2/3/22 by Dr. Stephanie Garcia (ASE Lead)
We hope that all our local partners, educators, students and families are avoiding COVID-19 (+ variants) and staying warm as this winter freeze has made its chilly entrance today. Yesterday, about 20 cross-sector partners convened for our monthly ASE Networking Meeting- and all I can say is WOW! This month is PACKED with all kinds of events and opportunities for partners, educators, students and families. You can find most of our innovation-themed events under the “Events” tab above for the entire spring semester. Below, however, are events and resources that align with other themes and celebrations happening this month. Did I already say there’s a lot going on this month? Well, check out some important events that align with the celebrations listed below and be sure to share these with your friends, family, and colleagues.
Black History Month
KLRN shared teacher resources for Black History month in their newsletter.
TCEA shared these Black History resources in this month’s newsletter
The National Girls Collaborative Project (and Texas chapter) has shared the following resources to promote Black students in STEM:
- 13 Black Women in STEM You Should Know. Explore this list, curated by GoldieBlox, of 13 Black women in STEM that are paving the way for others.
- 16 Black History Month STEM Activities. iD Tech has created a list of 16 STEM activities for youth to help them learn about contributions of Black scientists and STEM professionals.
- Black Girls Do STEM. This program is for Black girls (grades 6–8) to explore various STEM careers across multiple industries. Students conduct hands on experiments in workshops designed to have them think and problem solve like real world scientist.
- iUrban Teen is a nationally recognized program focused on bringing career-focused education to underrepresented teens ages 13-18. With a goal to increase awareness and knowledge of STEM+C+A, Civic and Communication careers and training, youth receive hands-on exposure to a variety of careers and civic engagement. iUrban Team boasts near equal parity of girls that participate in their programs, including youth with special needs
- NCWIT: The Color of Our Future: An Online Conversation Series on the Empowerment and Inclusion of Black Women & Girls in TechThis NCWIT virtual chat series explores Black girls in K-12, Black women in post-secondary computing education, and Black women in the tech workforce. Each online discussion features a panel of experts who explore the advancement and inclusion of Black women and girls across the tech ecosystem.
Palo Alto College is hosting a STEM Panel on Wednesday, February 16th from 11 am – 12:15 pm on “Challenging the Status Quo in the Healthcare Industry.” The STEM Center’s Black History Month Speaker Panel will focus on disparities in the black community regarding healthcare as well as mental health and wellness. Speakers include:
- Joel Bervell – Medical student and TikTok’s 2021 “Voice for Change.” Bervell is committed to fighting health disparities in medicine through education
- La Joya Williams – UTSA Alumni and master’s candidate at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. Williams has changed many lives through her work with nonprofit organizations.
- Dr. Carolyn Tubbs – Associate dean of the College of Arts, Humanities, and Social Sciences, and associate professor and program director for the Marriage and Family Therapy program at St. Mary’s University.
Click the link to register. For more information contact: Erron Gonzalez, STEM Academic Program Director, egonzalez366@alamo.edu
February 11th: International Day of Women and Girls in Science
The International Day of Women and Girls in Science recognizes the role of women and girls in science as agents of change, including by accelerating progress towards the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation). This year’s assembly will address the theme “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Water Unites Us”, and gather experts from around the world to discuss the water nexus in achieving the three pillars of sustainable development: economic prosperity, social justice, and environmental integrity. Learn More.
Reinvented: STEM Themed Galentine’s Day Cards. Reinvented is teaming up with women and nonbinary individuals in STEM to write Galentine’s cards to youth. Girls, women, and non-binary youth in high school and college with an interest in STEM can request a card with stickers written by a STEM professional. Galentine’s Day cards will be mailed during the month of February free of charge. Recipients are encouraged to follow Reinvented on Instagram and share a picture of their Galentine’s Day card. Galentine’s Card Request Form.
CodeYourSelf™ National Self-Portrait Coding Competition for Girls (Grades 3-12) Code/Art’s CodeYourSelf™ competition combines creativity, art, and coding to inspire more girls to pursue computer science while also helping change society’s view of what a coder looks like. This competition is for female-identifying or gender non-binary persons living within the U.S. It’s easy enough for first time coders, while still being engaging enough to challenge more experienced coders. As an added challenge, each year’s competition has a unique theme. This year is Submit a self-portrait inspired by the idea of moving forward after a year in pause. What does “on the go” mean to you? The deadline to apply is February 18, 2022.
The Ultimate List of Scholarships for Women and Girls. College can be expensive. That’s why scholarships for women are so valuable. First, they help lower the cost of going to school, which is worthwhile in itself. Second, they are only open to female students, making them potentially less competitive. If you have a girl getting ready to head to college, here is the ultimate list of scholarships for women and girls.
FabFems are women from a broad range of professions in science, technology, computer science, engineering, and mathematics. They are passionate, collaborative, and work to make the world a better place. Many girls have similar interests but aren’t connected to adults who exemplify these career pathways.
February 20th – 26th: National Engineers Week
Palo Alto STEM Center Engineering Event: STEM Center – Engineering Week Event
11 a.m. – 12: 15 p.m.
N’Dea Irvin- Choy will speak about her experience as a 4th year PhD Candidate in Biomedical Engineering. Her current research focuses on the use of nanoparticle-based systems for maternal and fetal applications.
Event will be virtual and registration link is currently pending. For more information contact: Erron Gonzalez, STEM Academic Program Director, egonzalez366@alamo.edu
Engineer It! by The Witte Museum is a family engineering day! It is included with museum admission. Read more about this event and others under February’s Spring Into Innovation Events Page!
Girls, Inc. Presents their 3rd Annual Speed Mentoring Event which is an opportunity that will allow girls in 9th-12th grade to practice their networking skills, build their confidence, and learn more about the different educational and career paths from inspiring women. We want girls to meet women from different backgrounds and across professional sectors who can offer valuable advice and help inspire girls. Date: Saturday, February 19th, Time: 10:00 AM – 1:00 PM , Location: TBD, If you are interested in this opportunity, please REGISTER HERE. For more information or for the questions, please contact: Yaritza Farillas, yfarillas@girlsincsa.org.
VIRTUAL Girl Day at UT Austin – February 19 with additional programming February 21-24
Girl Day at UT Austin, including Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day and the Girl Day STEM Festival, will be hosted VIRTUALLY!
Elementary and middle school students, families, and educators are invited to join us for FREE hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fun on Saturday, February 19, 2022:
- 10 a.m. – 12 p.m. CT on Zoom Webinar: Girl Day Welcome, STEM Shows, Demonstrations & More – two hours of action-packed content (agenda coming soon)
- 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. CT on Gatherly: Interactive, hands-on activities using materials found at home; Demonstrations and “meet a scientist, engineer, astronomer, or other STEM professional” in small groups; information booths and more! (details coming soon)
UT Austin’s national award-winning Girl Day, presented by Women in STEM (WiSTEM), gives elementary and middle school students a chance to explore STEM through grade-appropriate, hands-on activities hosted by volunteer scientists, engineers, astronomers, and STEM enthusiasts from student organizations, research centers, corporate partners and community organizations. All genders are welcome!
High school students, families, and educators are invited to join us for FREE virtual STEM programming 1:30 – 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, February 19th and throughout Engineers Week (February 21 – February 24, 2022). Details coming soon! Educators are welcome to join in to explore, connect with STEM role models, experience STEM hands-on activities and demonstrations, and more! Educators may also sign up for #UTGirlDay in the Classroom. Visit the Educator and Classroom Opportunities page for more information.
EngineerGirl Ambassador Program. Applications are now open for the 2022-2023 EngineerGirl Ambassadors Program! An EngineerGirl Ambassador is a female, U.S. high school student who designs, develops, and implements a project in her local community that will encourage younger girls – particularly those with little access to engineering role models – to think about engineering and engineering careers and give them practical experience in engineering design. Ambassadors will receive training and support from the National Academy of Engineering, $250 in project funding, an all-expense paid trip to a training and networking event, and more. The deadline to apply is March 15, 2022.
Texas STEM Conference is on February 25 – 26, 2022 in San Antonio, TX (or Virtual). The Texas STEM Conference brings together hundreds of educators (PK–12, all content areas) each year to learn innovative approaches to teaching and learning, cutting-edge technologies, and STEM best practices. The conference will be held as a hybrid where participants can either attend in-person at Region 20 ESC in San Antonio or online via Cvent. In addition to traditional STEM Education topics and workshops, the 2022 Texas STEM Conference will also focus on accelerated learning, hybrid learning, and other strategies conducive to STEM teaching and learning.
February 21st – 27th: National Leap into Science Week
National Leap into Science Week is an annual celebration of science and literacy learning for all participating educators, state leaders, and organizations across the country, to increase awareness for science and literacy learning in community settings. Educators across the country are celebrating by hosting science & literacy workshops with their communities. Join in the fun by reading your favorite children’s book or engaging in a hands-on STEM activity. Share your stories and use the hashtags #LeapWeek and #LeapIntoScience and tag @TheFranklin and @NGCProject on social media to participate. To find a Leap into Science workshop near you, visit The Connectory.