle school girls and their parents on 3 February 2011 from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Highland High School Theatre in Palmdale.  The event will provide information on the pre-engineering, technology and other STEM-related programs available across the Antelope Valley Union High School District.  For further details, please contact Kathy Hunn, ROP/CTE Counselor, at khunn@avhsd.org .

Friday, December 10, 2010

LEAD Engineering Camp for 10th & 11th Grade Students of Color - Applications Due 1/25/11

LEAD Engineering camp for a residential college experience is available for 10th and 11th grade students of color who have at least a 3.2 GPA and strong interest in math and science.  Applications are due by 25 January 2011.  Visit http://www.leadengineeringsite.org/ for details.  (Opportunities are also available for business-oriented students at http://www.leadbusinesssite.org/ and for students interested in global studies at http://www.leadglobalsite.org/ ). 

Thursday, December 9, 2010

PLTW Partners with VEX Robotics for Student Competitions

Beginning with the 2011-2012 academic year, students in Project Lead the Way classes will have access to the VEX RDS platform and equipment, and will be able to participate in VEX Robotics competitions including classroom competitions, those in conjunction with the Technology Student Association (TSA) and the world-wide VEX competition.  http://thejournal.com/articles/2010/12/08/stem-education-groups-partner-for-robotics-curriculum.aspx

For information about California Project Lead the Way student competitions already in existence, see http://www.pltwcalifornia.org/ .

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

American Parents Overconfident of Students' Math Abilities

In a report sponsored by Raytheon and Eduventures, "Parent Perceptions and Practices Regarding Math Education During the Middle School Years," it was determined that American parents overestimate their students' math abilities, and also may not be adequately prepared to assist their students with math homework compared to parents in Singapore.  This could be one reason that only 43% of American students are considered college-ready in STEM subjects.  http://content.usatoday.com/communities/sciencefair/post/2010/12/report-us-parents-overconfident-about-kids-math/1

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Pairing Engineering and Business Studies at Universities

University of Nevada, Las Vegas is pairing its engineering and business students to complete senior projects which require them to design and build a product and explain how it could help solve a real-world problem.  While the project has been required of the engineering students for 10 years, this year the university determined that by adding business students' acumen for marketing and seeking venture capital, some of the products might be sold and utilized.  http://www.lvrj.com/news/unlv-engineering-students-mean-business-111369719.html

In a similar vein, Stanford University has a multi-disciplinary program in its Department of Management Science and Engineering, where the engineering core is taught in context with social sciences, business, and other disciplines.  The goal is to apply engineering processes to social problems, as well as to create future business and policy leaders.  http://soe.stanford.edu/about/leaders.html

Update on 5 Jan. 2011:  Professional science management master's degrees, combining science and business management courses, are increasingly being offered around the US and abroad, according to a recent article in the New York Times.  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/27/education/27iht-educLede.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=%2b%22national+research+council%22&st=nyt

Universities Receive Grants to Study Retention of Female STEM Professors

Seven universities around the US have received National Science Foundation grants to study how to retain more female professors in the STEM disciplines.  One area of research to be undertaken by Syracuse University is how to make the environment more family-friendly, as well as to train recruitment and hiring panels in appropriate practices in order to plug "the leaking pipeline."  http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2010/12/syracuse_university_gets_34m_g.html

US Commission on Civil Rights Issues Reports on Minority Performance in STEM Programs

Two reports regarding minority performance in STEM programs were issued by the Commission on Civil Rights Monday, 6 December.  In one,  the "mismatch" theory posits that minority students whose academic preparation is significantly below that of non-minority students in the same competitive post-secondary programs do not do as well in STEM fields of study.  In  the other study, related to students in historically black colleges and universities, it was recommended that minority students attend universities where students' abilities more closely match their own, and to further study the successes of minority students in historically black colleges and universities in STEM programs so that they can be replicated elsewhere.  http://chronicle.com/article/Civil-Rights-Panel-Weighs-In/125635/

Monday, December 6, 2010

NASA Offers Space Shuttle Tiles to Schools Beginning 12/1/10

NASA is offering schools a limited number of space shuttle thermal protection tiles through a web-based process beginning Dec. 1, 2010. The unique, lightweight tiles protect the space shuttles from extreme temperatures when entering the Earth’s atmosphere.  Beginning Dec. 1, schools and universities may request a shuttle tile on a first-come, one per institution basis, at http://gsaxcess.gov/NASAWel.htm. Click on the tile icon to log on to the request page. A login ID and password may be obtained by registering on the link provided.  A Department of Education statistics tracking number (NCES for schools or IPEDS for universities) is needed to register, and hyperlinks are available to the sites to find each institution’s tracking number.  Recipients will be responsible for transfer fees of approximately  $24 and completing the transfer requirements. (NASA Press Release -  Sue Kinney)

Update on 27 Jan. 2011:  "Knight HS receives Space Shuttle Tile:  Through the efforts of staff members, KHS has received an actual ceramic insulating tile from the US Space Shuttle.  The white ceramic tile is used to insulate the space shuttle’s belly as it burns through the atmosphere upon re-entry.  The tile was sent to KHS after an application process" (AVUHSD "What's Happening" Newsletter).

Increase in US Research Doctorate Degrees, Including STEM, in 2008-2009

The NY Times reports that more research doctorate degrees were issued by US educational institutions in 2008-2009 than ever before; the upswing is attributed to increases in science and engineering degrees, and further by the increase in those degrees issued to women.  ?The number of such degrees issued to men decreased slightly.  http://www.nytimes.com/2010/12/06/education/06iht-educBriefs06.html?_r=1

50 Best Careers of 2011 Include STEM Areas

Technology, including engineering, and health care jobs are many among the top 50 careers of 2011 according to US News and World Report.  http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2010/12/06/the-50-best-careers-of-2011.html?PageNr=4.  Criteria for consideration included projected job growth, sustainable income levels, quality of life/job satisfaction issues, and likelihood of continued positions over the next decade.

Update on 2/3/11:  A recent study concludes that doctoral degree holders in science, engineering, and health fields enjoy a markedly lower rate of unemployment (1.7%) than the general population (6.6%) in 2008.  See http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1987269/scientists_and_engineers_experience_lower_unemployment_rates/

Update on 1/11/11:  The Wall Street Journal concurs that STEM, health care, and information technology jobs are among those on the upswing during 2011.  See http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704030704576070823246099088.html 

2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS)

Along with Colorado, Alabama, Connecticut, Indiana, Massachusetts, Minnesota and North Carolina, California will be among the states to provide data from its eighth grade students in the 2011 Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS), which compares performance in math and science with that of students in 60 other countries globally.  http://www.aurorasentinel.com/hp_metro/article_ea89cf5c-fe34-11df-853d-001cc4c03286.html  For more information about TIMSS, see http://nces.ed.gov/timss/ .

Update on 12/16/10:  The Christian Science Monitor's Jonathan Zimmerman opines that China's students may out-perform Americans on standardized tests such as the PISA and TIMSS due to the Chinese belief that hard work can yield higher achievement, rather than only innate intelligence.  http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2010/1214/Why-Shanghai-schooled-the-US-Americans-think-they-re-too-smart-to-work-hard

Additional update on 1/5/11:  US science test results from PISA are on par with leading industrial nations, although lag behind in math and are on a plateau in English.  http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2010/12/07/15pisa.h30.html?tkn=RZQFkOSFiq6a5KNfBjLteFg/2Uw72JEQL/Yb&cmp=clp-edweek 

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Microsoft Imagine Cup Competition for Technology Solutions to Real-World Problems

Microsoft is once again sponsoring the Imagine Cup competition which will allow students to problem-solve how to use technology to solve real-world problems submitted by UN and other non-governmental organizations from around the world.  http://www.imaginecup.com/about/Theme  For information on local and regional competitions and the library of problems and competitions including software design, embedded development, game design, digital media, and Windows Phone 7 applications, visit http://www.imaginecup.com/students/imagine-cup-solve-this.