Making the Future Scholarship Application Due 3/31/13

Cognizant is sponsoring a design-based scholarship for undergraduate college students in STEM fields.  Candidates will be required to submit documentation of their hands-on project that features creativity and innovation.  The scholarships are for $5,000 payable to the two- or four-year university for the US student's account; students must have a GPA of 2.5 or above.  Applications are due by 31 March 2013.  For more information about eligibility and application requirements, visit http://www.cognizant.com/makingthefuture .

Coding Contests Applications Due

According to Tech Crunch, http://techcrunch.com/2012/09/24/code-in-contest-for-high-school-students/ , pre-university teens aged 13 to 17 are invited to participate in Google's third "Code-In" contest to develop open-source software.  The contest runs from 26 November 2012 to mid-January 2013, and entrants will be required to complete tasks in coding, documentation, outreach/research, quality assurance, and user interface categories.  Twenty grand prize winners and a parent will get a trip to Google's Mountain View campus and meet with Google employees; those who complete at least three tasks can win a t-shirt.  For further information, visit     http://www.google-melange.com/gci/homepage/google/gci2012

In a similar vein, Square is hosting its "Code Camp Contest" for US or Canadian university engineering students.  http://techcrunch.com/2012/10/02/square-launches-code-camp-contest-to-inspire-women-engineers/  Fifteen female winners will be selected from submitted resumes and letters to attend a three-day immersion program at the mobile payment company's San Francisco headquarters.  Applications are due by 2 November 2012 and the camp will take place in January 2013.  https://form.squareup.com/form/63915efedaf

STEM Literacy for All

Former "Big Blue" (IBM) VP Irving Wladawsky-Berger writes in a Wall Street Journal CIO column that all students need STEM literacy, even if they are not in the 1% who will become engineers or the .01% who will become Ph.D. researchers in STEM fields.  He opines that every modern citizen and worker needs to have technical skills such as quantitative reasoning and dealing with complexities.  Yet, many have the misconception, perhaps aided by educators, that these skills are only for those who will be STEM professionals.  Prof. Richard Larson from MIT is quoted in the CIO Report: “A person has STEM literacy if she can understand the world around her in a logical way guided by the principals of scientific thought. A STEM-literate person can think for herself. She asks critical questions. She can form hypotheses and seek data to confirm or deny them. She sees the beauty and complexity in nature and seeks to understand. She sees the modern world that mankind has created and hopes to use her STEM-related skills and knowledge to improve it.”  http://blogs.wsj.com/cio/2012/09/23/why-cios-desperately-need-a-technology-literate-society/

"Nine New College Majors With a Future"

US News and World Report has noted 9 new college majors, many not in existence 5 to 10 years ago, and which have STEM subject matters and interdisciplinary focus in common.  Included in the list are biomedical engineering, computer game design, environmental studies, health informatics and information management, homeland security, cybersecurity, nanotech, public health and new media.  http://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/articles/2012/09/12/discover-9-new-college-majors-with-a-future

In a related matter, Computerworld shows through its annual salary survey that median earnings for computer and math jobs rose by 2.8% between 2010-2011, compared to 1.7% for all computer, engineering and science occupations as reported in the census.  http://www.computerworld.com/s/article/9231501/U.S._tech_workers_by_the_numbers.

In a survey of British children by hotels.com, more wanted to become "gadget inventors" and aspired to be more like Steve Jobs and Richard Branson than Simon Cowell, Pres. Obama, pilots or doctors.  Information technology was listed as a favorite career choice.  Adults showed similar responses.  http://www.computerweekly.com/news/2240163715/Children-dream-of-technology-careers-research-finds

Women in Technology Sharing On-Line Offers Undergrad Mentoring

Women in Technology Sharing On-Line, sponsored by Harvey Mudd College and Piazza, and the brain-child of Maria Klawe, Harvey Mudd president and Microsoft board member, is open for six weeks beginning 1 October 2012 to provide mentoring to undergraduate women (men are also welcome) in STEM fields.  “I think of this as a MOOC — a massive open online course — and a big mentor-fest,” said Maria Klawe, the president of Harvey Mudd College and a sponsor of the project. “Getting more women into STEM is my passion in life, and every institution that’s set up mentorship programs for young women has been successful at increasing their numbers, so I think this can make a real difference."  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/17/education/online-mentoring-program-to-encourage-women-in-sciences.html?_r=1  Of the 300 mentors available, included are such notables as astronaut Mae Jemison, Jacqueline Barton from Cal Tech, and Padmasree Warrior, Cisco's CTO.

Participating colleges from which the students can enroll include Cal Tech, UC schools, Claremont colleges, Loyola Marymount, Stanford, USC and many others - additional schools may be added to the list and students nominated by professors to participate.  For more information on the program, visit https://piazza.com/witson

Thiel Fellowship Applications Due by 12/31/12

The Thiel Fellowship is once again offering a "no-strings attached" grant of $100,000 to young people to "skip college and focus on their work, their research, and their self-education."  They are mentored and work together with other like-minded teens to see how STEM can change the world.  The areas in which projects are sought include biotech, genomics and synthetic biology, robotics, information and communications technology, aerospace, artificial intelligence, neurotech, nanotech, and medical devices.  Applicants must have been born after 31 December 1992, and should be interested in projects that are 2 to 10 years ahead of where current technology is in place.  For more information on the application process and experience as a Thiel Fellow, visit http://www.thielfellowship.org/become-a-fellow/about-the-program/ .

Engagement and Mentoring Keys to Successful STEM Education

Dr. Stephen Coan, President and CEO of Sea Research Foundation, in a recently-delivered speech at Fairfield's Sacred Heart University, advocated for "champion[ing] an interactive, real-world, mentor-based approach -- beginning in elementary school -- that models 21st century critical and creative thinking skills, energizes appreciation for STEM, and enriches students' knowledge about STEM careers" as part of education reform, as well as eliminating the "chutes and ladders approach" to placing students in math and science classes.  Dr. Coan pointed to innovative programs such as the JASON Project , which offers curricular resources, and the Blackstone Valley Regional Vocational Technical High School as models.  By inspiring "STEM passion and achievement," the STEM workforce skills gap can be closed, according to Dr. Coan.  http://www.ctpost.com/opinion/article/STEM-mastery-The-ticket-to-reviving-education-3965060.php

In a related item, see Education Week's feature with guest blogger Dr. Linda Shore from the Exploratorium Teacher Institute at http://blogs.edweek.org/teachers/classroom_qa_with_larry_ferlazzo/2012/09/response_teaching_science_by_thinking_big_and_being_audacious.html

Infographic Celebrating "Ada Lovelace Day" for Women STEM Leaders

Forbes has posted an article and infographic on "Ada Lovelace Day" 16 October to celebrate the accomplishments of women STEM leaders.  "The goal of Ada Lovelace Day is to create new role models for girls and women in these male-dominated fields by raising the profile of other women in STEM."  http://www.forbes.com/sites/women2/2012/10/16/ada-lovelace-day-celebrating-technical-women-leaders-with-women-2-0/?goback=%2Egde_91778_member_176093474

BLS Data Shows More Advanced Math Coursework in High School

The Editor's Desk feature at the Bureau of Labor Statistics website today highlights data from National Longitudinal Surveys showing that high school graduates in the late 1990's and early 2000's tended to take more rigorous math courses than their predecessors from the mid- to late 1970's and early 1980's.  Eleven percent completed calculus and 24% completed pre-calculus, trigonometry, or other advanced math, compared to 2% and 8%, respectively, in the earlier years.  The advanced coursework completion was also correlated to a higher college attendance rate, jumping from 53% to 67% among that population.  http://www.bls.gov/opub/ted/2012/ted_20121016.htm.  The full report comparing the two cohorts may be reviewed or downloaded from http://www.bls.gov/opub/btn/volume-1/pdf/a-comparison-of-college-attendance-and-high-school-coursework-from-two-cohorts-of-youth.pdf.

Change the Equation Initiative Releases 2012 "Vital Signs" STEM Report Cards

The national Change the Equation initiative has released its 2012 STEM "Vital Signs" report cards for the US.  Each state has a separate report card covering such topics as opportunities, pipeline, demand, expectations, teacher and student preparation, and recommendations.  Custom reports may also be created and reviewed.

California's report shows that the state is raising the bar by adopting the Common Core math standards, yet challenges due to funding cuts and achievement gaps for under-represented students persist.  Recommendations include requiring higher scores on math and science, aligning high school exit and college entrance requirements, and obtaining a higher return on investment for dollars put towards STEM efforts.  http://changetheequation.org/sites/default/files/vital-pdfs/CA-CTEq-vital-signs.pdf

California STEM Summit Held in San Diego 10/15-16/12

The California STEM Learning Network, along with industry partners, is sponsoring the California STEM Summit on 15-16 October 2012 in San Diego.  The keynote speakers include California Education Secretary Tom Torlakson, NBA great and new California STEM Ambassador Kareem Abdul Jabbar, David Seidel - NASA's Deputy Education Director, and Sugata Mitra - Newcastle University Professor of Education Technology.  They are joined by legislators, policymakers, business, industry and education leaders who will network to cover strands throughout the theme of "Transforming Ideas Into Action."  The sessions may be viewed through FORATV at http://www.castemsummit.com/tunein/ .  Follow the summit through tweets @CaSTEMLearning .

Former Lockheed CEO Calls for Increased STEM Education

Retired Lockheed Martin CEO, Norm Augustine, speaking at the Aviation and Aerospace Manufacturing Summit in Ft. Worth, TX last week, called upon industry and government to promote more STEM education in the US.  "Failure to do so . . . will undermine the U.S. economy, security and place as a world leader."  Competing with knowledge-based resources will be one way that the US can recover and retain primacy in the global marketplace, according to Augustine, who points the finger at US education and investments rather than China, saying, "we have met the enemy, and it is us."  http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/10/10/4326721/ex-lockheed-chief-invest-in-science.html

Read more here: http://www.star-telegram.com/2012/10/10/4326721/ex-lockheed-chief-invest-in-science.html#storylink=cpy

Samsung "Solve for Tomorrow" Technology Grant Applications Due by 10/31/12

Samsung Corporation is offering public schools in grades 6-12 the opportunity to win a technology package ranging from $40,000 to $110,000 for explaining how STEM can benefit their community and allow students to solve real-world problems.  Applications are due by 31 October 2012.  For more information about the "Solve for Tomorrow" grant and to apply, visit http://pages.samsung.com/us/sft/home.html

RCOE to Host Science Fair Expo on 10/13/12

Riverside County Office of Education will be hosting a half-day seminar on Saturday, 13 October 2012, for teachers and students on how to create winning science fair projects, and how to run and get volunteers for a successful science fair.  The event will be held from 9:00am to 1:00pm at the RCOE Conference Center, located at 3958 Twelfth St., Riverside.  For more information, please contact Yamileth Shimojyo at (951) 600-5658. 

MEEC Desert Studies Workshop and Scholarship Application Due by 10/11/12

Through the generosity of Boeing, scholarships will be available for 18 teachers to attend the Joshua Tree Desert Studies workshop on 3-4 November 2012.  Teachers will need to bring their own camera for the sessions in Joshua Tree National Park and Big Morongo Preserve; they will be housed at the Historic Joshua Tree Retreat Center.  Applications for the scholarship, which includes registration, curriculum materials, a $50 transportation stipend, and an autographed copy of David Lamfrom's "Tortoise Through the Lens  Book," are due to Christie Robinson at MEEC by no later than 5:00pm on Thursday, 11 October, 2012.  For more information and to download the application materials, visit http://www.meeconline.com/announcementapplication-for-2011-joshua-tree-desert-studies-scholarship/2012-application-for-joshua-tree-desert-studies-scholarship/ ; contact Christie at christier@mdaqmd.ca.gov or at (760) 245-1661 x 6101.

Update on 1/10/13:  The deadline to register has been extended to 6 March 2013 - please get in your applications now.

Update on 10/11/12:  The deadline to register has been extended to 5:00 pm on Monday, October 15, 2012.  Please make sure to get your application in to Christie Robinson!

Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award Nominations Due 1/14/13

NASA, along with the Astronauts Memorial Foundation and the Space Foundation, are accepting nominations of K-12 teachers and district-level personnel for the Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award.  "The Award recognizes outstanding contributions made by technology personnel or classroom teachers to technology education. The Alan Shepard Technology in Education Award rewards excellence in the development and delivery of technology programs. Programs which focus on aerospace and/or aeronautics will be given priority to other programs. Applicants must demonstrate how their programs ultimately benefit the students in a school or district."  The award, including a $1,000 grant, plaque, and travel to the conference, will be conferred at a ceremony in April 2013 in Colorado Springs, CO.  Nominations (by school principals or district leaders) for the award are due by no later than 14 January 2013.  For more information, please visit http://www.amfcse.org/alan_shepard_award/default.html .

Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program Application Period Open

The Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program allows high school students to study for 8 continuous weeks during the summer at a Department of the Navy lab, including receiving a stipend.  Participating labs in California are located in Corona, Monterey, and San Diego.  The program is designed to encourage students to pursue a career in science and engineering disciplines.  The application for summer 2013 and further information, including eligibility requirements, is available at http://seap.asee.org/.