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COLOR BLIND

DR. GILDA BARABINO

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LEADING THE WOMEN OF COLOR IN STEM 10

PROJECT BASED LEARNING

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10 HOT CAREERS IN TECH

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JOURNEY TO MARS

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contents

STEM

TABLE OF

Winter 2018

DEPARTMENTS 06 Publisher’s Note 07 Editor’s Letter 32 Inspiring Letters from STEM Majors 34 Helpful Apps 35 STEM Scholarships 36 Ad Index

SPECIAL FEATURES 10 Project Based Learning:

An INNOVATIVE Approach to STEM Education

By Amelia Mezrahi

14 Color Blind:

Leading The Way For The Women Of

By Kate Alexander

20 Is a Government STEM Job In Your Future?

Growth Areas & Opportunities For STEM Majors in Various Levels of Government and Agencies

By Jim Paterson

24 10 Hot Careers In TECH

Interested in Tech? Here Are Some Popular Careers To Consider

By NextStepU

STEM EDUCATION 13 Journey To Mars

A Real-World Integrated STEM Project

By Amelia Mezrahi

Project Based Learning Create, Imagine, Explore...

10

Dr. Gilda Barabino

“We should take advantage of the doors open in our lives…if certain ones do not open immediately, try, try again.”

14

Color Blind Leading The Way For The Women Of Color In STEM...

16 STEM Summer Enrichment Programs:

A Program during The Summer Break Can Bring Additional Clarity and Interest To Those Interested in STEM Education

By NextStepU

Journey to Mars

Putting humans on Mars by the 2030’s...

[4]

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

13

SCIENCE

TECHNOLOGY

ENGINEERING

Government STEM JOBS Lots of opportunities in government for young people interested in STEM careers...

20 25

MATH

STEM CAREER AND LIFE 25 STEM Major in Focus: Exploring Data Science Careers

STEM Career Fair Tips

How to make an impression in just a few minutes – and in the middle of the chaos...

Demand For Jobs in Data Science and Big Data is Surging in a Multitude of Fields

By Mila Sanchez

28 5 Tips To Stand Out At Your Next STEM Career Fair

28

By Emily Bardeen

30 Updates From Our STEM Students In Our Last Issue: Riley X. Brady: page 30

A PhD Student in Atmospheric and Oceanic Studies at University of Colorado Boulder

Data Science Careers Raise Money Online Crowdsourcing through online fundraising platforms that are available...

33

As technology grows, and our ability to collect data and learn from it increases...

Casey Kesterson: page 31

James Madison University Class of 2017, currently working in the consulting industry

33 Need Funds For A Project?

Consider Online Fundraising As An Option

By Edco

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

[5]

STEM

PUBLISHER’S NOTE

I

t is with much excitement that we bring you the second issue of our STEM magazine. Since our first issue last year, we have received many positive comments about our efforts and the topics we are covering. We got lots of encouragement to continue our focus on the three pillars of STEM Education, STEM Career, and STEM Advancement. We were told that we are unique in bringing a publication geared towards students to encourage them to pursue an education and career in STEM. We are delighted and humbled by your support.

In this issue of the magazine, we decided to bring a greater focus on the importance of project-based learning (PBL) and the crucial role it plays in STEM to find applications for solving real-world problems and transforming how we learn. We reached out to industry experts such as the Buck Institute of Education that brings a structured methodology to PBL applications to schools at all levels. The critical insight is that if students engage in projects that they are passionate about, there is a greater motivation to come up with practical well-thought out solutions. Students end up understanding not just one aspect of STEM, but how to better integrate and leverage different disciplines to create a successful project. This way, the leaders of tomorrow will put more emphasis on working together and will continue to come up with products and solutions that matter to society.

In an effort to continue encouraging the pursuit of a STEM education, there is a need to better understand why our young minds do not pursue these studies beyond the core minimum that schools require.

As a follow up to our last issue where we talked about four actionable suggestions for addressing the gender gap by women in STEM, we decided to cover the challenges and opportunities for women of color in STEM. We were honored to hear from Dr. Gilda A. Barabino with her thoughtful insights about this topic in ‘Color Blind: Leading the Way For Women of Color In STEM’. With inspiring leaders like Dr. Barabino, we are hopeful that we can level the field for all talented students and help lead them to pursue the promising future that awaits them with a STEM education.

As always, we have covered various STEM career topics and majors in this issue including careers in Tech and Data Sciences. We also wanted to focus on the many STEM job opportunities that exist in the government and the need to recruit young talent to help improve efficiency and deliver vital services to the public. In fact, the government #23418f is one of the largest employers of STEM graduates, filling positions at Federal, State and Local, and numerous agencies. As interest in STEM grows, the various branches of government are uniquely positioned to take advantage of innovations that comes from STEM. There are endless opportunities for solving real-world problems.

Young people are encouraged to look around and take up a cause (or a project) that they deeply care about and to leverage the many resources available in and out of their schools to develop solutions. Please feel free to reach out to us with your stories and projects. We would love to hear from you on your journey to greatness through STEM. Finally, it is always a fulfilling team effort to put together this magazine, and I would like to thank our talented team of editors, writers and to those STEM students and industry thought leaders who contributed to our articles in this issue. As always, please reach out to me for any ideas or comments.

With warmest regards, Amelia Mezrahi CEO/Publisher Next Step Universe

[6]

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

STEM Publisher/CEO: Amelia Mezrahi | Amelia@NextStepU.com Chief Revenue Officer: Rob Aronson | Sales@NextStepU.com Adviser: David Mammano | David@NextStepU.com Editor: Kate Alexander l Editor@NextStepU.com Art Director: Silvio Del Monaco | Info@BrainBleachMedia.com Advertising Sales: Rob Aronson | rob.aronson08@gmail.com Lisa Mietelski | Lisa@NextStepU.com Editorial and Contributions: Kate Alexander, Dr. Gilda A. Barabino, Emily Bardeen, Riley X. Brady, Rachel A. Brown, Saskia Clay-Rooks, Kevin Curry, Francesca El-Attrash, Lindsay Haake, Casey Kesterson, Diane Laboy-Rush, John Larmer, Amelia Mezrahi, Jim Paterson, Mila Sanchez, Leslie Scott Cover photography: Photo provided by Dr. Gilda A. Barabino For questions, comments or advertising information, Please contact us at Info@NextStepU.com or through NextStepU.com.

Next Step Universe is a proud member of the National Association for College Admission Counseling.

For advertising information #168fceemail us at Sales@NextStepU.com.

Some inside photos from iStock.com ©Copyright 2018 by Next Step Universe. All rights reserved. Material in this publication may not be reproduced in any form without permission. Copying, reproduction or transmittal of this publication by any means is strictly prohibited without the permission of the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to edit or omit all materials submitted for publication, including advertisements, article contributions and event listings. Although this publication is thoroughly edited, the publisher is not liable for any damages due to editing, changes, cancellations, errors, and omissions. All corrections should be directed to our editor. All work submitted for publication is assumed to be the provider’s original work, and the publisher accepts no liability as a result of publishing such works. NextStepU® is a nationally registered trademark. Unauthorized use of the Next Step names, logos, or indicia is prohibited. We strive to make sure the information and advice is accurate, but it is up to you to do your own research. Good luck!

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EDITOR’S LETTER

Welcome to the second NextStepSTEM edition!

W

e have now entered the middle of our year, full of recent successes, new opportunities, and expanding horizons.

With spring and summer around the corner, you may be facing key decisions as you hear back from college admission offices, finish your college year or consider entering the workforce. At NextStepU, we encourage you to think through your opportunities with optimism, perseverance and excitement.

You will never have another time like this again!

Continually growing industries, such as those that are a part of STEM, should stay on your radar for future options. Our second issue of STEM includes bringing new topics about using project-based

learning in schools and education, summer STEM programs, the rise of STEM jobs in the government sector, and hot tech careers such as data sciences.

We even checked back in with some of our recent college graduates and NextStep contributors, to update us on their continuing education and early career experiences.

On a personal note, it has been a privilege and honor to serve as NextStepU’s Editor over the past year.

What began as an internship for Next Step Magazine, based in Victor, NY over 15 years ago, became an incredible opportunity to guide the next generation of high school students in their life and career choices. As you step into your experiences in the days ahead, be sure to maintain a vision, your dreams and your

goals. Don’t let life distract you from the things that matter most to you: family, friends, passions and pursuits. Keep them ever before you, and go after them with persistence, diligence, flexibility and strength. And, allow others to help you where you feel less capable or underprepared. We at NextStep hope that we can continue to partner with you in your journey.

You are remarkable and will help many in this life! Make each day count!

Very best wishes to you!

To your success and joy, Kate Alexander Editor NextStepSTEM Magazine Editor@NextStepU.com

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Get NextStepU Magazine on the go at magazine.nextstepu.com. The free download puts you one click away from expert advice and resources.

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Visit our new and improved blog at blog.NextStepU.com for college planning, careers, student life, study abroad, STEM, and Gifts & Contests.

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

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STEM

EDUCATION

By Amelia Mezrahi

PROJECT-BASED LEARNING – AN INNOVATIVE APPROACH TO STEM EDUCATION

T

he growth of Project-based learning (or PBL) is one of the key innovations we have seen in the classroom in recent years.

At the heart of the PBL approach is allowing students to see how problems are complex and involve several disciplines.

Students see first how their classes matter in the real world (e.g. why do I need to know geometry or physics) and then how to apply their knowledge to solve real world problems. John Larmer, the Editor In Chief, Buck Institute of Education (www.bie.org), an organization that specializes in PBL methodology and training, agrees. “Rather than front-loading the content first and a project at the end, it is more effective to introduce the real-world project first…This way the students are hooked up emotionally to learning what it takes to solve it,” says Larmer.

PBL can be integrated into teaching and ed-

[ 10 ]

ucation across all fields, but it is of particular importance in highly specialized STEM fields where this connection between classroom and industry can seem more distant. Students and educators tend to spend a lot of time on teaching the mechanics of a particular subject to provide the foundation for their education, but often there is not enough time to teach how the STEM areas are integrated within a broader problem, design or application.

Allowing for PBL type thinking is one way to overcome this gap. An article by Diane LaboyRush published in Learning.com http://bit. ly/1Xzfrzr highlights the value of an integrated STEM curriculum. “Through an integrated approach to STEM education focused on real-world, authentic problems, students learn to reflect on the problem-solving process. Research tells us that students learn best when encouraged to construct their own knowledge of the world around them.”1 Larmer explains, “PBL and STEM go well together as they both

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

depend on a student’s need to know, and authenticity that is essential for a higher-level learning.”

A CONTRAST WITH TRADITIONAL LEARNING The easiest way to understand PBL is to compare it with traditional learning. (see Diagram B). Traditionally, students might spend most of the year studying math and sciences topic by topic, mastering formulas or materials in discrete class periods, with different textbooks and often different teachers. Tests evaluate whether a student can correctly answer a mathematical formula but rarely stress why this formula is useful to know let alone give examples where it can be applied. For many students, knowledge without application makes subjects feel remote and stifles their interest in learning all together.

Similarly, projects have long been a part of the classroom, but they rarely crossed

creation imagination exploration academic fields or really challenged students.

A student might take a trip to Staples, grab some poster board and create a presentation about George Washington, the life cycle of a frog or perhaps the different types of triangles.

Perhaps they briefly presented in class and got a few questions. Most of these projects really are just asking students to passively read a few books, summarize and recapitulate what they have seen. These projects are occasionally collaborative, but most group projects really often just involve slicing the assignment into smaller discrete pieces of the pie (e.g. you talk about Einstein’s early life and I will talk about his later life).

THE PROJECT-BASED LEARNING APPROACH PBL involves starting with a complex, challenging and meaningful question. This will require a student or group of students to research an issue, think about potential approaches, and make hard decisions about what avenues they want to take. Let us take a deceptively simple example that can be used in any grade level – how can we reduce the pollution at a high school that a student once attended. We could say that the teacher gives the student or team a hypothetical budget of $1,000.

At first glance, there are many ways to cut pollution – reduce the plastic used in the cafeteria, use less heat in the school, or cut down on the paper teachers and students go through in a year. But which idea will have the greatest impact, especially given the budget constraint? Is it better to use less copy paper or focus on recycling more of it? Hand dryers in the bathroom might cut down on more paper towels, but require electricity and installation.

Reusing cups in the cafeteria might look like a great idea, but does the school have the time, space and dishwashers to do so? Could getting 500 students to change behavior at home ultimately have a bigger impact than what they can do at school?

How does a student or student group tackle these problems as a project? They have to assess the costs and benefits of each idea as well as the school’s ability to implement them. They have to depend on a variety of fields. Math and science will let them calculate and analyze any benefits. Students gain an insight into basic economics as they will have a limited budget and must decide how to spend it. They have to consider psychology and anticipate the student response to any possible solution. Students might engineer a new device, learn a computer drawing program to sketch it out or even make use of the 3D

printers most schools have to print a prototype.

When does the learning stop? Say different teams in class presented on their ideas.

Rather than just passively answering questions and receiving a grade from a teacher, students come up with suggestions, extensions and unforeseen obstacles. They can be further challenged to merge their projects or work to improve other teams’ ideas. There are endless possibilities for learning and skill development.

In a project environment, one must start with the problem at hand, but it is also important for students to set some key goals for the learning to occur.

Larmer explains, “In order for the project learning to be more effective, it needs to be Authentic, Real World, and In-Depth.” He continues, “Rather than offering just games or kits, a deeper learning will come from introducing a real-world problem where students working with others come up with an authentic and in-depth solution…they then present and revise the work until it can be shared publically.” BIE has developed a model as the gold standard for PBL and it includes the 7 essential project design elements with the objective of defining and acquiring the

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

[ 11 ]

STEM

EDUCATION DIAGRAM B TRADITIONAL LEARNING Students listen to lectures, read, write papers, perhaps present on issues in class Goal is for students to learn facts and summarize them

Goal is for students to develop solutions to better understand subject

Typically short in duration

May last the entire semester or year

Instructions are explicit and laid out by

Open-ended instructions and instructor

the instructor at the start of the project

works with students across the semester

When done in groups, students learn to divide up tasks

DIAGRAM A Gold Standard PBL Source: Buck Institute of Education

A place for real-world projects where PBL is applied is the open-source community called e-NABLE http://enablingthefuture.org/.

Thousands of volunteers including schools and students have used 3D printing to create personalized prosthetic devices for children with upper limb differences. These devices are then shared publically to provide further enhancements.

Another project that draws upon PBL strategies is the NASA Mission to Mars Challenge https://go.nasa.gov/2n2BbVT. See the Journey to Mars Project article in this issue. The NASA Community College Aerospace Scholars (NCCAS https://ncas.aerospacescholars.org) program also gives community college students an authentic NASA experience in order to encourage careers in science and engineering.

There are also schools where one can see PBL practices becoming more common across the entire curriculum. One such successful network is the New Tech Network https://

engage in complex analysis of them

Cuts across many fields

at the end of the project

REAL-WORLD PROJECTS

Students learn about problems and must

Focused on one discipline

Student receives a grade

“Key Knowledge, Understanding, and Success Skills” at its core. See Diagram A.

PROJECT-BASED LEARNING

Student continues to refine project over time based on feedback When done in groups, student learns to solve issues together and coordinate series of complex tasks

newtechnetwork.org where a growing number of high schools (e.g. NAPA New Tech http:// bit.ly/2DtOq8L) have adopted PBL strategies with the objective to deliver students who are ready to work or go to college, i.e. to develop the skills necessary for the outside world.

LONG-TERM BENEFITS Not only does PBL lead to a deeper learning, it has broader implications for student’s careers.

The jump from learning a subject to its practical application in the real word is one of the hardest one for many people to make. Every year millions of recently minted engineers and scientists struggle to take what they were taught in school and use them in their jobs.

Often their learning is highly focused and specialized in a single narrow field. In many large companies, people are stuck in individual silos based on their expertise and struggle to work with people in other parts of the company. For example, a new computer programmer may know how to code, but does not know what kind of program a company needs or how to create a new payment system that requires working collaboratively with people in the

accounting department. Most importantly, PBL teaches people to be more creative and engage in a broader envisioning of challenges.

This also helps to increase the number of students going into STEM fields. One of the challenges in attracting many students to these fields is that the learning in class seems remote from the real world and is often too abstract. Female students, who are underrepresented in these fields, in particular seem to respond strongly to seeing practical applications for the subjects they are learning. For example, the Worchester Polytechnic Institute makes extensive use of PBL in its program and has surveyed Alumni to see how it impacts their careers.2 Their surveys showed that 70% of women found it helped them to be more effective in the real world, 66% found it made them more effective leaders and 76% percent found it helped them to solve problems. The majority of men also found PBL helpful, but the positive reaction among female alumni was particularly striking. Given that women are only about one quarter of STEM workers in the U.S., the implications of utilizing PBL are immense.

Satchwell, R., & Loepp, F. L. (2002-Spring). Designing and Implementing an Integrated Mathematics, Science, and Technology Curriculum for the Middle School. Retrieved 2010-9-November from Journal of Industrial Teacher Education: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/ejournals/JITE/v39n3/satchwell.html 2 Vaz, R., P. Quinn, A. Heinricher, and K. Rissmiller, , “Gender Differences in the Long-Term Impacts of Project-Based Learning” Proceedings of the 2013 ASEE Annual Conference, Atlanta Georgia, June 2013 1

PBL Resources: 1. Article: Project Based Learning with Project Lead The Way http://bit.ly/2DyeFPL 2. WPI offers PBL in all of its curriculum https://www.wpi.edu/project-based-learning 3. Buck Institute of Education www.bie.org Gold Standard PBL Model http://bit.ly/2tNu4Du and http://bit.ly/2e9VECV 4. STEM and PBL http://bit.ly/2DyblmT 5. Engineering Design Process: http://bit.ly/2Du043w 6. Integrated STEM through Project Based Learning white paper by Diana Laboy-Rush, Learning.com http://girlsrisenet.org/resource/detail/106

[ 12 ]

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

STEM

EDUCATION

By Amelia Mezrahi

The Journey to

Mars:

REAL LIFE INTEGRATED STEM PROJECT

N

ASA recently announced its Journey to Mars program with the ambitious goal of putting humans on Mars by the 2030s (https://go.nasa.gov/2mNGg7c). The program is meant to reinvigorate the space program and communicate the wonder of the galaxy to a new generation. It has been nearly 50 years since Neil Armstrong first set foot at the Moon. Since then NASA has developed the Space Shuttle and helped launch the International Space Station, but manned flights have not left Earth’s orbit. Journey to Mars is intended to be the next step in space exploration.

The program is amazing in its ambition. Not only does NASA hope to visit Mars, but it is also working on preparing it for eventual colonization. Given the enormous technical challenges, NASA scientists and engineering are working on dozens of innovations and are rethinking how space travel will work. The program is a microcosm of many of the technical challenges being tackled by a variety of STEM fields and is a great example of a project (see: project based learning in this issue) that requires integrated thinking across many STEM disciplines.

Unsurprisingly, Journey to Mars has become a popular project in K-12 programs across the country. For example, the Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) recently took a group of its rising seniors over summer to visit NASA’s Langley facility to develop their teamwork and problem solving skills. Hampton University Professor Bill Moore, who works with VASTS on the program, talked about the impact on the students and remarked “It’s fun to watch the students struggle. But it’s really fun to see them come out on the other side having accomplished something, having gotten a hold of something much bigger than they thought they could tackle (https://go.nasa.gov/2BuSaoL).”

Here is a flavor of the technical challenges facing the next generation of scientists, engineers and managers and the academic fields focused on solving them: Robotics, Computer Science and Electrical Engineering - Early missions will likely consist entirely of robots, which will lay the initial groundwork for a Mars base. One recent idea has been to construct

the base underground by digging caves into the surface using a small army of construction bots. But robots will have to be programmed to operate largely autonomously given the scale of work and the time lag in communication, requiring advances in artificial intelligence as well as robot design. Robots programmed with machine learning http:// bit.ly/2nnzSAt capabilities will have to size up rocks automatically, assess the best methods for mining and refine these choices over time. Similarly, NASA is also researching the feasibility of mining ice beneath the surface or Mars to turn into rocket fuel.

Aerospace Engineering and Management - On the launch side, NASA is already working with private firms like SpaceX (owned by Elon Musk of Tesla fame) to radically reduce the cost of launching cargo into orbit with re-usable rockets that can land themselves back on Earth. NASA and SpaceX are also designing an Inter-Planetary Transport System (ITS) that will be able to get humans to Mars and back. This requires many advances in aerospace engineering in addition to professional managers able to deliver these projects on time and on budget.

Materials science and engineering – Physical space will be at premium on any ship to Mars, and engineers are working with scientists on new construction materials to create inflatable habitats on any Mars vessel that can expand once in orbit and more than double the interior space. Similarly, given that the atmosphere of Mars will be inhospitable to humans, other engineers are working with new materials to create the next generation of spacesuits that must be at once more durable, but also lighter and more flexible, for long hours of exposure to the surface of Mars.

Biology and Botany – Remember the 2017 hit film the Martian with Matt Damon? Trapped alone on Mars, a stranded astronaut must plant crops and feed himself until rescue. Much of the physical space in these mobile habitats onboard and later once a colony on the Mars surface is established will be dedicated to growing food. Given the length of a journey to Mars and the cost of resupplying a colony, botanists are simultaneously exploring how to grow food in space using hydroponics as well as adapting a future Martian soil for planting.

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

[ 13 ]

STEM

EDUCATION

THE WAY FOR COLOR LEADING WOMEN OF COLOR IN STEM BLIND

By Kate Alexander

I

n 2016, the box office hit, “Hidden Figures,” brought the challenges faced by women of color to the big screen, highlighting the story of how AfricanAmerican mathematicians helped win the Space Race during the early 1960s.

Discriminatory practices were common, creating barriers to success for these brilliant women. But their determination despite unjust hurdles made history.

Today, women of color in STEM face new opportunities, but challenges remain. African American women overcome dual hurdles stemming from their identity as both African Americans and as women and remain heavily underrepresented in STEM fields http:// bit.ly/2lBXIuH. For example, less than 1% of all U.S. engineering bathelor’s degree were awarded to women of color in 2015 compared to 4.0% overall for African Americans and 19.9% for women (Yoder, 2016).1 NextStepU Magazine was honored to interview Dean Gilda A. Barabino http://bit. ly/2lNE5wa, Berg Professor at The Grove School of Engineering at The City College of New York (CCNY), one of the prominent women of color in the STEM field in our nation. She, too, experienced some of the exact same challenges as in “Hidden Figures,” even having trouble checking out a book from the library.

But, she did not let it stop her. Today, even in her leadership roles at CCNY, she devotes time to educating and consulting with K-12 schools, to bring greater focus to STEM careers for minorities and all.

When asked about the current situation regarding women of color in STEM, Barbarino described the consistent underrepresentation of women of color earning degrees and moving into the STEM workforce. “The degree of underrepresentation varies by fields and the lowest participation fields are engineering, math, computer sciences and physical sciences.” She explains that “the small numbers

[ 14 ]

of women of color leads to a lack of role models, isolation, a sense of not being valued and a sense of not belonging. Not rectifying the situation harms the nation in terms of innovation and fully tapping its talent.” Without enough exposure to examples of other women who have pursued these fields, it can create a cycle of underrepresentation. “Bias and stereotypes, lack of exposure to role models and encouragement, and institutionalized practices” can “discourage the participation of women of color.” Dean Barbarino has made it her mission in life to improve access, educate, and bring opportunities to the underserved.

Dr. Gilda A. Barbino

WRITE THE STORY

3. Seek and take advantage of mentors.

That’s why Dean Barabino suggests starting close to home. “Start in your own environment, such as with your neighbor. Ask someone, even in the church or the religious community.” If these resources don’t bring an answer, “broaden where you’re looking” – look through Google, searching for stories and inspiration online. Part of this advice is to never stop being curious, to never stop asking questions.

More specifically, Barbarino suggests those interested in STEM actively look for those stories – to find narratives that encourage, inspire and reflect one’s own aspirations and goals. Because without looking at other people’s stories, one cannot easily find one’s own.

4. Strive for excellence in everything they do.

BEYOND ONESELF

One element of looking for mentors is to recognize that, as a society, we are constantly “bombarded by messages, the media, [and] what we see in print and tv.” Barbarino’s concern is that if young women do not have examples and narratives in front of them, if “in these messages you don’t necessarily see people who look like you do,” it may unknowingly hinder growth and pursuit. It’s imperative that one sees oneself reflected in the world around them.

Ultimately, however, the main motivation for going into any career should incorporate larger goals. Dean Barbarino suggests students ask themselves some probing questions about purpose, identity and service. “What do they want to get out of life? What do they want to do with themselves? How will they make their mark on the world?” These reflect what are called “communal goals” as motivating factors, including “helping others, giving back, and making a difference in society.” Barbarino believes that when one determines what one really wants to do and who one wants to

PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS As an incredible thought-leader regarding women of color in STEM, we asked Dr. Barabino to share her practical suggestions for students considering these degrees. She suggests: 1. Give serious consideration to STEM as a

pathway to a rewarding career and in

pursuing their chosen career path.

2. Believe in and be true to themselves.

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

help, a STEM career can help women of color accomplish their goals.

STEM careers are unique in their ability to impact the world. “When you pursue a STEM career, you are learning skills, techniques, and tools that can be applied to the complex problems facing society today. Often just having the right tools really makes a difference in being able to attack a complex problem,” whether in health care, energy, resources, and environmental sustainability.

CHANGE THROUGH INSTITUTIONS Institutions - colleges, universities, and high schools - play a part in this process, too.

The more they recognize the unique skills, background, and resources brought by every student, the more young people will succeed.

“We need to realize there is no such thing as a one size fits all approach. We need to treat students holistically, looking at them in their totality: all of what they bring to the table, their cultural background, their skill sets, their goals and aspirations. It’s a total package, [including] the communities that they connect to. If we can meet students where they are and respect who they are - all parts of them, all of their identities - [we will do a ] better job serving them.”

She explains that the “pressing need to increase the number of women of color in STEM and enhance their career success is widely recognized by the academy, industry, government agencies, organizations and the broader community.” This has instigated programs to increase awareness and opportunities. From mentoring to leadership training, these programs spur young women to pursue their dreams.

These include: • White House Council on Women and Girls established under President Obama • Black Girls Code http://www.blackgirlscode.com • Conferences on WOC in STEM (e.g. http://intouch.ccgmag.com) • Organizations devoted to WOC in STEM (e.g. National Society of Black Engineers www.nsbe.org) • NSF ADVANCE www.nsf.gov/advance • Young Women in Bio www.womeninbio.org/page/YWIB

OPEN DOORS In her own life and experience as a student

and thought-leader, Barbarino has brought significant changes to the culture of STEM education as we know it. At CCNY, she has been a part of creating “a supportive and inclusive community that supports all students regardless of background.” Faculty who support engagement with all students and create positive examples for students also contribute to opening doors for students at the school. She works nationally to promote access, including the NSF Forum on Inclusive STEM Entrepreneurship and the NSF Minority Faculty Development Workshop.

As a final thought, Dean Barbarino reminds us that we should take advantage of the doors open in our lives. Sometimes, we forget that others have struggled to even ensure these opportunities are possible. If certain ones do not open immediately, “try, try again,” she says joyfully. Success and persistence go hand in hand.

1Yoder, B.L. (2016). Engineering by the numbers. Washington: American Society for Engineering Education. Retrieved from http://bit.ly/2mmj0fz.

NOTABLE WOMEN COLOR IN STEM

OF

About Dr. Gilda A. Barabino http://bit.ly/2lNE5wa: Dr. Gilda A. Barabino is Dean and Berg Professor at The Grove School of Engineering at The City College of New York (CCNY). She holds appointments in Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering and the Sophie Davis School of Biomedical Education/ CUNY School of Medicine. Prior to joining CCNY, she served as Associate Chair for Graduate Studies and Professor in the Wallace H. Coulter Department of Biomedical Engineering at Georgia Tech and Emory.

Dr. Barabino received her B.S. degree in Chemistry from Xavier University of Louisiana and her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Rice University. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE) and the Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES).

Relevant publications and conferences that Dr. Barabino has recently appeared in: National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine (NASEM): http://bit.ly/2zxSJ0x New York Academy of Sciences (NYAS): http://bit.ly/2nODzzG Barabino GA, Banton SR, Leggon CB. Moving beyond the heroic journey myth: A look at the unique experiences of Black women in academic engineering.

In Mentoring Diverse Leaders: Creating Change for People, Processes and Paradigms, Murrell and BlakeBeard (ed,), Taylor and Frances/Routledge, 2017 http://bit.ly/2GStfzt.

Source: http://r29.co/2mq0WkR

KATHERINE JOHNSON The 2016 film “Hidden Figures” was based partly on Johnson’s life. Dubbed as one of NASA’s “human computers,” she breeezed her way through math classes and went on to graduate from West Virginia State College with degrees in mathematics and French at age 18. She joined NACA (then became NASA) in 1952. Her work was instrumental in sending the first American, Alan Shephard into space, and Apollo 11 to the moon in 1969.

JANE COOKE WRIGHT, MD Dr. Wright is known for doing pioneering work in cancer treatment and became the Director of Cancer Research Foudation at Harlem Hospital at the age of 33. She is credited for helping to innovate a more precise way to deliver drugs to tumors, leading some to call her “the mother of chemotherapy.”

DR. PATRICIA BATH, MD Dr. Bath is a pioneer of opthomology. She received her medical degree with honors in 1968 from Howard University. Dr. Bath was appointed the first woman to chair an opthomology program in US in 1983 (at Drew/UCLA). Later in life, she invented Laserphaco Probe that could be used in cataract surgery.

MAE C. JEMISON, MD Dr. Jemison studied Chemical Engineering at Stanford University, and received her medical degree from Cornell University Medical College in 1981. She later swtiched to become an astronaut and applied to NASA’s program in 1986. She was the first AfricanAmerican woman admitted to the program and the first in space aboard the space shuttle Endeavor in 1992.

ALEXA CANADY, MD Dr. Canady became the first African-American woman to become a neurosurgeon in 1980. During a summer pre-college program at University of Michigan, her interest in science became more intense. She graduated with a degree in zoology in 1971 and completed her medical degree in 1974. Dr. Canady became the chief of neurosurgery at Michigan’s Children’s Hospital in 1987 until she retired in 2001.

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

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STEM

SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS There are many different options for summer and pre-college programs for high school students.

Search online resources to search by location and interests, such as www.nextstepu.com and http://www.collegexpress.com/lists/list/top-summer-pre-college-programs/1761

SUMMER STEM PROGRAMS iD TECH STEM Summer Camps - Multiple Locations Offers tech education for kids and teens including summer programs at over 150 college campuses including iD Tech Camps, iD Tech Coding and Engineering Academy, iD Game Design and Development Academy.

1-(888) 709-8324 • www.idtech.com University of British Columbia - Canada Focus: Environmental Science and Sustainability or Applied Science and Design www.summerscholars.ubc.ca UConn School of Engineering - CT Explore Engineering E2 is a one-week residential summer program for current high school sophomores and juniors who are interested in engineering. Students are nominated by their high school math, science, or engineering teachers.

E­mail: engrexplore@engr.uconn.edu http://edoc.engr.uconn.edu/explore-engineering Lebanon Valley College - PA Focus: Actuarial Science. The actuarial science summer camp is a week-­long intensive program for rising high school seniors designed to help them decide if they’re interested in actuarial work. Contact: Patrick Brewer, Director of Actuarial Science.

1-(866) LV-4ADM • E­mail: brewer@lvc.edu www.lvc.edu/academics/summercommunity-programming/actuarial-science-camp Vanderbilt University Center for Science Outreach (CSO) – TN Vanderbilt University offers a variety of pre-college programs for high school students. The Vanderbilt Center for Science Outreach (CSO) is a science program that establishes partnerships between university scientists, K-12 educators and students, and the local and global science community. It offers summer programs including GAS (Girls And Science) and BEST (Boys Exploring Science and Technology. https://admissions.vanderbilt.edu/prospective/precollege-programs.php Georgia Tech Summer Engineering Institute (SEI) – GA Since 2008 the College of Engineering at Georgia Tech has offered a 3-week residential summer program that focuses on underrepresented minority rising 11th and 12th graders from across the nation. The goal of GT-SEI is to provide students with a real world engineering experience that prepares them for the challenges and opportunities of tomorrow.

Requirements: There is a minimum of 3.0 GPA requirement and individuals must have completed Algebra II and 2 lab sciences (preferably in biology, chemistry or physical science). Applicants must be a U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident. http://www.sei.gatech.edu/

[ 16 ]

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

Hobart and William Smith Colleges– NY Each summer, 50 students, 18 faculty and 14 staff embark on a transformative adventure. The Environmental Studies Summer Youth Institute (ESSYI) is a two-week, college-level interdisciplinary course for talented high-school students entering their junior and senior years. ESSYI introduces students to environmental issues and interdisciplinary techniques for addressing environmental problems. Students make new intellectual and emotional connections as they explore current environmental crises through scientific, social, economic, philosophical, ethical, and political perspectives. http://essyi.hws.edu/ Wagner College – NY Focus: Pre-Med and Science Pre-College Program Wagner College offers 3-week interactive learning experience for highly motivated high school students. In addition to traditional classroom lectures, students will partake in demonstrations, labs, and simulators and have the opportunity to visit hospitals in the NYC metro area. http://wagner.edu/lifelong-learning/pre-college/ summer-pre-college/pre-med-science/ Science Camps of America – HI Camp summer programs are for teens ages 13-17. There are two 10-day sessions each summer. Programs include field trips to study the volcanoes, rocks, streams, forests, ocean and sky of the Big Island of Hawaii. Students will see science come to life as they experience geology, oceanography, ecology, climate, and astronomy, “up close and personal”. http://sciencecampsamerica.com/ Stevens Institute Of Technology Pre-College - NJ Stevens Institute offers 1-2 weeks summer sessions. Programs are carefully designed by faculty to be creative, project-driven, and hands-on to give the student not just a real college experience, but real world experience too. There are several different programs in Engineering and Science, Technology, and Business such as Cybersecurity, Civil Engineering and Architecture, Pre-Med, Engineering bootcamp, Computer Science, Game Design, and Virtual Reality. www.stevens.edu/summer U.S. Naval Academy Summer STEM Program – MD The Summer STEM program at USNA offers a series of week long, STEM Engineering & Construction Camps designed for High School students who excel in math, science and technology courses and are interested in pursuing engineering, architecture, or related fields in college. Rising 9th-11th graders participate in team-building activities, intramural sports, academic modules, and go on a field trip to a local venue. Students must have a strong academic performance and PSAT, SAT, or ACT scores. https://www.usna.edu/Admissions/Programs/index.php

SUMMER STEM PROGRAMS Stanford University Mathematics Camp (SUMaC) – CA SUMaC offers intensive study in advanced mathematics for talented rising high school juniors and seniors. SUMaC accepts from around the world, so international students can apply! SUMaC offers two courses called Program I and Program II, with unique topics for each course. Students are enrolled in just one program during the summer, and the two programs allow students to potentially return for a second summer. http://sumac.stanford.edu/ Michigan State University HSHP – MI Michigan State University High School Honors Science/Mathematics/Engineering Program (HSHSP) provides its participants with a unique opportunity to “live and breathe” research in a university environment. Its goals are not only to educate individuals about the research process but also to provide the right kind of social context for such knowledge and expertise to flourish. Rising 12th graders engage in intensive research work over a seven-week period and to interact with peers who come from diverse backgrounds but who share a love of science and/or mathematics.

Only U.S. citizens and permanent residents are eligible for this program. http://education.msu.edu/hshsp/ Worcester Polytechnic Institute Summer STEM Residential Programs – MA WPI offers several different STEM programs for students entering 7-12 grades.

The Frontier program for rising juniors and seniors is an on-campus residential program. Students will be challenged to explore the outer limits of their knowledge in STEM disciplines with current laboratory techniques to explore unsolved problems. Workshops in the humanities and arts, ranging from writing, art, music, theatre, and more are also offered. There are two sessions offered in the summer. https://www.wpi.edu/academics/pre-collegiate/summer/stem-residential Penn State STEM Summer Enrichment Program – PA Penn State Harrisburg’s School of Science, Engineering, and Technology offers a two week STEM Summer Enrichment Workshop (STEM-SEP) in June. The program is free for high school students who are accepted to the program. The program is for rising 11th and 12th grade high school students. The workshop is designed to improve students’ knowledge through hands-on activities in a variety of STEM areas. http://harrisburg.psu.edu/science-engineering-technology/ STEM/summer-STEM-program

Northeastern University Center for STEM Education, MA Northeastern offers four STEM programs for high school students during the summer. These programs are open only to Massachusetts’s residents as they are non-resident programs. 1) Young Scholar’s Program (YSP) is for rising 12th graders and is a six weeks in duration; 2) Summer STEM Program (NUSS) is for rising 6th, 7th and 8th graders and is 10 days in duration; 3) Imagining the Future of Transportation Program (IFTP) is for rising 9th and 10th graders and is 2 weeks in duration; 4) GE Girls is for rising 7th ad 8th grade girls and is one week in duration. Additionally there is a Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program for rising sophomore, junior, and senior college undergraduates that is 10 weeks in duration. https://stem.neu.edu/summer/ The George Washington University Summer STEM Programs – D.C. GW’s state-of-the-art Science and Engineering Hall (SEH), coupled with GW’s distinguished faculty, provide a unique opportunity to study STEM courses in the nation’s capital. The new engineering building includes high-tech laboratory space and facilities, such as a biomedical-imaging lab. In addition, students interact with Washington, D.C.’s active science and engineering community to work on projects. There are credit and non-credit programs in a number of STEM fields. The non-credit programs are for rising high school sophomores, juniors and seniors. Participants enroll in 1 or 2-week programs that integrate lectures with guest speakers, experiential and applied activities. The program offers 4 different sessions. The credit programs are for rising college juniors and seniors. https://summer.gwu.edu/stem Rice University R-STEM Summer Program – TX R-STEM offers a variety of summer enrichment programs for elementary, middle, and high school students in topics such as computer science, computeraided design, 3D printing, and high school physics. Student programs vary by year and can include engineering, solar and energy exploration, or shadowing graduate and postdoc students in their research. https://www.rstem.rice.edu/programs

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

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STEM

CAREER AND LIFE

By Jim Paterson

Is A Government STEM Job

W

IN YOUR FUTURE?

orking for the government may not be the first career choice for most young people when thinking about their futures. But for a generation that hopes to make a difference, government service may grow in popularity as well as offer exciting challenges in some unexpected areas, especially in science and technology.

“There are a lot of opportunities in government for young people interested in STEM careers, using a wide variety of skills,” says Francesca El-Attrash, a researcher for GovLoop, (www. govloop.com) an information network for some 250,000 government workers. “And these positions can allow them to work for the public good,” El-Attrash argues.

Government service can be wide-ranging by location, challenging in the type of work it offers and rewarding in the range of opportunities it presents to learn and professionally advance. “They can do meaningful work that has a positive impact either domestically or internationally,” says Lindsay

[ 20 ]

Haake, a spokesperson with the Federal Office of Personnel Management, noting that the positions can be exciting, but also provide stability and good benefits.

THE CASE FOR CHANGE Government agencies might not immediately jump to mind as sought out employers or hotbeds of innovation. They often bring to mind clichéd images of drones working in cubicles and wading through endless stacks of paper.

Phrases like “red tape” and “bureaucrat” come easily to mind. Moreover, pay (https://www.fed eralpay.org/gs/raises) for federal workers has been somewhat stagnant in recent years, with wages rising just 1 percent the last four years, following three years when they barely budged.

Experts (http://bit.ly/2nJ36Z0) also note that the federal government in particular has been slow to update methods and technologies in some agencies, which could be frustrating to a college grad with training in the latest STEM approaches. “For example, the Department of the Treasury still runs on assembly language code — a computer language first created in the 1950s,” says Kevin Curry, senior vice president for the

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

HELPFUL RESOURCES

Here are some resources to help you explore careers in the government

• The Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook (http://bit.ly/2ovMKH7) allows you to search for information about any career, and includes material about jobs

in the government.

• USAjobs is a hub for federal jobs and has a specific site (http://bit.ly/2iLAFZc) for students, which includes a link where you can look at federal jobs based on college majors. It also has information about internships and scholarships and the federal Pathways program and a link (http://bit.ly/2qg7FQF) to other information about internships.

• GovLoop (www.govloop.com) has plenty of information about students moving into government jobs, including a list (http://bit.ly/2DPtnPb) of the top 10

youth-friendly agencies.

• GovLoop in partnership with the Robertson Foundation for Government (www.rffg.org) produced the “Getting into Government” (http://bit.ly/2Fa0Kgb guide. The foundation has other information about government

career paths.

• The Partnership for Public service also lists (http://bit.ly/19UT7m4) the best

places to work in the government.

• Book by Heather Krasna about finding a job in government titled “Jobs That Matter: Find a Stable, Fulfilling Career in Public Service” http://amzn.to/2mVd8ZL.

TIPS FROM TWO COLLEGE REPRESENTATIVES IN THE DC AREA

public sector at Infor Global Solutions, a large software company that often works with the federal government. Writing last spring in The Hill, (http://bit.ly/2nJ36Z0) a publication covering the federal government, he said that dated technology exists in many pockets among agencies, which can discourage young people.

“Even more shocking, the Department of Defense still uses floppy disks to coordinate the operations behind the nation’s nuclear forces,” Curry writes. “As long as this remains the status quo, the nation’s best talent will not just walk, but run, away from government positions.”

GOVERNMENT OF THE FUTURE Yet these examples obscure real changes in the government’s approach to technology and science as well as in attitudes about government work among young people, many of whom today are very interested in public service according to Curry. Similarly, El-Attrash argues, “…young people are vital to bringing new ideas into government and help it develop cutting edge approaches in STEM fields.” She notes, “Although many agencies may not need a high number of STEM employees to fulfill their core missions, young people with STEM skills can innovate in government and help society…It could be a very exciting time.”

US Digital Services, (www.usds.gov) the newest federal agency, is focused on helping the rest of government become more technology savvy for example. Meanwhile the Office of Personnel Management’s Innovation Lab teaches (http://bit.ly/2Cq9fRk) other agencies and federal employees about how to deploy new methods and technologies.

Other experts also note there will be a jump in the need for STEM employees as the government is hit by a surge in retirements

by aging baby boomers. This trend is already evident in the large volume of materials (http://bit.ly/2b8FitU) created to encourage and help federal and state agencies attract young people.

Haake’s office released a report (http://bit. ly/2C4qADK) in 2014 showing that despite the fact that young people working in the government are largely satisfied and expect to stay, only 16 percent of federal jobs are held by workers under 35. Experts (http://brook. gs/2eKbrfB) say that number has to grow and predict that by 2025 about 75 percent of the overall workforce will be millennials.

GROWTH AREAS FOR STEM EMPLOYMENT High schools counselors, colleges advisors and adult influencers are all key to promoting government service to students, says El-Attrash. She argues, “Relationships with students, professors, and career advisors on campus will ensure that agencies are recruiting the best and brightest for STEM positions… they also know these positions will require extensive training and technical knowledge.”

El-Attrash, and other experts specifically mention the growing demand for cyber-security as the government must protect everything from communications at a foreign embassy to the data in an average tax return. “We need to increase and strengthen the cadre of federal information assurance professionals that protect the government’s critical information infrastructure,” says Haake, pointing to a Web site designed to encourage young people to consider government “cybercareers”. (http:// bit.ly/2CrXSs0) In fact, a special scholarship (www.sfs.opm.gov) program is available for students interested in federal cybersecurity.

For two colleges in the Washington, DC, area, employment in the federal government is a common route for their graduates.

Representatives from both college have tips for students interested in STEM careers at the federal level.

“You can find every job imaginable in the government,” says Saskia Clay-Rooks, director of career services at George Mason University, located in Fairfax, VA, just outside the beltway near Washington. The government has long been the career path for the biggest chunk of its graduates.

George Washington University in the District of Columbia has an array of special programs to build the pipeline of students headed to the federal government, including a variety that inform the students and staff about the positions that will open and what training that will be needed, according to Rachel A. Brown, assistant provost for career services.

“They should align their major with their field of choice and certain industries,” she says. “However, they should also be flexible because industries and the government often overlap and each needs a varied workforce.”

Both also suggest that students consider other state and local levels of government, positions with contractors and consultants working for the government, or associations who lobby and work on public policy.

Clay Rooks says it is very important for students to maintain a good personal record if they ultimately want to work in the federal government, where getting a security clearance will make securing a job more difficult if there is a record of criminal activity or drug use. Study abroad in some countries or a troublesome comment on social media can also raise red flags. “It is another level of evaluation of these applicants when it is the government,” she says. “Especially in certain jobs.”

Both Clay-Rooks and Brown argue that the key is getting in that first position. They also note often it is easier to get a position with state or local government or where a student has first secured an internship. “It’s sometimes hard to get your foot in the door, but there are a lot of opportunities if you can,” says Clay-Rooks.

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

[ 21 ]

STEM

CAREER AND LIFE

El-Attrash lists the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and the NASA as two future top government employers for young people, both of which are very much tech-centered. (Her top-ten list http://bit.ly/2DPtnPb (see Exhibit 1) of government jobs for young people is comprised of federal offices that often work in STEM fields.)

More broadly, experts (http://bit.ly/2CrYpu0) suggest that students equipped to handle “big data” will be highly sought after to help sort through trillions of records at all levels of government given the continuous pressure to improve efficiency and better serve the public. For example, the Obama administration allocated $200 million recently for a big data research and development initiative.

Government employment trends are likely to parallel what we see in the private sector in many industries. Health care is one of the fastest growing parts of the economy and one in which government is deeply involved. Government scientists are likely to be researching everything from the botany of trees in national forests to the physics behind new energy sources. With the increasing automation of many functions, the government will be looking for logistics and supply chain specialists (http://bit.ly/2sz6c9X) just like many other sectors of the economy. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the number of these positions in the federal government will grow about 22 percent through 2022, which is double the national job growth rate.

A recent US Agriculture Department report forecasts some 60,000 new jobs are expected to open by 2020, many of them in high-paying STEM fields. But it also expects there will be shortage of graduates to fill the positions. To get ahead of the curve, the Agriculture Department has a special grant program (http://bit. ly/2meYjhB) to support young women and minority candidates and El-Attrash notes that the department now has the highest percentage of young people hired of any branch of the government.

Another area of opportunity is in the military which is actively recruiting young people interested in many STEM careers. For example, the Army maintains a Web site (http://bit. ly/2xy6oEJ) explaining its positions in those fields. And there are a lot of civilian jobs in STEM spread across the Department of Defense. The commander of the Army Corp of Engineers calls his organization “the largest public engineering firm in the world”. The intel-

[ 22 ]

ligence and foreign policy communities as well as law enforcement are all looking for young, tech-savvy candidates.

“A STEM career with the FBI will provide once-in-a-lifetime opportunities to develop skills by working closely with a cadre of elite STEM professionals within the nation’s premier law enforcement and intelligence organization,” explains the promotional material (http:// bit.ly/2BA8tUT) recommending a STEM career in the bureau. “An FBI STEM career will help applicants stand out by exposing them to work unlike any other offered by a government agency or private-sector company.”

TRENDS IN STATE AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

careers available at the state level as well. In fact, state governments collectively employ more people (http://bit.ly/2o4JnG7) than the federal government (about 4 million). Leslie Scott, executive director of National Association of State Personnel Executives, expects opportunities for students in technology or science fields to continue to increase.

“State government service offers many opportunities for starting a career – and a lot of opportunities for growth,” Scott says.

“Students can have a chance to use the STEM skills they developed in school, but then grow quickly into more advanced positions.” She also notes that state and local government positions might be easier to find in the geographical location the student prefers.

There are a variety of government-related TOP 10 MILLENNIAL-FRIENDLY FEDERAL AGENCIES Source: GovLoop http://bit.ly/2DPtnPb by Francesca El-Attrash

Exhibit 1

1. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)

NRC consistently ranks as one of the best places to work in federal government.

It scores well on all six measured indices of FEVS: Work/Life Balance, Effective Leadership, Employee Skills/Mission Match, Pay, Strategic Management, and Teamwork. Additionally, they offer a diverse range of entry-level positions.

2. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)

Another high ranker in best places to work in federal government, NASA provides a tremendous number of entry-level job opportunities. They offer many exciting career paths whether they’re tilted towards science, flight, data systems and analysis, or even international affairs.

3. Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

The FTC has been rated a top federal agency in employee engagement. It is a dynamic and mission-driven agency, regularly listed as one of the best places to work in federal government. The agency prides itself on excellent training, development, and professional growth for its employees.

4. Department of Commerce (DOC)

The agency strives to engage and empower developing leaders with a passion for public service. They offer a vast array of entry-level job opportunities and internships. Not only do you get to work close to the White House in this cabinetlevel agency, you also get extensive exposure to leaders in both the public and private sector that you might not in other agencies.

5. Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC)

In 2014, FERC ranked #1 in work-life balance. FERC, which regulates prominent energy markets and environmental issues, provides excellent benefits, compensation, training, and career progression. Additionally, the average federal employee who works there can earn up to $106,000 a year.

6. Office of Personnel Management (OPM)

Under President Obama’s leadership, the federal government has taken numerous steps to help students and recent graduates join the Federal service.

With USAJobs and Pathways programs, OPM helps offer clear paths to federal internships and entry-level positions for young professionals.

7. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

A career in protecting our clean air and water is a great way to serve in a professional capacity. EPA offers a number of internships, fellowships, scholarships and post-doctoral opportunities, law fellowships, and even student contracting.

8. Department of State

State is well known for its unique and dynamic Pathways programs, for internships, student trainees, recent graduates, and entry-level opportunities.

Their programs target a wide variety of US citizens including those ranging from high school to college to graduate school at all professional academic levels.

Internship opportunities can either be voluntary or paid, not to mention they offer great overseas opportunities.

9. Department of Treasury (DoT)

Many who have worked here say that DoT is an exciting place to work. Whether working at headquarters or other bureaus, there are many opportunities to have exposure to senior department staff and see the products of your labor benefit the US financial system.

10. Pension Benefit Guarantee Corporation (PBGC)

PBGC is recognized in government and on Indeed.com as an excellent place to work, especially for young professionals. They rank high on work/life balance, benefits, job security and advancement, and organizational culture. Student trainees can make over $16 an hour and a Financial Analyst can make almost $100,000 a year.

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

STEM

CAREER AND LIFE

1

WEB DEVELOPER:

With the rise in eCommerce and all things “Internet” in the past years, the demand for web developers has increased. Web developers can work on the front-end, backend and the full-stack (i.e. all aspects) of a website. There are currently several popular technology templates such as WordPress, Joomla, Drupal, and Squarespace where developers can use templates, plugins and available tools to add to a website’s capabilities. HTML, CSS, and JavaScript are some of the most popular development tools used by web developers.

Median Salary according to Indeed.com: $77,719 per year http://indeedhi.re/2E34Vwo

2 MOBILE APPS: These individuals work on ensuring that the mobile application is built for mobile users and for any website to be responsive and work well for mobile devices. We have seen an explosive number of mobile apps that are easy to download and use for almost every category and industry. Some of the desired skills for this job are Apple Xcode, Apple Xcode IDE, Mobile Application Development, Swift and Android SDK. Median salary according to Indeed.com: $106,647 per year http://indeedhi.re/2Fwq9Qd

3 USER INTERFACE (UI) DESIGNER: A UI designer is the person who ensures the design of each page, screen, and button is laid out properly and makes intuitive sense for the user to interact with. UI experts work with UX designers (see below) to follow the overall interaction and path that is laid out by the UX designer. This is a booming field as it has become more important for users to be able to run an application without a lot of documentation or instructions.

Median salary according to Indeed.com: $88,610 per year http://indeedhi.re/2BG4t1x

6 SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION (SEO) SPECIALIST: This is someone who works on making it easier for a website and its content to be found in search engines. As Google and Yahoo have become key search engines for products and brands, a whole new specialization has arisen to allow for consultants to optimize the content and pages of a website and to build links across various content providers. Without proper SEO, the value of a brand or website is diminished and all the great content may not possibly reach the audience it is intended for.

Median salary according to Indeed: $63,259 per year http://indeedhi.re/2EoExdX

7 DIGITAL MARKETER & SEARCH ENGINE MARKETING (SEM): Digital marketers are responsible for planning, developing, implementing and managing marketing campaigns to promote a business, brand or product in the digital space. This results in driving traffic, leads and customers to a website or product.

Digital marketers use social media, email, advertising and SEO (see explanation above) among other tactics to be effective.

Median salary according to indeed.com: $66,204 per year http://indeedhi.re/2DP4kPt

8 TECHNICAL WRITER: Technical writers utilize their writing and communication skills as well as knowledge of technology to write website copy, manuals, reports, articles, and press releases. The rise in tech products and websites has led to the growing importance of technical writers. Technical writers can have flexible schedules and work part time on a project basis.

Median salary according to Indeed.com: $31.35 per hour http://indeedhi.re/2rNBr0m

9 CYBER SECURITY ANALYST: 4 USER EXPERIENCE (UX) DESIGNER: Similar to a UI designer, a UX designer is responsible for the overall interaction and flow of the application. A UX designer uses tools for prototyping a product such as wireframes, mockups, virtual whiteboards, and 3D design to get the needed results.

This was ranked 7th by Forbes for work-life balance careers http://bit.ly/2GyWoQa. Median salary according to Indeed.com: $96,328 per year http://indeedhi.re/2DYjRM2

5 INFORMATION OR DATA ARCHITECT: This is a career that has been in demand for some time and it continues to evolve as new designs and technologies come to light http://mnstr.me/2BCUpq5. Data architects define and organize the structure of information for an application or website. Information architecture is a part of a good design process and helps one understand how the different pieces are put together to show the larger picture.

Mapping, categorizing, and relationship building are some of the activities data architects do. In recent years, big data architecture has emerged as a new method for organizing data.

Median salary according to Indeed.com: $121,515 per year http://indeedhi.re/2nsm0FE

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STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

These individuals plan, design and carry out security measures and protocols to protect information infrastructure such as networks, programs, websites and data.

This has become increasingly important as components of the technology are moved in the cloud and hackers who are determined to attack what is out there in cyberspace. Blockchain technology is an important new development that increases the transparency and safety of data transfer in cyberspace. This is currently disrupting several industries such as banking, insurance and supply chain http:// bit.ly/2n7pOz0.

Median salary according to indeed.com: $113,419 per year http://indeedhi.re/2orYETO

10 DATA SCIENTIST/ANALYST: (See Data Science Article in this Issue) Data scientists work on understanding the vast data that exists in a certain area in order to create a model, algorithm or prototype. They use analytical and mathematical skills to mine data and come up with patterns and insights. Dubbed as “the sexiest job of the 21st century” in the October 2012 of Harvard Business Review, this remains one of the hottest careers in tech. Forbes ranked this as #1 in their best 20 jobs for work-life balance. http://bit.ly/2nqFlH4.

Median salary according to indeed.com: $130,307 per year http://indeedhi.re/2DOKShT

STEM

CAREER AND LIFE

Exploring

Data

By Mila Sanchez

SCIENCE CAREERS

T

hough not yet available at all universities, an up-and-coming major popping up at a variety of schools is a degree in data sciences. As technology grows, and our ability to collect data and learn from it increases, the demand for big data professionals is opening jobs in a multitude of fields http:// bit.ly/2ByDMiV. People proficient in gathering and analyzing data in a way that benefits businesses, healthcare, data security and beyond are going to be very valuable and coveted in the years to come.

Depending on the particular career, you may need to get a master’s specific to data science and analytics in that field, but it will be well worth the effort for the math and analytics enthusiast looking for a lucrative and stable career.

Here are some career paths you can consider when you have a degree in data sciences:

BUSINESS ANALYTICS Companies of all kinds are making data analytics a priority in their business model. Due to the massive evolution of big data http://bit. ly/2HmBT9J, businesses are able to take all the information they gather daily from various sources, and learn how to improve their infrastructure and predict future successes.

The conclusions derived from the results of big data analysis are helping to drive the decisions that will help businesses grow and improve services for their customers.

For example, small businesses and large corporations alike will benefit from market analysis, gathering data from target consumers and analyzing where they interact most, what products are most popular, and which types of advertising are most effective in driving sales. Another field is Search engine optimization (SEO) which tries to discover top keywords and search phrases for specific industries to give marketers the information they need to successfully build their brand and raise their Google search rank.

HEALTH INFORMATICS Another field that is predicted to see strong growth in the coming years is the healthcare industry. Big data has a significant place in this field, and data scientists will be integral in helping the growth and accuracy of health data analysis, in conjunction with doctors and nurses.

According to the University of Illinois at Chicago http://bit.ly/2BBQEVs, the healthcare system is becoming increasingly reliant on data, and analytics will “help derive insights on systemic wastes of resources, can track individual practitioner performance, and can even track the health of populations and identify

people at risk for chronic diseases.”

Analyzing healthcare data will also allow fast cross-referencing of medical research and the health history of patients everywhere.

This will help patient care by assisting healthcare professionals to diagnose patients more quickly and accurately based on their personal history, those with similar histories, and medical research without having to spend the time to do individual research on their own. Instead, doctors and nurse practitioners can use their experience and knowledge to determine the accuracy of the diagnostic analysis, and spend more time directly with the patient and focus on their healing.

Data scientists will be vital to the implementation and maintenance of healthcare analytics, and it will be a career path with plenty of opportunities for years to come.

CRIME ANALYTICS For someone who is interested in career in crime prevention, has a mind for analytics, but doesn’t quite like the idea of the terrifying excitement of being out on the field with a gun and bullet-proof vest, a career in crime analytics could be just the thing.

Analytics and big data can be used in crime prevention by using the data accumulated to find crime trends and predict possible future crimes. While it sounds like something out of

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

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STEM

CAREER AND LIFE

“Minority Report,” it’s more realistic when you see how it works. By combining the crime data from several years, crime data analysts can pinpoint where certain crimes tend to happen and what they might entail — such as a district in a city that is a hotbed for selling drugs or physical assault. Once crime trends are identified, local law enforcement can increase their resources and patrol those areas more.

CYBERSECURITY AND BUSINESS COMPLIANCE Along with physical crime, cybercrime is also an area where data scientists will be valued for their analytic abilities. With more and more people displaying their personal information

on the internet and corporations keeping larger and larger databases on their customers , opportunities for cyberattacks are numerous.

While the actual securing of data and networks is typically left to the cybersecurity professionals http://bit.ly/2Gln465, there is a need for data scientists to analyze where and to whom cyberattacks most frequently happen, and find trends associated with best ways to prevent such attacks.

One emerging and related career area is business compliance in the financial and banking industries. Examples of this are: 1) AntiMoney Laundering (AML) http://bit.ly/2F85djs aims at detecting and stopping the practice of moving money through the financial system

that was generated by illegal activities, and 2) Regulatory Analytics focuses on compliance with government regulations and deals with issues like insider trading.

These data science career paths are just a handful of many careers you can seek out when you acquire a degree in data science.

Big data isn’t going anywhere and will only increase in importance as we become more reliant on technology to help us in our daily lives. A degree in data sciences will open up many of unique job opportunities that will keep you gainfully employed and interested for the long haul.

Mila Sanchez is a writer and recent graduate with a BA in English Linguistics. Her ambitions include traveling the world, studying languages, and taking pictures of her dog, Baymax. Connect with her on Twitter and Instagram!

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STEM

CAREER AND LIFE

5 TIPS to STand STEM Career Fair

By Emily Bardeen

out at your next

I

f you are a STEM student, chances are you will be attending a number of career fairs at your school or elsewhere in order to meet with potential employers and get an idea for what hiring managers look for. In fact, many colleges offer a dedicated STEM career fair and invite employers who are eager to find and hire talent for the many open STEM positions they have to fill.

Career fairs can be noisy affairs, packed with employers and lines of students waiting to talk to them. It’s the perfect opportunity to meet with an employer, but how can you make a good impression in just a few minutes – and in the middle of career fair chaos? Many college and high school career centers offer guidance to students on what to do and which goals to set.

Employers are drawn to students who show they are capable, confident, know something about their company and ask intelligent questions. Here are five tips to help you demonstrate these qualities at your next career fair.

3

PREPARE YOUR LOOK. Appearance is part of a good first impression. How companies view dress varies from industry to industry. A good rule of thumb is to dress to show respect. If your research has not clued you in on appearance, err on the side of clean, low-key and simple http:// bit.ly/2n6QTir. Travel light. Find somewhere to stash your backpack or carryall.

Bring a portfolio or small bag with enough room for plenty of resumes and any other materials (like your list of companies and notes about them) you need.

Your Introduction. Project confidence when you introduce yourself by looking the employer in the eye and smiling when you shake their hand. Repeating your name can help them remember it: “The name’s Bond, James Bond; or “Hi, I’m Chris. Chris Fuglesang”.

Introduce yourself with the same name that you write on your nametag.

Speaking of nametags… recruiters rely on your nametag when they meet you. Take the time to write your name legibly and large enough to read. So little a task. So many brownie points.

Your Conversation Starter Use your goals and research to develop conversation starters for each target employer.

Who you are: I am a senior majoring in a biomedical engineering

1

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FOCUS. Set some goals for yourself at the fair. Most career fair goals fall into three categories: information, contacts, and employer interaction. Be specific. You can always modify your goals later.

Early in your college career, you might focus on gathering information. Not sure how to talk with employers? A goal could be “Observe how four different students successfully talk with employers”. Not clear on your own direction?

“Ask 10 employers about their employees’ most common majors.”

When you start looking for a job or an internship, employer interaction and contacts are key. Some goals could be “talk with at least five employers I’m interested in”; “get contact information for at least one employer who is an alum at my school”; “ask at least six employers what their hiring process is”. Immaculata University mentions “networking” and “gaining experience” among other goals for students attending career fairs in their career guide http://bit.ly/2DyrPMG.

2

What you’re looking for: I am looking for a career position in an innovative biotechnology firm RESEARCH. Look up the companies attending the fair on the career fair website. Visit their sites and read up on the company as well as their job openings. Which ones interest you? Which will help you achieve your goals? Make a Top, Medium and Low priority list of companies to visit during the fair and what to ask them based on your goals.

Look at current job openings and research the companies’ culture and career paths. Search LinkedIn for alumni and other connections that work there. If you feel strongly about the company, try to talk to some current or former employees ahead of time.

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

Why you’re interested in the company: XYZ is a leader in nanotechnology innovation.

I am interested in your nanomedicine work, particularly your research with nanomaterials and biological devices Add a strength – I’ve been working in a nanomedicine lab on biological devices for the past 2 years Based on your research, develop one or two thoughtful questions for your top employers that show you have done some research on the company.

4

IMPLEMENT YOUR PLAN – Review the fair’s exhibitor map and decide in what order you will visit your target companies. Start with a couple of warm-up companies – ones where you know people or that are less important to you. Take advantage of waiting in line to review your research, network with other attendees and gather information. Take breaks to check and update your notes and to keep up your energy.

FOLLOW UP – Do not delay in contacting employers who requested follow-up, and applying to jobs you were referred to. Connect with new employers and networking contacts on social media. Research new company leads you made, and pursue any new referrals you received.

Finally, update your job search notes while they are fresh in your mind.

Employers keep track of their conversations with outstanding students and keep an eye out for applications from students who impress them.

Some upfront preparation will go a long way in helping you be successful at your next career fair.

5

Emily Bardeen is the former Director of Alumni Career Services (ACS) at the University of Virginia Alumni Association.

She is a recognized career and job search expert with experience across government, higher education, private and nonprofit sectors. She holds degrees from William Smith College and Georgetown University and has numerous career and organizational development certifications.

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utica.edu STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

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STEM

CAREER AND LIFE

UPDATES FROM

RILEY X. BRADY

Riley is a PhD student in Atmospheric and Oceanic Science at University of Colorado Boulder.

He has been juggling many activities including classes, research, publishing, presenting in Switzerland, and managing work-life balance.

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STEM Students Since writing for the previous STEM issue, I have had a productive and fulfilling year. As a refresher, I am a second year PhD student in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at the University of Colorado Boulder. I am still actively taking courses since I am early on in my program. After their first two years, graduate students in STEM typically only focus on research.

My two favorite classes this past year were Biogeochemical Oceanography and the Global Carbon Cycle. The former class surveyed the interface of biology and chemistry in the global oceans. We learned about the physical, geological, and biological controls on nutrients in the ocean, the complexities of the ocean carbon cycle, and the dynamics of phytoplankton populations. (Phytoplankton are the base of the food chain in our oceans and vital to their health.) The latter course covered all aspects of the natural and human-driven carbon cycle in the Earth system. We investigated wide-ranging topics from forest fires to permafrost to fossil fuel emissions. My coursework this past year was capped off with my written comprehensive exam. This was an eight-hour exam covering material from six of my core departmental courses. I spent a month preparing for the test and was quite relieved to get past this barrier.

Most programs have some variant of a written and oral comprehensive exam—I will be defending a research project for my oral exam this spring.

Graduate school demands a delicate balance between taking classes and conducting research. Although at times coursework seemed to dominate my schedule, I had a successful year of researching ocean biogeochemistry. Over the summer, I published my first peerreviewed manuscript in Geophysical Research Letters. My study used a state-of-the-art climate model to project the impact of anthropogenic climate change on ocean upwelling along the California coast. Upwelling is a wind-driven process that delivers fresh nutrients to the coastal shelf from depth, fertilizing phytoplankton and fueling a productive fishery.

My study suggests that upwelling will weaken due to carbon emissions, and the impact will become measurable by mid-century.

Recently, my work has focused on the exchange of carbon between the ocean and atmosphere in coastal systems. The ocean can be a source of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere or sink taking carbon dioxide out of it, depending on a delicate balance between physical circulation and biology. The strength and direction of this carbon flux can change due to climate variability, such as during El Niño events. My research uses a climate model to dig deeper into how climate variability modifies coastal carbon fluxes. I presented this work at the 10th International Carbon Dioxide Conference in Interlaken, Switzerland this past August. It was a very impactful event for me—I learned plenty about groundbreaking work on the global carbon cycle, met influential scientists, and traveled to a beautiful part of the world.

I am most proud about improving my work-life balance over this past year. Adopting habits to maintain good mental health is imperative to success in graduate school. Fortunately, living in Colorado makes this task slightly easier. I spent the year hiking in the Rocky Mountains, lifting weights at the gym, and cooking fresh vegetarian meals at home. I also prioritized getting eight hours of sleep per night and made an effort to spend plenty of time with friends.

My most important rule of the year was to work in my office on campus from 8am to 4pm, and leaving my work in the office when I went home.

I am looking forward to another great year as a graduate student, which will include a summer internship at Los Alamos National Lab, presenting at the Ocean Sciences Meeting in Portland, and working hard to unravel the mysteries of the ocean carbon cycle.

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

Who Appeared In Our Prior Issues What Computer Science graduate Casey Kesterson is doing now and her advice for you It’s been about five months now since I entered the working world, and to be honest…it’s better than I was expecting. And I was expecting it to be awesome.

One of the many nice things about a computer science degree was that I (alongside many of my classmates) was able to find a job well before graduation and put the stress of interviewing behind me. I am now in the wide world of consulting, where I can take on all kinds of different projects and there’s always something new to learn. As they say: If you’re bored, you’re doing it wrong.

Work is a different world than college was. In college, you worked until you were done; no matter how long it took, you got it done by the deadline, and you might have five other assignments you were juggling in the meantime. Now, I work 40-hour weeks. I get to leave those homework-driven nights and project-filled weekends behind and have more time for hobbies and relaxation again. Plus, now I only have one project to which I devote my full attention and energy. In school, you could not work with your classmates unless it was a group assignment and your resources were your professor, your teaching assistant (if you were blessed with one), and the Internet. After graduation, that all changes. No more teaching assistants, but your team is there to help you. And if you’re lucky, they will be more than willing to lend a hand when you need it. And can we talk about how you get paid for your work now???

Keep in mind; this is just my personal experience and with a job based on my preferences.

A computer science (CS) degree opens an incredible number of doors for you, and it really does give you more freedom to be picky about what you do than other majors might allow you.

While I enjoy my 40-hour workweek, others find start-up companies exciting. They love the fast pace of making something completely new, even if they must spend more of their time on it. I might work on one project at a time right now, but my boyfriend has three, which keeps him from getting bored. It is all about what works for you. There are so many CS jobs out there; it’s not too difficult to find something that makes you happy.

There are lessons I am glad I learned in school before I left, but knowing how to learn has been the most beneficial. Know how to troubleshoot errors in your code; it is an invaluable skill that I guarantee will come in handy. Even if you do not end up in a CS career, knowing how to research solutions will help you enormously. Try learning new languages and technologies on your own. When you graduate, you are going to need to teach yourself sometimes. You never know what new, exciting technology your company might need you to know. Many companies now offer access to instructional videos, tutorials, workshops or conferences, but you still have to be the one to put in the time and effort to learn.

I would also suggest trying to work with projects with large code bases while in school. By large code bases, I mean projects that are made up of hundreds of files of code. My guess is that a large portion of the coding work you will be doing when you graduate will be modifying and improving existing projects, which means you have to know how to read code written by someone else, figure out what it means, and determine where to add your own code.

If you’re a senior reading this—congratulations! I am sure you are excited, full of senioritis, and only slightly terrified. Relax—you will be fine. You have accomplished more than you think in the past few years and now you are ready. Take the time to enjoy having so many friends around you and soak up whatever you can from your professors before you leave. And sleep in!

Your days might not start so late come May.

CASEY KESTERSON Computer Science Major, Creative Writing Minor

JAMES MADISON UNIVERSITY, CLASS OF 2017 Currently working in the Consulting Industry in the DC area

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

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STEM

RESOURCES

Inspire, Learn, Create: INSPIRING LETTERS FROM STEM STUDENTS By: Adam G. in Illinois

By: Devon B. in New Jersey

MAJOR: COMPUTER SCIENCE

MAJOR: COMPUTER ENGINEERING

During my early years, I found myself with a lot of free time at the computer while my parents tended to my sister with disabilities.

At first, I spent my time as any kid would — playing video games.

But over time, I began to dive down different rabbit holes on Wikipedia, eventually landing on information about the computer I was using itself.

Here, immersed in the world of technology, I thrived. Eventually, my parents sent me to Emagination Computer Camps to spend my summer doing what I loved: learning about and using computers.

Over the course of eight summers, I learned to code, made new friends, and evolved as a leader through the camp’s teen leadership program. In between those summers, I involved myself with technology at school, filing for grants and representing my school district at the Consumer Electronics Show.

My passion for computers led me to apply to the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy where I have taken advanced classes in programming, cybersecurity, Android application development, and computational science. Recently, I investigated the way computer science is taught in middle schools at Argonne National Laboratory.

Computer science is amazing in the possibilities of what it can accomplish. By the time I graduate college, whole new fields utilizing computer science could be developed given the dizzying pace of change. As such, I am not sure exactly what I will do for a career.

What I do know, is that leveraging the power of technology, I will be well positioned to create a positive, meaningful change in society.

In 2015, my lung collapsed spontaneously. This resulted in a complicated hospital stay. After my lung failed to re-inflate after a chest tube was put in, I required bilateral lung surgery. I was in a hospital bed for a week. When I went home I could barely breath and had little energy. Believe it or not, there was actually some good that came out of the week spent in the hospital and the extra 3-4 weeks away from school being home schooled.

I figured out my interests. During most of this recovery time, I could not tolerate much physical and spent what energy I had browsing the internet with my iPad. Long story short, I figured out that I wanted to try and build a computer. I had all the parts picked out and saved the money for it. I ordered everything from the motherboard and the CPU to the power supply and the SSD. I got to work carefully assembling it and it was an experience I will never forget. For once, I found something I was good at that was not a sport. In my school, you are not cool for building a computer, you are cool for starting in a varsity team or simply for being good at a sport. I also made many new friends because I had so many questions on how to build one and was forced to turn to others for advice. In turns out these friends I made while building the computer are still some of my best today.

It was because of my experience in the hospital that I figured out what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to learn as much as I could about computers and what they had to offer. Although terrifying at the time, I have learned to be thankful for this life changing experience because it showed me where my true passions were.

By: Comfort A. in Illinois

By: Kayla M. in Massachusetts

MAJOR: BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES

MAJOR: HEALTH SCIENCES

Along the soft skin of my inner left wrist lays the remnants of a childhood lapse in judgement. At the same time, it serves as a constant reminder of my prospective goals. Six years ago, on an otherwise ordinary Wednesday night, I entered the Jackson Park Hospital ER with my anxious mother by my side. Earlier that day, I trampled our glass door in a race to the TV remote. The reckless encounter left me with an inch deep gash in my left wrist. I hesitantly climbed onto the examination table when the doctor entered the room. After unwrapping my wrist from its bloody cloths, he examined it for loose shards of glass and prepared me for stitches.

Once the wounded area was numbed, he began reconstructing this gaping wound. I was horrified at first, but later intrigued.

The process he used to administer the stitches was nothing like I thought it would be. The small instruments involved looked odd and mechanical, but his movements were beautifully fluid.

This moment sparked an interest in surgery for me. Six years later, I still am engrossed in medical journals and finding out about new surgical procedures. I aim to pursue a career in General Surgery, but am still exploring careers in the field of Neurology and Orthopedics. After studying genetic engineering at an MIT Biology Lab, biomedical engineering has also become a career option for me.

Most importantly, I know that I will be content in any biology-based STEM career.

I have always been utterly intrigued by science, specifically medicine, but I never knew the extent of my interest until one moment changed my life forever.

An interest in medicine and a desire to help others motivated me to volunteer at a hospital. One summer, I was stationed in the intensive care unit. During my shifts I would restock the medical supply carts in each room, answer phones, and provide assistance whenever needed. I would also interact with the patients. Unfortunately, opportunities to do so were rare in this unit.

But one morning when I went to restock the medical supply cart in a patient’s room I saw that she was wide awake. I did the usual: I introduced myself and explained why I was in the room. Typically, in the ICU unit, that would have been the end of the conversation.

However, this particular patient was different. She asked me about myself and my interests. She told me about herself and her life. We talked and talked. She was the sweetest patient I had ever talked to.

Later that day at the nurse’s desk, I suddenly heard an enthusiastic “Kayla! Look at me! I’m walking!” I looked over and sure enough there was the patient I had been with earlier working her way down the hallway using only a walker. My heart was immediately filled with joy. I knew at that exact moment that I was instantly and absolutely certain that I wanted to pursue an education in science so I can help others.

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STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

?

Need Funds For a Project

CONSIDER ONLINE FUNDRAISING AS AN OPTION If you are a NextStepU reader and have taken the time to read past this headline, one can make this assumption that you, the reader, are an engaged, highly motivated student or teacher. Chances are that you are also probably quite a busy person between school and extracurricular activities.

With a greater focus on project based learning in schools, there is a growing need for funds to cover the cost of your projects and other activities. A great option to consider is crowdsourcing through online fundraising platforms that are available today. Edco is an example of an online platform for the K-12 community that has helped many STEM and robotics teams purchase materials, travel to regional and national competitions and add resources to their classrooms. For example, Ironhorse Robotics from Clovis North High (http://bit.ly/2FjCGpQ) in Fresno, California successfully raised enough money to support their award winning robotics team.

Your goal should be to make fundraising easy and fast – keeping your time investment low and getting the highest yield possible from the fundraiser. Here are a few great tips to help you get the best fundraising results. (https://app.ed.co/library) IT’S THE 21ST CENTURY It is time to leverage technology and social media to reach more donors and raise more funds for your campaigns. Door to-door product sales have a limited “reach” and delivery can be time consuming. Online fundraising significantly decreases your team’s administrative and marketing time, eliminating many upfront costs while increasing the team’s revenue.

A DIGITAL TEAM PROJECT Online platforms allow for a team to build something together, then customize it with videos and photos to send a powerful message to potential supporters. Look at this campaign (http://bit.ly/2Hp2HWQ) that a high school robotics team in East Chapel Hill, NC recently created.

POWER OF NUMBERS Email and social media allow for a greater reach. Pick a fundraising platform that allows teams to easily share their fundraiser on social media. And since there is no need to mail anything, friends and relatives from distant places can support the team too!

TIME, TIME, TIME Online fundraising is a quick, secure, and efficient tool for your donors as well as campaign leaders. No checks to deposit. No cash to count and bring to the bank. Instead funds are quickly and efficiently deposited electronically into the team’s account.

SUSTAINABLE FUNDRAISING Build upon prior campaigns to create a dedicated donor base, get better results and receive future donations. Your fundraising page never vanishes and always allows you to accept tax-deductible donations. This means that starting your next fundraiser will take even less time and effort. You will also already have a proven donor list from your previous fundraisers that you can reach out to when you kick off your next fundraiser.

PERSONALIZATION & FOLLOW-UP ARE KEY Online platforms can keep donors informed and engaged with

your progress. You can share a milestone reached, or post photos of how you used the money (e.g. team photo in Washington, DC or holding a trophy). This kind of follow up will make donors more likely to donate the next time you are fundraising as they will see the impact their donation has.

They will feel a clear connection to your team, its goals, and past achievements.

By putting a little bit of effort into building your fundraiser’s footprint today, you can take your team’s projects to the next level tomorrow. will boost your campaign with $25 when it reaches the $500 mark https://www.ed.co/nextstepu

STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

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STEM

RESOURCES

TO HELP STUDENTS WITH STEM, EDUCATION 10 CONTENT, TESTING, AND PRODUCTIVITY Apps APPLE’S ITUNE UNIVERSITY APP (FREE)

Apple’s iTunes University (iTunes U for short) allows anyone with an iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to learn from the world’s largest collection of free education content – including public courses and collections from leading schools, universities, museums and cultural institutions. Choose from more than 1 million free lectures, videos, books and resources.

Includes material from Stanford, MIT, Yale, Oxford, McGill, La Trobe University, University of Tokyo, Library of Congress, Smithsonian, and many more. http://apple.co/QmukUS

1

BRAINSCAPE FLASHCARDS (FREE)

Brainscape works on any device and includes flashcards for subjects as diverse as Foreign Languages, MCAT, Music Theory, SAT prep, AP Exams, Series 7 prep, and Sports Trivia. Brainscape works by personalizing the timing of each flashcard repetition, using proven cognitive science. All you have to do is rate how well you know each concept, on a scale of 1-5, and Brainscape determines the right time to quiz you again. It’s strangely addicting and is scientifically proven to slash your required study time. http://apple.co/1tdk9Cz

2

QUIZLET APP (FREE)

Master your classes with the leading education app! Create your own flashcards or choose from millions created by other Quizlet users on thousands of subjects.

If you’re doing standardized test prep for big exams like the SAT or ACT, studying for an upcoming midterm or test, or just need homework help, you can feel confident with these powerful interactive learning tools. The rudimentary app allows you to create your own personal flashcards — using text, images, and audio — or browse a wealth of usercreated quizzes. http://apple.co/2mcDW5s

3

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STARWALK APP ($4.99)

Star Walk is an elegantly designed mobile stargazing app of the highest quality.

The app follows your device’s movements in real-time, offering views and providing info on more than 200,000 stars, constellations, and other celestial bodies.

Moreover, the app possess a remarkable calendar of celestial events and lets you view the night sky during different time intervals. http://apple.co/2lGxo17

4

KHAN ACADEMY (FREE)

Khan academy provides over 10,000 videos and explanations at your fingertips in math, science, economics, history, and much, much more.

Free downloadable videos allow you to brush up on everything from K-12 math (arithmetic, pre-algebra, algebra, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, calculus, linear algebra), science (biology, chemistry, physics) to art history and computer science. You can also track your progress and unlock basic achievements. http://apple.co/1U02GHU

5

PERIODIC TABLE APP (FREE)

More than just another interactive periodic table, this Periodic Table app from the Royal Society of Chemistry incorporates everything from podcasts to videos to help you learn about the elements. The app showcases different levels of data to satisfy everyone, from a novice to an AP Chemistry student. http://apple.co/2kN48Xw

6

Ready4 SAT App (FREE)

Ready4 SAT, goes beyond just drilling you to answer practice questions. It aims to teach you the material and test-taking tips in mobile-friendly chunks, so that you can study whenever and wherever you have your smartphone. This free app even tries to match your potential SAT score with schools and academic programs around the world, just in case you need extra motivation to study. http://apple.co/2lw9EuG

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STEM Magazine • Winter 2018 • www.nextstepu.com

POCKET UNIVERSE APP ($2.99)

This is the ultimate astronomy app that allows you to learn while you stargaze. If you are a science teacher, a student, or parent of a science student, this is a perfect, no-stress way to teach astronomical concepts in a beautiful and simple way. You can take virtual tours of all the bodies in our solar system, read the most recent astronomical news, and much more. http://apple.co/2lGEL94

8

ROBOTS FOR IPAD APP (FREE)

Touted by many as the best robotics app on the market, this mobile app from IEEE Spectrum Magazine lets you explore over 150 real-world robots from 19 countries. There are stunning visuals – with 360° views, video tutorials, and high-interest articles to support the experiential learning. http://apple.co/2lpNRqf

9

MUSICAL.LY LIP SYNCING APP (FREE)

The app, musical.ly is a platform for teens to showcase their lip syncing prowess. The platform makes it super easy for everyone to make awesome videos and share with friends or to the world. The new social video network has users lip sync to 15-second tracks, ranging from top 40 hits, Japanese pop songs, and quotes from Harry Potter. You can then can add filters and edit the speed of the video before posting it directly to musical.ly or spread it across your other social channels. http://apple.co/2lGsxNK

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Disclaimer: NextStepU is not responsible for the accuracy and content for these apps and how well they work. It is up to the individual to research the app content and usability for an individual.

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