STEM Jobs and Skills are in Demand

The Grand Challenges for the 21st century will require all levels of STEM professionals: from assembly line workers trained to use highly technical machines, to PhD astrophysicists. In fact, many of the jobs of tomorrow do not even exist today as they are dependent on future problems that will arise and the required technologies needed […]

You don’t have to be COOL to be a STEM Role Model

I wasn’t particularly cool in high school, though I wasn’t exactly un-cool either. Successfully crossing the boundaries between the jocks, brainiacs, and the StuCo kids, I made it through mostly unscathed. Being a national champion powerlifter, ranked number 2 in my class, and winning student body President on a platform of “Change” afforded me a […]

Hidden STEM Economy? STEM For All

When we think of STEM, we tend to think of highly professional white collar jobs that require copious amounts of education. In reality, STEM jobs encompass so much more than the Dilbert-like stereotypes much of the world retains about these fields. The Brookings Report: Hidden STEM Economy (Read the report here) released in June 2013 sheds light on […]

If I had a $1,000,000…. for “STEM” Education.

If I had $1M for STEM education?

Lockheed Martin has granted $1 million to implement and sustain Project Lead the Way programs across the U.S. If I had a million dollars, (as I start humming Barenaked Ladies) How would I improve STEM education?

“She must have slept her way to the top”

A personal story of motivation: Do I believe that woman have to sleep their way to the top of an engineering company? Absolutely not. However, the underlying bias nestled in that statement do exist more often than we choose to recognize. Read more for three tips for women in technology.

10 Reasons Women (may) Struggle in STEM

TeachingDegree.org has compiled a list of the top 10 reasons why they think women struggle in STEM. Check out their blog post here. Make sure to click on the headings for each reason for a link to an online supporting article on that blog post. Here is their list: Men are favored over women in […]

Cubiclephobia: Death of the cubicle

Is a job about producing value or about being seen in your cube when your manager walks by? Is a job about creating, innovating, and leading, or being tethered to a grey cubicle? How do you think outside the box, if the box you are assigned to stifles all creativity and innovation? In the late […]

STEM, STEAM, STREAM…. SCREAM?!

STEM vs. the Arts?

Is it STEM or STEAM? Why not STREAM? This battle of acronyms makes me want to SCREAM! I am not sure how long the acronym STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math) has been around, but the new buzzword is STEAM (sprinkle in the Arts), and it seems to be gaining steam in popularity. Why not […]

A Case for Engineering in K-12

A Case for Engineering in K-12

In order to meet the forecasted demands for U.S. Labor in technical areas that require scientific and mathematical training, it is imperative that educators and students begin to understand STEM professions and the role of engineers. By advocating science and math in a more holistic, inclusive and social context, more students will develop confidence in these subjects and be prepared to pursue a career in engineering. This article is useful for parents, educators, counselors, and administrators.