ScienceOnline TEEN Presents "Unconference" on 4/13/13

Scientific American features the ScienceOnline TEEN blog by high school students for high school students who share an interest in science.  http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/network-central/2013/01/21/what-is-scienceonlineteen/  The group will be hosting an "unconference"  for scientists, educators, and teens to explore science and the Web on 13 April 2013; participants may either attend in person, or virtually.  Moderators include Hilary Mason, Chief Scientist at bit.ly and co-founder of HackNY, Henry Reich, creator of the YouTube series "Minutephysics," John Borthwick, CEO of betworks, and Charles Choi of Scientific American.  To register for the "unconference" (spots are reportedly limited) and to join the conversation, visit http://us5.campaign-archive2.com/?u=4df71bea1e7c59ae29dfda3cd&id=60ecd4f34b.  Follow @scioteen on Twitter.

Mojave Maxine Desert Tortoise Emergence Contest Now Open

Calling all students/youth group members near the Southern California high desert (Inyo, Imperial, San Diego, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, Los Angeles, Ventura and Kern counties)!  The annual "Mojave Maxine Emergence Contest" is now open for student entries.  Determine the date and time when you think Mojave Maxine the desert tortoise will emerge from her hiberation burrow, and have the possibility of winning a $50 gift certificate, a Federal Lands pass, t-shirts for you and your class, and a $100 gift certificate for your teacher.  For more information and to enter, visit http://www.mojavemax.com/ .

6th Annual AV-ation History Symposium Set for 2/23/13

The sixth annual AV-ation History Symposium, sponsored by the AV chapter of AIAA, is scheduled to take place on 23 February 2013 at Antelope Valley College.  Admission for K-12 students is expected to be free, and minimal admission price for educators.  Details will be announced soon; educators submitting proposals for the AV AIAA Classroom Grant will be sent information soon.

For more information, contact Bill McKeon at educationoutreach.aiaa.av@gmail.com .

AIAA Classroom Grant Applications Due by 2/23/13

The Antelope Valley chapter of the AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics) has announced its annual classroom grant for K-12 science and math; two $400 awards are available for use in classrooms for STEM-related projects or instruction.  Proposals, must include the name, contact information, and AIAA member number of the K-12 instructor (educator associate memberships are free - http://www.aiaa.org/Secondary.aspx?id=253 ), school name, address, and grade level of the classroom, a brief description of the proposed project, how it will prepare students for STEM careers, expected costs, brief statement from at least 2 students in the class of what they expect to learn and why it is important, and how local AIAA professional members could support the project.  Winning projects should be completed by the end of the 2012-2013 academic year, accompanied by a final write-up and photos; up to $400 of direct material expenses will be reimbursed.

Proposals, in Word or pdf format, must be e-mailed to educationoutreach.aiaa.av@gmail.com by no later than 9:00pm on 23 February 2013. 

AB51 Proposes $10k Degrees

California Assemblyman Dan Logue (R-Chico) introduced AB51 on 21 December 2012; the proposed legislation would cap the price of a baccalaureate degree at $10,000 at three pilot universities:  CSULB; CSU Chico, and CSU Stanislaus.  Students would take some college courses in high school, begin their degree in community colleges (within the CSU service areas), and complete it at the CSU, with the state picking up additional costs.  http://www.scpr.org/blogs/education/2013/01/03/11830/california-lawmaker-proposes-10000-public-college-/  Students would be required to maintain full-time enrollment status, as well as at least a 2.0 GPA throughout their studies in order to take advantage of the program.  To view the entire bill, visit http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/pub/13-14/bill/asm/ab_0051-0100/ab_51_bill_20121221_introduced.html .

Women in Mining Scholarship Applications Due by 4/12/13

The Women in Mining California Chapter is offering five $1,000 scholarships to young women planning on obtaining a degree in mining, geology, engineering, or environmental studies.  Students must be either high school seniors or currently enrolled in college with a GPA of at least 3.0, California residents, and US citizens, but may attend/plan on attending a college outside of the state.  Applications for the scholarships must be received by no later than 12 April 2013.  For more information and to download the application, visit http://wimca.org/scholarship-opportunities/ .

MEEC Joshua Tree Desert Studies Workshop Registration Extended

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!

NASA EarthKAM Information Sessions Available 1/22 and 1/29/13

NASA is inviting middle school teachers to participate in the International Space Station EarthKAM Winter 2013 missions from 29 January through 1 February 2013.  This will allow students to program the ISS cameras to view specific Earth locations.  For more information about the program, visit http://www.earthkam.ucsd.edu.  In order to participate, new teachers are encouraged to take part in a free on-line information session regarding the process and classroom requirements; two sessions will be held - one on 22 January at 7:30am PST, and the other on 29 January at 4:30pm PST.  E-mail your intention to participate in a specific session (list which) to webinar@earthkam.ucsd.edu. 

Public Review Period for Next Generation Science Standards Open Until 1/29/13

The second public review period for the Next Generation Science Standards is now open until 29 January 2013.  California is one of the partner states for this effort.  To view the standards and comment, visit http://www.nextgenscience.org/ .

Math and Science Study and Homework Help Available

"Ducksters," sponsored by Technological Solutions, Inc., has posted pages for math and science (among other subjects) homework help for youngsters.  http://www.ducksters.com/study.php

California Scientists and Technologists Honored by White House

Among other honorees, the White House announced that six scientists and technologists from California have received either the National Medal of Science or the National Medal of  Technology and Innovation.  The National Medal of Science, created in 1959 and administered by the National Science Foundation, "recognizes individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science and engineering."  The National Medal of Technology and Innovation, created in 1980 and administered by the Department of Commerce's Patent and Trademark Office, "recognizes those who have made lasting contributions to America’s competitiveness and quality of life and helped strengthen the Nation’s technological workforce."  

The California recipients hail from Stanford (2), USC, UC Santa Cruz, Cal Tech, and the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab.  For more information and to see a complete list of honorees, visit  White House Science, Technology, and Innovation Awards. 

Girl Scouts and Sigma Gamma Rho Create "Imagine Engineering" Initiative

Education Week's "Beyond School" blog reports that the Girl Scouts and national sorority Sigma Gamma Rho are partnering together in a STEM initiative for African-American girls known as "Imagine Engineering."  It is designed to inform girls about engineering careers, provide biographies of women in engineering, and give motivational tips for parents and educators.  The initiative is supported by the National Science Foundation.  Education Week - "Beyond School". 

"The 12 Days of Math" Activities

Dr. Diana Perdue has compiled 12 days of math activities (for parents or teachers) to use with their children, including some reading resources.  Examples include math art, poetry, pictures, finding math in mountain climbing, and others.  The 12 Days of . . . Math?

Study Predicts Math Skills Tied to Motivation

In a study of Bavarian fifth through tenth grade students conducted by UCLA psychology researcher Kou Muruyama, results tended to show that those who were motivated to learn math and used deep learning strategies (as opposed to rote memorization) performed better over time than those students with higher IQ's.  The study, recently published in the journal Child Development, also noted that "forced" study was ineffective, as compared with making math studies relevant.  Scientific American "Like Math?"

Centers of Excellence Announces "STEM in 20" Initiative

The California Community Colleges "Centers of Excellence," in collaboration with the Institutes of the Future, recently announced its "STEM in 20" initiative.  The project is designed to foster discussions and planning for K-16 partners.  It currently has three series of reports, including "Drivers of Change," "Industries of the Future," and "Jobs of the Future,"  focusing on the following sectors:  agriculture; health care; manufacturing; media; infrastructure; retail; and security.  Visit the site at STEM in 20 .