STEM RTP EOY Report - 17-18 - 2

2017-2018

END OF YEAR REPORT

LETTER FROM THE DIRECTOR Fellow STEM enthusiasts, The 2017-2018 year has brought STEM in the Park a heightened sense of purpose and drive to succeed in our mission of encouraging under-served students to explore STEM careers, enhancing local educators experience through stimulating activities, and inspiring career professionals to get involved in outreach and mentoring. Embracing our new name, STEM in the Park, has further encouraged us to be a strong voice and advocate for leveraging the experience and knowledge of Research Triangle Park and local colleges and universities. The ultimate goal of these efforts is to diversify the future STEM workforce in the RTP and North Carolina.

By giving students (specifically ethnic minorities, girls, and those from low income backgrounds) access to STEM activities and mentoring opportunities with professionals, we encourage diverse leaders to join the future STEM workforce. Through the development of an effective pipeline of exposure and knowledge of real world applications to educators in the area, we open lines of collaboration and communication for NC A&T State University engages in a students to gain skills necessary for future careers. hands-on demonstration with students When we equip companies and universities with the tools to establish and grow their own outreach events, we spur outreach expansion for individuals and teams to promote a more diverse workforce, which pushes forward the frontiers of STEM discovery and innovation.

In this year-end report, you will take a journey with us through STEM in the Park events, programs, and statistics over the past year. Thank you for your continued support of STEM in the Park! We ask that you continue to partner with us to encourage the next generation of STEM professionals!

Sarah C. Windsor, PhD | Director, STEM in the Park STEM professionals and students enjoy 1-on-1 conversations during a Speed Mentoring session at the Fall STEM Expo

2017-2018 IMPACT NUMBERS K-12 STUDENTS Fall STEM Expo - 299 9th-12th grade students - 13 schools from 8 counties - 97% of students learned something new - 93% of students became more aware of STEM careers

2017 Fall STEM Expo volunteers stop for a photo together

Spring STEM Expo - 275 5th-8th grade students - 12 schools from 9 counties - 86% of students were first time attendees - 98% of students reported their experience as worthwhile Building Girls Who Code - 85 middle school students - 4 schools Year-long Mentoring Program - 15 9th-12th grade students

STEM Tank winners pose for a picture after winning their session

STEM in the Park partner events - 1,522 K-12th grade students

EDUCATORS Durham County ExternTrips - 30 schools - 91 educators Wake County ExternTrips - 33 schools - 83 educators

STEM PROFESSIONALS Durham and Wake County ExternTrips - 35 employees from 13 companies - 130 volunteer hours - 100% of participating companies would host again Fall and Spring STEM Expos - 437 volunteers - 1,350 volunteer hours - 41 companies, university departments, and organizations STEM Industry Summit - 53 STEM professionals - 34 companies and organizations - 100% of respondents made a new contact Building Girls Who Code - 29 volunteers - 9 companies

Students from Mentoring Program in a class at NC Museum of Natural Sciences

EDUCATOR EXTERNTRIPS In 2017-2018, Educator ExternTrips were expanded to include additional teacher workdays and incorporated Durham and Wake County Public School teachers. ExternTrips are half-day immersion experiences, held in the spring and fall, for educators at local STEM companies. Teachers have the unique opportunity to speak with current employees about the latest and greatest in STEM fields. Ultimately, the goal is for educators to take what they see through these experiences back to the classroom to shape and inform lesson planning. ExternTrips vary from company to company but include: Company tour Meeting employees Hands-on activities Keynote speaker

2017-2018 ExternTrip Host Companies Bayer Crop Science Biogen Cisco Systems Credit Suisse CREE, Inc. EPA-RTP EA Genomics

John Deere Turf Care LORD Corporation Red Hat RTI, International Schneider Electric Syngenta

Wake County educators pose for a photo outside of Red Hat in downtown Raleigh

By teaching one teacher, our efforts can be magnified to many students.

Amanda Marvelle, Biogen

STEM INDUSTRY SUMMIT The 2nd annual STEM Industry Summit centered around the theme “Building Your Future Workforce: The Power of STEM Outreach”. Over 50 participants from 25 companies explored and discussed topics relating to Cisco’s global perspective on STEM engagement, the business value of STEM outreach, engaging technology, and employee mobilization.

Attendees engage with Stacy Costello of RTI, International during a breakout session

The goal of these annual Summits are to empower local companies, large and small, to grow and expand their impact within local communities through STEM outreach. By convening those with a wide breadth of experience to those just starting out, individuals can take away valuable insights to shape and inform their own programs.

Kirsten Weeks, Director of Global Community Relations at Cisco, delivers the keynote address to STEM Industry Summit participants

STEM EXPOS - FALL & SPRING

A student engages in hands-on demonstration with an employee from Red Hat during the Paths to the Park session at the Spring STEM Expo

For the third year, STEM in the Park hosted two STEM Expos during the academic year for local 5th through 12th grade students. STEM Expos bring together companies, organizations, university groups, STEM professionals, and students for a day of exploration and engagement. Students participate in hands-on demonstrations, speed mentoring, and an exciting team challenge - all with the goal of exposing them to the dynamic world of STEM! Students rotated through the following Expo activities and sessions: Paths to the Park Hands-on demonstrations from companies, organizations, and university groups Speed Mentoring Short, 1-on-1 conversations with STEM professionals and graduate students STEM Tank Fun team challenges for schools to compete in within small groups against each other Food Truck Rodeo Options abound for lunchtime The 2017-2018 Expos were split for the first time between grade levels, with the Fall focusing on high school students while Spring centered on elementary and middle school aged children. By organizing the Expos this way, presenters and speed mentors were able to tailor their hands-on demonstration and conversations to the age level in attendance.

A group of students compete in the STEM Tank challenge at the Spring 2018 STEM Expo

There is nothing like watching science truly come alive to the students during an event like the STEM Expo!

Natacha Janvier-Derilus, NCCU BRITE Students speak with STEM professionals during a Speed Mentoring session

STEM MENTORING PROGRAM STEM in the Park and the EPA-RTP partnered with Hillside High School and created an academic year-long mentoring program between 15 EPA employees and 15 students at Hillside. Mentors and mentees participated in both in-person events and virtual connections throughout the year. The group enjoyed trips to the EPA campus in RTP, both STEM Expos, and a visit to the NC Museum of Natural Sciences in Raleigh. In March, some mentors were able to give guest presentations in their mentees classrooms.

The overall goal for the STEM Mentoring Program was for students participating to learn more about STEM and investigate potential next career and/or academic steps with the helpful guidance of a career professional.

Mentor Jenna Hartley and mentee Amaya Horner present at the Spring STEM Expo

Students and mentors enjoyed a trip to the NC Museum of Natural Sciences complete with a scavenger hunt and hands-on class about gel electrophoresis

BUILDING GIRLS WHO CODE Students work with STEM mentors during the app development workshop

collaboration with NetApp

In March 2018, STEM in the Park partnered with NetApp to bring a new event to life called Building Girls Who Code. Nearly 100 middle school female students ventured to the Frontier in RTP for a day that included: App development with STEM mentors Keynote speech from Carol Vercillino, Oak City Labs Movie viewing, CODEGIRL Speed mentoring with STEM professionals Out of the students in attendance, 62.5% met a STEM professional for the first time at this event, and 92% of students learned something new.

The students were engaged and excited for their futures in science and technology!

Building Girls Who Code Chaperone

3RD ANNUAL STEMMY AWARDS

The third annual STEMmy Awards honored students, educators, volunteers, companies, organizations, and schools for their outstanding work in STEM over the past year. Winners were nominated by individuals in the community and selected by a panel of professionals who served as judges. Nearly 100 people attended the STEMmys including winners, their guests, and company sponsors to celebrate these individuals’ and groups’ outstanding achievements.

As Golden Gear trophies were handed out, winners took a moment to share a few words about their STEM passions and paths, ultimately inspiring everyone to continue efforts into the following year. STEM in the Park was thrilled to recognize and celebrate their hard work. As Logan Hollander, STEM Student of the Year, 5th-8th grade said, “If we keep teaching STEM to new generations of students, they will become the greatest assets of our future world.” We can’t wait for the year ahead.

2018 STEMmy Award Winners STEM Volunteer of the Year Jenna Hartley Gard Poward STEM Student of the Year, 5th-8th grade Logan Hollander STEM Student of the Year, 9th-12th grade Pooja Patel STEM Educator of the Year Adam Davidson STEM School of the Year Brentwood Magnet Elementary School of Engineering STEM Event of the Year STEMposium STEM Industry Partner of the Year Biogen STEM Higher Education Program of the Year BioNetwork

STEMmy Awards attendees pose before the awards ceremony 2018 STEMmy Award winners pose together with their Golden Gear trophies

STEM Community-Serving Organization of the Year ENC STEM

2017-2018 PROGRAM PARTNERS INDUSTRY Army Research Office ASPPH BASF Bayer BD Betabox Labs Biogen Caterpillar, Inc. Cisco Systems Citrix Credit Suisse CREE, Inc. EA Genomics Fidelity Investments Fotoswipe Grifols IBM John Deere Turf Care

Kevin Seifert Photography Learning Lab 360 LORD Corporation NetApp Oak City Labs Opobotics, Inc. Red Hat RTI, International SAS Curriculum Pathways Schneider Electric SpokeHub Stewart, Inc. Syngenta Underwriters Laboratories Unity Digital Agency Whiting Turner WSP

Boys & Girls Clubs Burroughs Wellcome Fund ChickTech RDU Citizen Schools Clean Air Carolina Code the Dream Communities in Schools Compass Youth Center East Durham Children’s Initiative FIRST Robotics Girl Scouts NC Coastal Pines InspireNC Kramden Institute Marbles Kids Museum Moogfest

NC BioNetwork NC Greenpower NC Museum of Natural Sciences NC Science Fair Foundation Project Lead the Way RTP Rotary Salvation Army/Boys and Girls Club of Durham STEM East STEM West Students Discover Academy Travis Manion Foundation Wade Edwards Foundation Women and Math Mentoring Program YMCA of the Triangle

GOVERNMENT

COLLEGE/UNIVERSITY Duke University Durham Technical Community College NC A&T State University NC State University

NONPROFIT & YOUTH-SERVING ORGS

North Carolina Central University UNC - Chapel Hill Wake Technical Community College

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS)

PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES Information Systems Security Association

Sigma Xi Society of Quality Assurance

GET INVOLVED Volunteer Volunteers are integral to the mission of STEM in the Park. Mentors help uplift and inspire the next generation of STEM leaders and we work to match volunteers with opportunities that work best for them.

For more information, see our STEM Volunteer Directory at rtp.org/stem-in-the-park

Partner STEM in the Park will work with STEM companies, schools, and non-profits to provide unique and innovative STEM programming and content. For schools looking for extracurricular activities and companies who wish to share these opportunities with others, STEM in the Park will work to find a good match for programming.

Donate/Sponsor Financial contributions help STEM in the Park sustain and broaden our mission of bringing dynamic STEM programming and mentoring to under-served students across North Carolina. We are look for both corporate and private partners and donors.

For those interested, contact Dr. Sarah Windsor at windsor@rtp.org