21st Century STEM Competitive Jobs Act Introduced in House

Ten members of the U.S. House of Representatives, led by Congressman Bill Foster of Illinois, and joined by Congresswoman Gloria Negrete McLeod of California, introduced the 21st Century STEM Competitive Jobs Act in late May.  “The 21st Century STEM Competitive Jobs Act will incentivize school districts to provide students with the skills they need to be successful in the workplace,” said Foster.  “Despite high unemployment levels, many employers tell me they can’t fill jobs because they can’t find workers with the training and education they need. This legislation would help bridge that gap.” House Press Release May 23, 2013 .

The legislation looks to provide competitive grants to local education agencies which link with local or regional employers to develop curricula and program metrics, as well as providing internships or apprenticeships and dual enrollment (articulation) opportunities. 

To view the full legislation, visit http://foster.house.gov/sites/foster.house.gov/files/2013-05-22%20STEM%20jobs%20act.pdf .
 

Save the Date for AVUHSD Summer Pre-Engineering Internships Class

AVUHSD will once again offer a Summer Pre-Engineering Internships class for high school students between their 11th and 12th grade years, and who have taken at least one Project Lead the Way (c) pre-engineering, or specific CAD or STEM class.  The class will be held 10 June through 5 July 2013 at the AERO Institute in Palmdale, and will feature unpaid internships, as well as field trip/s, guest speaker/s, and classroom projects.  Watch here for further information on the application procedures and/or check with your pre-engineering teachers after spring break.

Update:  the online application is now available in the blue column on the right of the page at High School Summer Pre-Engineering Internship Application.

Homeland Security National Lab Internship Applications Due by 1/15/13

The Department of Homeland Security has announced 10-week summer internships at National Labs for college undergraduate and graduate students; stipends are available for $5,000 to $7,000.   

Placements are available at labs such as Argonne, Lawrence Livermore, Scandia, Los Alamos, and Oak Ridge, as well as  Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Coast Guard Research and Development Center, and Plum Island.   

 Applications are due by no later than 15 January 2013; applicants must be US citizens, and
areas of interest for these internships for undergraduates include engineering, computer science, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological/life sciences, environmental science, emergency and incident management, social sciences. For graduates, the areas of interest include nuclear engineering, physics, mathematics, statistics, computer sciences, systems engineering, electrical engineering and material science.

For more information and to apply, visit DHS STEM Summer Internships.  

NASA "DEVELOP" Applications Due

NASA's DEVELOP internship program is accepting applications for high school, college, and graduate students to serve as interns at a variety of locations nation-wide and in Mexico, including NASA Ames in Northern California and JPL in Pasadena.  The program seeks "interns [to] lead research projects that focus on utilizing NASA Earth observations to address community concerns and public policy issues."  Applications for the upcoming spring term (28 Jan. - 5 April) are due by 15 November, and for summer 2013 (3 June - 9 August) are due by 4 February.  For more information, visit http://develop.larc.nasa.gov/about.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/. 

Industry Initiatives for Science and Math Education Offered Teacher Internships

For the 28th year, the Industry Initiative for Science and Math Education (IISME) in the Silicon Valley offered 165 teachers summer internships to learn how STEM principles taught in the classroom are actually applied, as well as stipends to create new STEM lesson plans that are actually implemented.  A few were available in Southern California. 

Teachers are "paired with universities and tech companies [such as Agilent and Nvidia] in the valley to give [them] a chance to see how principles and ideas they teach in the classroom are translated into real world products and initiatives."    "Kids are really inspired by teachers who have experienced the practical applications and who have worked side-by-side with scientists and engineers who can give them authentic stories," Jennifer Bruckner, IISME Executive Director, says.  http://www.mercurynews.com/mike-cassidy/ci_21273923/cassidy-nvidia-agilent-and-other-silicon-valley-tech

Similar opportunities have been provided to teachers locally in the Antelope Valley, notably in the last several years by the Air Force Research Lab at Edwards Air Force Base.

NASA Undergraduate Summer Internship Applications Due by 1/30/12

Senior undergraduates (class of 2012) who are interested in planetary geoscience are invited to apply for the NASA Planetary Geology and Geophysics Undergraduate Research Program for summer internships around the country; applications are due by no later than 30 January 2012, and it is anticipated that participants will be notified by late February.  For more information on the PGGURP program and application requirements, visit http://www.acsu.buffalo.edu/~tgregg/pggurp_info.html

DOE's STAR Aspiring Teacher Internship Applications Due by 1/31/12

The Department of Energy's "STAR" (STEM Teacher and Researcher) internships are available for aspiring secondary math and science teachers (enrolled in a CSU education program with a math or science undergrad major); applications are due by no later than 31 January 2012.  A recording of a live webcast regarding the program and general and eligibility information is posted at http://starteacherresearcher.org/about.html and the application information at http://starteacherresearcher.org/application.html .

Office of Personnel Management "Pathways Program" to Replace Federal Career Intern Program

According to the Federal Times, the federal Office of Personnel Management has proposed rules and regulations for a new "Pathways Program," for student internships and hiring, which is designed to replace the now-defunct Federal Career Intern Program.  "Pathways consists of: an Internship Program for current high school, college, and certain home-schooled students; a Recent Graduates Program for people who have received a degree in the last two years, and the existing Presidential Management Fellows Program."  http://www.federaltimes.com/article/20110804/PERSONNEL02/108040306/

To review the entire set of proposed rules and regulations, visit http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2011-08-05/pdf/2011-19623.pdf.