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.  

Google Awards $5M to Increase Under-Represented Student Participation in AP STEM Courses

Erik Robelen reports in the Education Week "Curriculum Matters" blog that Google has donated $5 million to the College Board and DonorsChoose.org to work with 800 high schools to be chosen to increase female and ethnic minority students' participation in AP STEM courses.  They will work directly with teachers to get the schools qualified and to obtain the materials and equipment necessary to launch the courses.  The schools will be chosen based upon target student populations and their performance on the PSAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test.  One of the other Google Global Impact Awards granted will also provide $1.8 million to Equal Opportunity Schools to help qualified students to move on to more advanced coursework.  Education Week Curriculum Matters - AP STEM Courses .

NOAA Climate Steward Applications Due 12/17/12

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has announced an opportunity for educators to participate in the Climate Stewards Education Project.  Applications are due by no later than Monday, 17 December 2012.  Participants will take part in 15 hours of professional development in climate science and education the first year and 9 hours for each additional year of participation, take part in after-hours webinars and regional events, develop and implement a local climate stewardship project, and share activities and reflections on the CSEP wiki.  After completing the activities and evaluation, participants will be eligible for mini-grants and stipends to participate in conferences and activities.  For more information and to apply, visit NOAA Climate Stewards Education Project Application .

New TIMSS Results Show Gains for US Students

The recently-released Third International Math and Science Study results show that US students' average scores in math were above the international average in both the fourth and eighth grades.  US fourth graders' math scores were in the top 8 of the 45 nations participating in the study, while the eighth graders' were 11th out of 38 nations.  In reading, scores were an average of 56 points higher than the international average, ranking them in the top 13 on the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study.  Florida, which requested its individual state scores to be compared with other nations, was among the highest, equal with Singapore, Finland and Hong Kong. USA Today TIMSS Results

NAE Releases Real-World Engineering Programs List

The National Academy of Engineering, in collaboration with Advanced Micro Devices, has released a report on 29 collegiate engineering programs which infuse real-world experiences within their curricula.  California schools included on the list are Harvey Mudd College's Engineering Clinic Program capstone course, Santa Clara University's Field Robotics Program, and UC San Diego's Team Internship Program.   The programs were among 89 nominees, with preference given to those which could be replicated at other institutions, with assessment based upon innovation, creativity, attention to diversity, student outcomes, sustainability, and level of real-world experience.  To view the full report, visit http://www.nae.edu/File.aspx?id=65139.

"Scaling STEM: Strategies That Engage Minds" Conference Scheduled for March 2013

North Carolina New Schools Project and Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM (TIES) are co-sponsoring the "Scaling STEM: Strategies that Engage Minds" conference for 11-12 March 2013 in Durham, North Carolina.  The session is designed for school leaders "to learn together and provide best and emerging practices from STEM school operations," with sessions including designing on-line programs, career pathways, STEM schools and networks, as well as collaborating with workforce developers and philanthropists.  The keynote speaker will be Emily Stover DeRocco, President of The Manufacturing Institute.  For more information on the conference, visit http://scalingstem.org/.

Building Engineering Interest in Teens Critical to Future Success

Citing a 2011 Intel report and data from the National Science Foundation, a recent article in the Deseret News stresses the importance of building teen interest in engineering careers as a vital piece in ensuring their success in colleges of engineering.  The NSF notes that half of students choosing engineering majors drop the program in their freshman year.  The Intel student survey also shows that 63% of students have never considered a career in engineering (likely because they don't know what engineers do), while 61% are more likely to make that career choice once they understand the earnings potential; 29% don't know about the potential job opportunities in engineering, and 13% don't think it will lead to any more opportunities.  The article also points out that while the outlook for mechanical, electrical and electronics engineers is currently lower than usual due to the recession, opportunities for civil, environmental and biomedical engineers are booming.  Participation in programs such as FIRST Robotics is one way to stimulate student interest in the field, while nurturing 21st Century skills.  http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765617048/Building-enough-engineers-to-meet-future-demand-must-start-early-experts-say.html?pg=all

"Smart Desks" and Other Tools in STEM Classrooms of the Future

Popular Science  has reported on a project undertaken by Durham University in the UK, through its Schools of Education, Computer Science, and Psychology; the group has developed a new multi-user, multiple touch "smart desk" interface with teacher viewing software.  Studies of 400 students aged 8-10 years old with the new "Star Trek" desks tends to show increased student engagement in math through peer collaboration and more teacher oversight than traditional paper and pencil lessons.  http://www.popsci.com/science/article/2012-11/classroom-future-turns-desks-multi-user-touchscreen-tablets 

In a related survey by the MIT Center for Mobile Learning at the Media Lab and Verizon Foundation, it was determined that middle school youths who use mobile technology such as smartphones and tablets are more likely to be interested in STEM subjects.  http://thejournal.com/articles/2012/11/29/report-middle-school-students-using-smartphones-more-interested-in-stem.aspx?admgarea=News1

Value of STEM Education Infographic

Edutopia has posted an infographic on the value of STEM education, including the facts that 80% of the fastest-growing careers require mastery of science and math, that growth in STEM areas has exceeded that in others by 300% over the last 10 years, that workers with STEM degrees enjoy higher earnings, lower unemployment rates, and enter and complete college at higher rates.  To view and download the infographic, visit Edutopia: The Value of a STEM Education .

AFRL Hosting Rocket Propulsion Research Conference at AVC

The AFRL will be hosting the Rocket Propulsion Research Conference at Antelope Valley College Health and Sciences Building Room 201 from on Tuesday, 11 December, through Thursday, 12 December 2013.  Day one will focus on Space Propulsion and Combustion topics, day two on Combustion and Propellants as well as a tour of AVC facilities, and day three on Propellants and Propulsion Materials.  Each day will run from approximately 8:00am to 4:00pm.  For more information, please contact Jamie Jones at AVC, hsistemcoop@gmail.com or 661.722.6300 x 6992.