STEM Conference for Girls 5/14/16 - Back by Popular Demand!

Due to the outstanding response to the March event, the Antelope Valley Union High School District and Antelope Valley College will co-sponsor a second session of the STEM Conference for Girls on Saturday, 14 May 2016, from 9:00am-3:00pm, at the Lancaster University Center (Division St. and Avenue I).  The FREE event is open to 100 young ladies in grades 6-12, who will participate in hands-on workshops, and hear from industry and young professionals.  Pre-registration is required; a box lunch is provided.  There is also a strand available for a limited number of parents. 

To register and get further information, visit:  STEM Conference for Girls 2016 .

Registration Now Open for 4th Annual STEM Conference for Girls on 3/5/16

The Antelope Valley Union High School District and Antelope Valley College are co-hosting the 4th annual STEM Conference for Girls on Saturday, 5 March 2016, from 9:00am-3:00pm, at the AVUHSD Palmdale Conference Center.  The FREE event is open to 100 young ladies in grades 6-12, who will participate in hands-on workshops, and hear from industry and young professionals.  Pre-registration is required; a box lunch is provided.  There is also a strand available for a limited number of parents. 

To register and get further information, visit:  STEM Conference for Girls 2016 .

Young Women Take Part in Third AV STEM Conference

Over 100 young women from regional middle and high schools, along with approximately 50 of their parents, took part in the third annual STEM Conference for Girls on 14 March 2015 at the AVUHSD Palmdale Conference Center.  The day's activities began with an industry panel presentation MC'd by Krysti Papadopolous from XCOR and panelists Shana Blakley from Rio Tinto, Arielle Duen from Northrop Grumman, Ana Esquivel from the AVC STEM Club, Latosha Imani from Lockheed Martin, and Christos Valiotis from AVC. 

Each girl participated in two hands-on workshop sessions, ranging from the body's use of calories and the medical use of robots, to making solar cell-phone chargers and catapults, among others.

Parents also participated in a hands-on activity on hydrolysis facilitated by students from Palmdale High School, as well as financial aid planning, STEM programs and activities, and presentations from local post-secondary institutions.

The day was capped off with a motivational presentation by renowned speaker JJ DiGeronimo from Tech Savvy Women from Cleveland, Ohio, and Pi Day fun and games.

PHS Students Explain Activity to Parents

Testing solar cellphone charger

Distance test on catapult

Preparing experiment on body's use of calories

 

Third Annual STEMPosium Event Features Mike Melvill and Nathalie Gossett

The Antelope Valley's third annual STEMPosium, held on 5 November 2014 at the Larry Chimbole Cultural Center in Palmdale, hosted over 200 local business, industry, government, and education stakeholders on hand to learn more about the state of STEM in the region.  Three panel discussions featured education partners from AVC's STEM Grant (Christos Valiotis, Project Director), Cal State University Long Beach's Antelope Valley Engineering Program (Dr. Ken Santarelli, Director), Antelope Valley Union High School District (Greg Nehen, Asst. Sup. of Ed. Services), AVC Palmdale Center (Sharon Dalmage, Director), and AVC SB1070/Career Pathways Trust Grant (Dr. Tom O'Neil, Project Director) who discussed progress in each segment, as well as Young Industry Professionals (Stefan and Eileen from BAE Systems, Christy from XCOR, and Justin from AFRL) regarding their experiences, and current industry leaders, Dianne Knippel (Edison), Al Bowers (NASA Armstrong), and Richard Caulkins (LA County Sanitation Districts) on how best to prepare students for the STEM workforce.

Nathalie Gosset, futurist and Senior Director of Marketing and Technology Innovation Evaluation from the Alfred E. Mann Institute for Biomedical Engineering at USC, provided a thought-provoking presentation on gender-specific education customization in STEM fields based upon brain research.

On the tenth anniversary of SpaceShip One, keynote speaker Mike Melvill, the first civilian astronaut and long-time test pilot, gave a retrospective of the development and preparation process in Mojave leading up the  historical spaceflights which won the Ansari X Prize.

Local middle schools including Hillview, Joe Walker, and TPAA had displays, as did the Society of Women Engineers and the Falcon Academy of Sustainable Technology  Solar Car Project.  Video presentations of AVC's STEM Club and Knight High School's Outback Challenge team, as well as "A Perfect Fuel for the Rewards of Risk" rounded out the day.

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 .

Alcoa Foundation and Discovery Education Unveil "Manufacture Your Future" Website

According to STEMConnector [ STEMConnector Blog "Manufacture Your Future", the Alcoa Foundation and Discovery Education have partnered to unveil the "Manufacture Your Future" website to provide information and free resources for middle and high school students, teachers, counselors and others to explore current manufacturing careers.  The site includes lesson plans, virtual field trips, family discussion starters, and a career guide, among other items.  Visit the site at Manufacture Your Future .

White House Science Fair 5/27 to Celebrate Women and Girls in STEM

The annual White House Science Fair, slated for 27 May 2014, will showcase the efforts of girls and women excelling in the STEM fields "and inspiring the next generation with their work."  For updates and to watch live, visit White House Science Fair .

Feminine Norms: Improving Outcomes in STEM - Blog and Webinar

Riki Wilchens will moderate a NAPE-sponsored blog and webinar on the subject "Feminine Norms: Improving Outcomes in STEM."  The blog will be open from 12-16 May 2014, and the webinar will be held on 20 May 2014 at 11:00am PDT.  The webinar will address gender norms and how they effect attrition in STEM fields through adolescence and adulthood.  To register, go to NAPE Feminine Norms Webinar .

Women Role Models in STEM Hangout 5/7/14

Million Women Mentors will be holding a Town Hall in Google Hangout on the subject of pledging to mentor young women in STEM on 7 May 2014 from 11:00am-12:30pm PDT.  For more information, go to Million Women Mentors Google Hangout .


#WeTheGeeks held a Google Hangout session on Women Role Models in STEM in March; it is now available for viewing on YouTube at Women Role Models in STEM Hangout . 

Cal Poly Pomona YES Program Hosts AV Students

Among approximately 400 middle and high school students, nearly 50 students from the Palmdale area attended the Youth Engineering Success (YES) event hosted by Cal Poly Pomona's chapter of Society of Women Engineers.  This annual event promotes engineering education and careers for young women by engaging activities and exposing them to information about the STEM field they might not otherwise receive.  Daily Bulletin Education - YES Program .  US Secretary of Education Arne Duncan praised the event, as recounted by the CDE in a recent tweet:  CTE That Works for California RT @ArneDuncan .

AVC Hosting "Women in STEM" on 4/11/14

Antelope Valley College's STEM Club will be hosting "Women in STEM," featuring exciting presentations and panels, including keynote speaker Dr. Adrienne Brundage, a forensic entomologist and lecturer at Texas A&M University.  The event, which will be held from 6:00pm to 9:00pm on 11 April 2014 in the AVC Cafeteria (3041  W. Avenue K, Lancaster, CA), is open to all ages; refreshments will be available.

Free NAPE Non-Trad Webinar on 4/15/14 "Engage Parents to Support Nontraditional Careers--An Open Forum for Sharing Local Outreach Strategies "

NAPE's STEM Equity Pipeline is offering a free webinar on 15 April 2014 at 10:00am PDT on the theme of "Engage Parents to Support Nontraditional Careers - An Open Forum for Sharing Local Outreach Strategies."  The session will be moderated by Jeanette Thomas from the Iowa Department of Education in a discussion format.

" The webinar will be hosted by a facilitator and will be conducted in a discussion format versus a presenter/presentation format. This is an opportunity for you to showcase successful parent-education partnerships in promoting nontraditional careers.

"Five programs will be selected to start the conversation. Then the discussion will be open to all participants on the webinar. Each of the five programs selected will be given a total of 3 minutes to share its ideas and program information, as well as one key strategy that makes the program a success. 

"If you would like to be considered as one of the five programs to start the conversation, then please submit a one-page summary and contact information by April 9, 2014, to Nancy Tuvesson at ntuvesson@napequity.org."

To register for the webinar, visit NAPE Non-Trad 4/15 Webinar

AIAA To Host Engineering Career Night at AVC 2/18/14

As part of an Engineering Week commemoration, the Antelope Valley Chapter of the AIAA, joined by the SWE and SFTE, are hosting a Career Night related to engineering for 8th graders through college aged students at Antelope Valley College, in the SSV-151 Board Room, on Tuesday, 18 February 2014, from 6-7:30pm.  Highlights include a panel of engineers, free pizza, and a paper airplane competition where the winner will receive a $25 gift card from Best Buy.  Come out and ask questions about engineers and what they do.  For more information, visit www.facebook.com/AntelopeValleyAIAA or e-mail aiaa.av@gmail.com .

Males in Non-Traditional Careers Webinar 2/25/14

NAPE will be sponsoring the next in its series of free webinars related to non-traditional careers with "Males in Nontraditional Careers--Outreach, Recruitment & Retention in CTE" on 25 February 2014 at 10:00amPST.  The webinar will be hosted by Joan Runnheim Olson, and also feature Soren Gall. 

This webinar focuses on strategies to encourage and support males in careers they typically do not consider, including early childhood education.

Webinar Objectives    

• Identify benefits and barriers to males considering nontraditional careers
• Share outreach, recruitment, and retention strategies for educators
• Provide resources for current and potential male early childhood education (ECE) professionals
• Provide logical and simple strategies to support males who work in ECE
• Share successful experiences relate to men in ECE   

For more information and to register, visit NAPE Non-Traditional Webinar Series. 

AHORA STEM Day Held at Eastside High School

Co-sponsored by the Antelope Valley Union High School District and LATINO Magazine, approximately 150 students of under-represented populations in STEM from AV, Eastside, Knight, and Palmdale High Schools attended the AHORA Student Day at Eastside High School on 16 December 2013.  Students heard from two panels, the first on careers and majors in STEM, including Lupe Delgado, manufacturing engineer from Northrop Grumman, Katya Guevara, a UC Davis freshman and recent grad from KHS, Manny Sanchez, a 40-year veteran engineer from Lockheed Martin, and Mike Huggins, Chief of Propulsions Division at AFRL/EAFB.  The second panel, "The Table of Brotherhood," addressing diversity issues, was comprised of  Eric Peterson, General Motors VP, Joseph Velasquez an attorney and founder of OjoOido, Sandra Johnson of the Lancaster City Council and UAV, and Hernando Marroquin, a prominent local businessman.  The MC for the event was Alfredo J. Estrada, Editor of LATINO Magazine, with additional addresses by Lou Gonzales of AV Chevy, and Dr. David Vierra, AVUHSD Superintendent.  Students interacted during Q&A sessions with the panelists and by speaking with local STEM professionals during breaks.

Eric Peterson, Joseph Velasquez, Sandra Johnson, Hernando Marroquin
address students from the "Table of Brotherhood"



Lupe Delgado, Katya Guevara, Manny Sanchez, and Mike Huggins
explain the benefits of STEM education and take student questions.

 

STEM Makes a Difference in Children's Lives

First Book, in partnership with Lockheed Martin, has recently published an infographic that shows how STEM can make a difference in children's lives, and consequently fill a projected 8 million STEM jobs by 2018.  First Book Blog - STEM Infographic

#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 .

GoldieBlox Commercial Goes Viral

A new commercial for GoldieBlox engineering toys for girls, featuring the Beastie Boys melody "Girls" is going viral.  Pointing up that girls are "not just princesses," the commercial shows girls creating a Rube Goldberg device.  GoldieBlox Princess Machine  Founded by Debbie Sterling, GoldieBlox was designed to get more girls interested in STEM careers.  The music video is currently a finalist for a Super Bowl commercial spot.  GoldieBlox Video Demands Change - Huffington Post

California Women in STEM Profiles plus STEM Innovation Conference

In a recent press release, it was announced that the California Dept. of Education, the California State Library, the California Commission on the Status of Women and Girls, and the California Research Bureau are partnering to encourage more students, particularly underrrepresented groups such as students of color and young women, to enter the STEM fields.  As part of this initiative, the California State Library is hosting an on-line exhibit for "California Women in STEM", which profiles a different woman each week leading up to the "Invest in California STEM Education: Innovate, Integrate, and Inspire!" Conference planned for 18-19 November 2013 in Sacramento.  The conference, with best practices presentations and keynotes, is scheduled to feature Geena Davis, Sugata Mitra, and Jose Hernandez, among others.  Women in Science and Tech Industries Profiled News Release. 

CSULB College of Engineering Dean Urges "Wright Sisters" to Take Flight

In his March newsletter message, the Dean of the CSULB College of Engineering commemorates Women's History Month by noting that the contributions of women to the engineering profession are not only worthwhile, but also necessary to future success.  He urges parents and faculty to foster their interest in STEM/engineering, and to encourage them to use their collaborative, communication, and analytical skills to the betterment of engineering and society as a whole.  CSULB COE March Newsletter - "Wright Sisters Must Take Flight!"