Google RISE Award Applications Due 9/30/14

Programs with a focus in computer science are invited to submit proposals before 30th September 2014 for the Google RISE Awards. With grants ranging from $15,000 to $50,000 and an invitation to attend the RISE Global Summit, selected programs will be able to use the funding to expand their impact on student populations by widening access to and interest in computer science education. Programs aiming to improve education for girls, underrepresented students, and low-income students under age 18 (not already enrolled in university) are also eligible to apply. Award winners are expected to demonstrate growth, report back to Google on achievements, and share resources with neighboring communities. 

For more information, and to apply, visit Google RISE Awards Applications .

#include Fellowships for Coding Begun by She++ at Stanford - Register by 12/11/13

She++, a coding outreach by Stanford University students, has expanded its #include fellowships for high school females outside of Palo Alto.  Students who register by no later than 11 December 2013 can be paired with a college advisor, and then will be expected to lead technology change in their neighborhoods through a Launch Kit.  They will also gain the opportunity to attend the #include Summit at Stanford 3-5 April 2014.  For more information, visit She++ Inspiring Women to Empower Computer Science .

Week to Focus on Coding for Students

In conjunction with code.org , Discovery School in Lancaster is planning activities to celebrate Computer Science Education Week for 9-13 December 2013.  Every student at the school will receive one hour of instruction in coding during the week, using projects such as Scratch and Alice.  Additionally, Lancaster School District IT Director Rebecca Cooksey will be giving STEM Academy students an overview of hardware, software and networking/server issues.  Teacher Mechelle Reynolds says, "I am passionate about [computer science], because I started coding in [high school] and I like to get the word out about how needy this field has become."

For more information about Computer Science Education Week, visit Computer Science Education Week 

Third Annual Conference on Integrated Computing and STEM Education Scheduled for 5/18 at UC Davis

Registration is now open for the 3rd annual Conference on Integrated Computing and STEM Education; early bird registration ($25) closes 2 May, and regular registration ($30) is due by 14 May 2013.  The conference will address issues in K-14 education, including increasing student numbers in C-STEM education.  Keynote addresses by Dr. Ralph J. Hexter (Provost of UC Davis), Dr. Debra Richardson (Prof. of Informatics at UC Irvine), Jonathon Raymond (Superintendent of Sacramento City Schools), and a panel of STEM teachers and principal from the School of Engineering and Sciences in the Sac City Union School District and moderated by Karen Shores of the CDE, are among the sessions on tap.  Teachers, business partners, and others will share best practices in break-outs, and the C-STEM Teacher of the Year awards will be presented.  For more information, visit http://c-stem.ucdavis.edu/activities/conference/.

I-Squared Act Proposes Additional Funding for STEM Education

According to Roll Call, the I-Squared Act includes a proposal by the tech industry to double their fees for visas and green cards for additional foreign workers, with the increased funding raised to be designated for US STEM education.  Due to the severe shortage of qualified tech workers for many open positions across the nation, the need to fill the pipeline is seen as being at a critical stage.  Public awareness campaigns to draw students to computer science and ICT careers include a very popular video by code.org Code Video.  http://www.rollcall.com/news/reed_tech_industry_ready_to_do_its_part_for_stem_education-223901-1.html?pos=oopih

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

Soft Skills Plus Technical Know-How Key to Tech Workforce Preparation

In a guest blog spot in the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, Bruce Johnson of Google Atlanta writes:

"There is no single set of discrete skills one can learn that will last an entire career in high-tech.  Companies typically care much more about hiring the right kind of person. Ideal recruits are creative, adaptable and autonomous, and they have achieved a deep understanding of core subjects such as math, physics and computer science that make it possible to have a razor-sharp intuition and an ability to assimilate new subjects and technologies quickly, without even the expectation of being trained; they train themselves on the skills du jour as the need arises and with minimum help or structure."

Johnson explains that their typical hiring process requires screening thousands of resumes to interview hundreds of people to hire a dozen or so new employees.  In order to create the deep pool of qualified applicants for this process, children need to be exposed to computer science, technology, engineering and be instilled with a love of learning, including of math and science, beginning at an early age.  To aid in those efforts, Google sponsors Computer Science for High School (http://www.cs4hs.com/) and Google Science Fair, and recommends Computer Science Ed ucation Week events (http://www.csedweek.org/ ).

http://www.ajc.com/opinion/tech-workforce-starts-with-1269790.html

"The Art of the Future" by Jim Brazell

In "The Art of the Future," well-know futurist Jim Brazell has undertaken a new "web-text-book-blog-thing," as he calls it (or an example of "eXtreme writing" on-line) regarding the future, innovation, STEM, the arts, and often touching on education reform for the 21st Century. 

As stated in his 7 November 2011 keynote address in Austin, Texas, his view of the current student incorporates career-technical education and high academic rigor.  Brazell feels that the "fundamental question for the 21st Century is how do we organize for and produce innovation and innovators?" and he sets out to provide thought-provoking clues related to digital convergence and "technopolis" public-private partnerships.  http://theartofthefuture.squarespace.com/  Upon closer reading, one can find many similarities to the environments/locales that he uses as examples, and that of the greater Antelope Valley region.

International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology

The new edition of the International Journal of Gender, Science and Technology is now available on-line at http://genderandset.open.ac.uk/index.php/genderandset/issue/current .  It includes several articles about women in engineering and computer and communications technology education and careers.

Microsoft's "Kodu" Programming Tool Introduces Youngsters to Game Design

Microsoft has introduced "Kodu," a visual programming language which operates from an XBox controller.  The tool is for game design, and is kid-friendly.  For more information, see http://research.microsoft.com/en-us/projects/kodu/

Cal Lutheran Opens Scientific Computing Center

According to the Ventura County Star, Cal Lutheran University has just opened a scientific computing center for middle school to college students.  The university center will host workshops on STEM and scientific computing for middle schoolers, and will eventually offer a minor in applied scientific computing.  The Hugh and Hazel Darling Center was funded through a $250,000 grant.  http://www.vcstar.com/news/2011/jul/26/clu-opening-scientific-computing-center/

Sluggish Economy Prompts Women to Pursue Computer Science Jobs

Beginning to reverse a long-standing trend, larger percentages of women are now seeking more secure jobs in computer science as a way to outwit the sluggish economy.  In a field which they might otherwise not have chosen, the number of women, particularly from more prestigious universities such as Harvard, MIT, and Carnegie-Mellon, is increasing.  Many are taking introductory courses, and it remains to be seen whether they will continue their studies; universities have been bolstering efforts to recruit and retain women in this, and other, non-traditional areas.  http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2011/0627/Worried-about-jobs-college-women-go-geek/(page)/2

To see the NCWIT Scorecard on the Status of Women in Computing, visit http://ncwit.org/resources.scorecard.html

Cybersecurity Education Firm to Begin With Shuttle Engineers

Education in the growing field of cybersecurity is set to begin with NASA engineers after the conclusion of the space shuttle program.  The nonprofit Global Institute for Cybersecurity and Research (GICSR), in connection with  NASA, the US National Institute of Standards and Technology, the US Department of Homeland Security and the US National Security Agency, as well as security certification companies and academia, is beginning a cybersecurity certification program in Florida; it is hoped that the program will expand to other states to help staff the unfilled positions across the country [SC Magazine  http://www.scmagazine.com.au/Feature/259366,cybersecurity-the-next-frontier-for-nasa-engineers.aspx ].

Engineering Majors Top Pay Lists

According to CNNMoney.com, engineering majors top pay lists again this year in a survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers.  Four of the top five positions belong to engineering disciplines, with starting salaries averaging over $60,000; computer science also occupies a top ten position, with an average starting salary of approximately $63,000.  Business and telecommunications are also well-paid jobs.  http://money.cnn.com/2011/04/08/pf/college/best_paying_college_majors/?section=money_latest

UC Davis to Host C-STEM Day on 4/30/11

The Modesto Bee reports that UC Davis will host a symposium on teaching STEM to kindergarten through 12th graders on 30 April 2011 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Bainer and Kemper Halls.  Registration will begin at 8:30 a.m.  Teachers in K-12, parents, and students are invited to attend the sessions, which will focus on computing, science, technology, engineering and math education.  There will be a UC Davis Secondary Programming Competition, a symposium on computing in the 21st century, awards (nominations due by 4/15/11), demonstrations, and lab tours.  For more information, visit http://cstem.ucdavis.edu/ , and to register on-line, go to http://cstem.ucdavis.edu/CSTEMDay/symposium/ .

Google Computer Science Summer Institute Applications Due by 4/22/11

Google is hosting two Computer Science Summer Institutes at its Mountain View, CA facility, the first from 26 June to 16 July, and the second from 24 July to 12 August 2011.  Successful applicants will receive an all-expenses paid residential experience, including interactive and collaborative computer science curriculum, immersion at the Googleplex, technical talks from Googlers, guest speakers from around the country, and social activities in the Bay Area.  The institute is designed to reach historically under-represented students in computer science fields; 60 high school seniors will be chosen from among applicants.   For more information, visit http://www.google.com/intl/en/jobs/cssi/index.html

Webinars Related to Supporting Latinos in STEM Subjects Slated for 4/7 and 5/12/11

A webcast on "Engaging and Supporting Latinas in STEM" including formal and informal educators will be held on 7 April 2011 at 11:00 a.m. PDT.  For more information, see http://www.ngcproject.org/events/events.cfm?eventid=192.

In a similar vein, a webinar entitled "Engaging Latino Youth in Computer Science: Current Research and Program Models" is to be held on 12 May 2011 at 10:00 a.m. PDT, hosted by the Computer Science Collaboration Project.  The webinar will also be archived on the CSCP website for later viewing.  To register, visit http://www.cscproject.org/may2011webcast/

Carnegie-Mellon Summer Academy for Mathematics and Science Applications Due 4/1/11

The Carnegie-Mellon Summer Academy for Mathematics and Science is a residential program for students entering their junior or senior years in high school and are considering careers in engineering, science, or other math-based disciplines.  The experience will run from 25 June through 5 August 2011, with different tracks for each grade level.  Tuition, university housing, and dining expenses are provided, however, students/parents must provide their own transportation, books, supplies, recreation, and incidental expenses.  Applications and supporting documentation are due by 1 April 2011.  For more details, visit http://www.cmu.edu/enrollment/summerprogramsfordiversity/sams.html

AV Society of Women Engineers Scholarship Applications Due 5/13/11

The Antelope Valley Society of Women Engineers is offering a $500 scholarship to a high school senior or transferring college student who will be matriculating at an ABET-accredited engineering program or computer science program.  Completed applications from AV residents, including transcript/s, essay, and letter/s of recommendation, are due by no later than Friday, 13 May 2011.  For more details and application instructions, view the document at http://www.scribd.com/doc/48960306.