GUIDE TO
PROGRAMS
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Presenting the 2016
GUIDE TO STEM PROGRAMS Welcome to the future. In coming years, the disciplines of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics will surge to discover new worlds, unravel old mysteries, and answer what we used to think were unfathomable questions. Will you be ready? GOT QUESTIONS OR SUGGESTIONS?
Email me at mschwartz@teenlife.com.
If you have a strong interest in STEM, our Guide to STEM Programs is the perfect tool for finding a great college or summer program where you can meet other fellow explorers, be exposed to the latest technology and learn from the best in your chosen field. We also have expert advice on what skills you need to develop, ways to evaluate a summer program, and how to find mentors and scholarships.
Our guide features college and summer programs of all different lengths and costs. Some are close to home, some on college campuses, some in the great outdoors. You can build a rocket, see the hidden world in a drop of pond water, design shoes using a 3-D printer, build your own virtual world, help crack a health mystery – there are no limits! Discover even more opportunities for STEM on our website at www.teenlife.com and request information from any of our partners. But better hurry, the future won’t wait! Marie Schwartz CEO and Founder TeenLife Media
Aspire. Apply. Achieve. IvyWise is the world’s premier global educational consultancy supporting students in over 40 countries since 1998. IvyWise’s team of expert counselors has over 150 combined years of experience in admissions at the country’s most selective schools, including MIT, Harvard, and more. In addition to general admissions counseling, IvyWise helps STEM students stand out with help with internship placement, summer program selection, extracurricular involvement, and more.
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A VERMONT COLLEGE
THAT WILL TAKE
YOU PLACES. Students at
VERMONT TECH
In labs on our campus today, students are programming the software to take the next satellite to the moon in
2018.
get real-world experience and hands-on learning in every major. Our STEM programs are tied to vital industries with good careers.
LEARN MORE vtc.edu/stem Computer Information Systems | Electrical Engineering | Energy Health Care | Manufacturing | Software Development Structural and Environmental Engineering
Small College. Big Outcomes. vtc.edu/stem | 800 442 8821 | admissions@vtc.edu 4 The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs
Contents
GUIDE TO STEM PROGRAMS 2016
7 STEM CHECKLIST: Got these skills?
25 STEM OR STEAM? Why colleges push the
10 SAVE THE PLANET: How STEM can boost
27 IN HER OWN WORDS: Why I majored in STEM
13 MONEY, MONEY: How to find a STEM scholarship.
28 STEM JOBS: We have some surpises for you.
15 IN HER OWN WORDS: How forensics
31 WRITE STUFF: Yes, you do need to know
16 SMARTER SAILING: Study STEM in a boat!
33 STEM GIRLS: Expert advice just for you.
19 STEM SUMMER: Follow our tips to discover
35 COMMUNITY COLLEGE: Start here to ask
21 PROGRAM LISTINGS: College, summer,
37 IN HER OWN WORDS: Why I picked engineering school.
humanties for STEM kids.
You’re going to need them.
your environmentalism.
how to communicate.
inspired me to pick STEM.
the right questions.
a great program.
community service, find it all here.
at college.
39 IN HER OWN WORDS: Why I spent my summer in the “MINES.”
Make Awesome
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3M, American Association of Chemistry Teachers, American Chemical Society, American Physical Society, American Scientist, Booze Allen Hamilton, CE&N, Engineering.com, Events DC, Farrell Family Foundation, Francis Goelet Charitable Lead Trust, Howard University, Innovation & Tech Today, NASA, National Science Foundation, National Institute of Health (NIH), Physics Today, ResMed Foundation, Sigma Xi, ViaSat
American Chemical Council / Society of Plastics Engineers / Society of Plastics Industry, American Farm Bureau, American Petroleum Institute, ANSYS and Space Training Adventure, Inc., Association for Advancing Automation, CrazyEngineers, Forbes/Wolfe, IEEE-USA, Illumina, Inc., United States Department of Agriculture, West Virginia University
ACT, Activity Rocket, Best Buy Co, Capital One, Center for Biotechnology Education at Johns Hopkins University, Children’s National Medical Center, Department of Energy, Edwards Lifesciences, FASEB - Federation of American Sciences for Experimental Biology, Federation of Galaxy Explorers, FEI Company, Genentech, Georgetown University, Homeland Security News Wire, K’NEX, Mars Symbioscience, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, National Institute of Standards and Technology - NIST, Orbital ATK, Penton Media, SCOPE - Science and Citizens Organized for Purpose and Exploration, SpaceX, Texas Instruments, Thermo Fisher Scientific, Tufts University, U.S. Department of State
STEM Checklist
Make sure you have these 7 skills By Dr. Karyn A. Koven
lanning to go for STEM in college? There are key skills you should get now to make you a better candidate for college admissions as well as a successful science, technology, engineering or math professional. My years of counseling high school students have taught me that if you slay these seven STEM skills, you’ll be all set.
able conclusions. Every good scientist knows that! STEM students need to be curious and ask the right questions.
1. LEARN IT
First, get the basic hard skills. You know that nagging math teacher who always wants you to “show your work”? How about your science teacher who is so picky about all of those lab report formats? Thank them. Yes, that’s right, you need to thank them because they are paving your way. Sure, it’s annoying now, but the skills they are teaching you will serve you well in the future at college or in your career. I know it’s hard to believe sometimes, but your teachers already made it through college. Trust me, they know a thing or two. Benefit from their hard work, accomplishments and mistakes. They are preparing you for what’s ahead.
3. TRY IT
The things you are learning in high school are your building blocks to learning more complicated material. Make sure you build yourself a very firm foundation for a future career, or it will all come down like a house of cards. Colleges expect students who are entering STEM majors to have a strong foundation in math, scientific methods, measurements, conversions and lab skills.
2. FIND IT
A great STEM student really knows how to find the good information already out there. Gather the data and dissect it. STEM students are inquisitive and knowledgeable about where to find answers. You can Google something to start, but research methods are key to producing reli-
That’s right. How many times as a teen are you encouraged to try something new? Once you have information, and you’ve done proper research with proper sources, bring on the fun! You get to try out your hypothesis, set up a proper research project and experiment, and try things out. Don’t be afraid to be wrong! And, when you know you are wrong, try again. And even if that’s wrong, keep trying!
4. CONNECT IT
You should know what a good source is and how to evaluate your sources. Start with your textbook and understand how to use it as a resource. You also need to know how to do a library search or be willing to make great friends with your local or college librarian. Librarians of today are skilled information scientists who can lead you to information and resources you need.
Synthesizing information in the STEM fields is going to be key. As a scientist or engineer, you need to solve problems by bringing all of your information together. Everything you’ve learned, gathered and tried out needs to be brought together and combined into digestible information for your peers, professors and even the world. Bringing it all together is about making sense of the information you have and being able to connect the dots.
5. SHARE IT
In the process of gathering information, you also need to collaborate with your peers and professors. Maybe you will need to ask questions of experts in other fields and collaborate across disciplines. Sciences are very inteThe TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 7
grated, and problem-solving happens across disciplines. Working collaboratively will not only make you a standout but could also help you network or publish. A summer or after-school program can also help you learn these skills.
able to share your work in a way people understand.
Don’t write off your English or history teacher. They are teaching you valuable communication skills that can be applied to all of your work. Without great communication skills, it’s going to be hard to get your point across or explain what you have discovered or accomplished in your work. You need to speak clearly as to how your findings are important. If you need to work on your writing, presentation and overall communication skills, focus on developing them along with your math, programming and robotics courses.
And if you’re not sure about a STEM career or particular field, a summer program is the perfect way to try something out.
6. RELATE IT
What is the larger significance or importance of your project or study, and why would anyone care? Ultimately, science has to be relatable and relevant. STEM students must use critical thinking and draw conclusions about their work. You should be able to justify your projects. In the future, for example, you will likely need to ask for funding in order to pay for your experiments or projects. You will need to be able to explain why your work is important.
7. SHARE IT
Hey you, behind your lab coat, beaker and protection glasses: Eventually, if you are going to find the answers we’ve all been anticipating, you will need to be able to communicate your idea to others. This could be in written or oral form, but you need to be
You can start practicing all seven of these skills right now before you get to college. Make them part of your academic habits. If some of them are a stretch now, reach out to your teachers or to potential mentors in the community to help you. You’ll be glad you did.•
Dr. Karyn Koven is the founder of LanguageBird.com, online high school Spanish courses and a co-founder of HighTech Los Angeles, a college-prep school ranked the No. 1 charter high school in California. As director of College Counseling, Internships and Community Outreach, Dr. Koven has visited over 90 colleges domestically and internationally and helped thousands of students find college, summer, gap-year and internship programs. She coordinates the school’s internship course and volunteer mentors.
Be inspired. be innovative. Be you.
Summer STEM Camp in Montana
Lisa Wareham Photography
ONE WEEK SUMMER STEM CAMP For young women interested in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM).
JUNE 19 - JUNE 24
BUTTE, MONTANA
Lisa Wareham Photography
Dig into your potential at MINES. Last year the participants investigated: Rocket Science Robotics Yellowstone National Park Ecology Disease Outbreaks How oil and gas are formed, stored and extracted And, you will meet other young women interested in STEM and learn from professionals in STEM careers, all while enjoying the beauty of Montana.
Camp is limited to 30 participants entering their sophomore or junior year in high school in fall of 2016. Learn more at mtech.edu/mines-camp or by calling 1-800-445-TECH
DESIGNING TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE NNU’s engineering programs challenge students to change their world through innovative and compassionate design. NNU students do this everyday through relevant, real world projects like an infant vital signs monitor sponsored by Micron Technology, a community green house system for remote Argentina or cube satellites to be printed and deployed from the International Space Station. Learn more at NNU.EDU/ENGINEERING. The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 9
WANT TO
SAVE
THE PLANET? STEM can help By Bill O’Neill
or Lowell George, every day is Earth Day. She found a way to merge her interest in science with her love for nature – and turned it into a solid job. “My dad would take my sister and I hiking from when I was age 3,” said George, who grew up in Briarcliff Manor, N.Y., a small village 30 miles north of New York City. “Later I got into skiing, kayaking and canoeing. I didn’t realize it at the time, but I was growing an appreciation for the outdoors from the time when I was really little.” She was undecided about a major when she started at Cornell University. “I looked through the course catalog, and a lot of the classes I was interested in were in the environmental sciences,” she said. “I’ve always liked being in the 10 The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs
outdoors. I was excited about studying it when I realized that it could lead to a career.” After graduating from Cornell in 2014 with a bachelor’s of science in natural resources, George interned at American Rivers, a nonprofit dedicated to protecting and restoring rivers, where she now has a job as a national river cleanup manager. “It’s a perfect job for someone who loves science and wants to help save the world,” she said. Restoration ecology – the practice of restoring ecosystems that have been degraded, damaged or destroyed – combines hands-on work and creativity, according to Kate Ballantine, assistant professor in environmental studies
at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. “It bridges the gap from learning science to producing knowledge,” she said.
really bond over a chance to help heal the planet.” Environmental scientists aren’t the only ones working to save the world.
Environmental work attracts students with a range of interests. “Along with environmental science, it often involves numerous branches of the natural sciences, as well as policy, engineering, psychology, education, sociology, history, social justice and even the arts,” she said.
“There’s always a place in engineering for people who want to make the world a better place and protect the environment,” said Karen Davis, director of career services in the department of engineering and computer sciences at Syracuse University. “There are a lot of directions. You can work for the government, business or nonprofits.
The multidisciplinary approach is one of the things that attracts students, Ballantine said.
“Engineers change the world in every possible way. The water you drank today – was it clean? Engineers helped make that happen, from civil engineers to chemical engineers.
“They enjoy working with people who are developing different kinds of expertise and coming from a lot of different majors. “We’re seeing more of that model in the real world. I see a lot of interest from employers in students with this kind of training. Exciting and meaningful jobs are available all over the globe. They need deep thinkers. It’s a very young field, and there’s a lot of room for contributions in projects around the globe.” Issues such as climate change and soil erosion can seem overwhelming to students, Ballantine said, but they learn that using scientific methods and creative thinking gives them a way to contribute. “They end up feeling optimistic and empowered,” she said. “They
“We have to worry about nature. We need to have clean air. We have to think about water and the ways we use it. Engineers have a role in all of that.” From bioengineering to wind power, engineers are on the cutting edge of ways to make best use of the planet’s resources, Davis said. “Engineering is a wide-open field. You can be anything you want if you come out of college with an engineering degree. They teach you how to problem solve and think strategically. “There are so many places where you can make an impact. If you want to affect the future, engineering is the path to take.” •
summer camp with a future! Join hundreds of other high school students this summer at MSOE for weeklong, resident programs, all in July. Activities are project based and you’ll experience what it would be like to be an engineer, business person or health care provider and what real college life is like.
Discover the Possibilities in Engineering Experience architectural, civil, mechanical, industrial, biomedical, biomolecular, computer, software and/or electrical engineering. Focus on Engineering Dive deeper into a specific engineering field. Focus on Business Run your own business! Focus on Nursing Experience being a nurse in our one-of-a-kind nursing complex.
MSOE • (800) 332-6763 • msoe.edu/summer
How to find the perfect fit
STEM
scholarship By Suzanne Shaffer f you are interested in a STEM career and need help paying for college, STEM scholarships are available in all the fields of science, technology, engineering and math. Competition for nationally recognized scholarships can sometimes rival the competition to get into competitive colleges, so it’s good to be thinking ahead.
Q.
A. Start with a simple Internet search for “STEM scholar-
Here are some FAQs to help you get started with your search, along with a few specific scholarship search results within each category.
Q.
Do you apply the same scholarship search strategy when searching for STEM scholarships as others?
A. Yes. Any scholarship search should be all-inclusive:
searching both online, with your high school counselor, and locally. If you are a STEM student, however, local scholarships should be your top priority. Local scholarships have fewer applicants, and many times these scholarships go unclaimed; but it will require some digging at the library, reading the local news site and watching local news telecasts. Most communities have companies that hire STEM graduates and offer scholarships but only advertise them locally.
After searching locally, where is the best place to continue my STEM scholarship search?
Q.
ships,” or narrow it down into a specific category: for example, engineering scholarships. It’s also possible to add specifics about your race, gender or other demongraphic information to narrow your search. A simple search for various STEM scholarships will provide you with lists like these: Engineering Scholarships-A Giant List; Math Scholarship Resources, Science Scholarships and 50 Amazing Computer Science Scholarships. You can also use scholarship search engines like MyScholly, where you can enter your specific major, along with other relevant information, and get matched with scholarships. Other than doing a basic topical Internet search, where else can I search for STEM scholarships?
A. You can find STEM scholarships by searching the com-
panies that employ graduates within your specific area of interest. Microsoft, for instance, offers numerous The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 13
scholarships for students majoring in engineering, science or technology, along with race- and genderspecific scholarships such as this one: Blacks at Microsoft Scholarships.
Q.
Do colleges offer scholarships in these specific majors?
A. Colleges often offer STEM scholarships specific
to each academic department. Search each department within the college website for scholarship opportunities. When visiting the college, you should also visit the financial aid office and inquire about scholarships in the major that interests you. College staff will be able to provide you with information related to each scholarship along with scholarship guidelines.
You can also search STEM-affiliated organizations that provide scholarship opportunities. You can find these at your local library at the reference desk, or go to Wikipedia, which provides lists such as these: List of Engineering Societies and List of Scientific Societies. Get the URLs, then search the organization websites for scholarships.
Q. How do you find companies that offer scholarships? A. If you are interested in a career in STEM, you most likely have heard of companies that hire STEM graduates. Search for scholarships by using popular employment websites. You can type a job opening and look at the companies that are hiring graduates with specific majors. You can also use sites like GlassDoor or LinkedIn to search for them. Once you find the companies, go to their websites and look for scholarship opportunities.
Q.
Can I find STEM scholarships on social media sites?
A. Yes. You can use social media sites like Facebook,
Pinterest and Twitter to search for STEM scholarships. Start with the college pages on these sites and accounts related to your career majors; follow them to stay abreast of any scholarship postings. You can also do a search on each of these sites using “STEM scholarships” in the search box. •
IN HER OWN WORDS
THERE ARE SO MANY OPPORTUNITIES FOR ME ONCE I GRADUATE, WHICH IS VERY NICE.
What about Alfred State’s focus on hands-on learning?
BRITTANY RICHARDS
Alfred State – SUNY College of Technology
What attracted you to the STEM program you are enrolled in at Alfred State – SUNY College of Technology? I came for a campus visit and went on a department tour, and the professors were very nice. They took me into a crime-scene-like room, which is kind of mind-boggling just watching that sort of thing on TV and then coming in and seeing that this is what they do in the classroom, too. Overall, it just seemed like a good program, through my research and coming to visit to college. What do you enjoy most about the STEM major you are enrolled in? Forensic science technology is a very math-, chemistry-, and biology-based program, which a lot of people don’t think too much about when they go into this field. It’s nice to be able to have those solid core backgrounds, especially when you graduate and you want to either receive a higher education or look for a job in the field because those are the main things you focus on in forensic science technology.
We have equipment that a lot of schools don’t have; the instruments we have are phenomenal to work with because they are the same ones that are used at a forensic lab or a hospital setting, so to have familiarity with the instruments and the real real-world knowledge that comes with it, it’s very impressive when you apply for internships and jobs. What STEM career are you most interested in? After I graduate, I want to attend medical school and go into pathology or pediatrics. With the Alfred State forensic science technology degree, you get a lot of those basic courses that you would for a pre-med degree. Through the program, I can also take electives that will benefit me, for example, I’ve taken medical anthropology, and anatomy and physiology as tech electives. They will help with completing my Medical College Admission Tests and going on to medical school. Would you say this STEM program has provided a solid base for your future? Absolutely. When you specialize in pathology, that gives you such diversity for job opportunities because you could go into a medical field, you could go into forensic pathology, you could go with your background from Alfred State straight into labs and do specializations in any of the fields, like firearms, DNA, or anything like that. There are so many opportunities for me once I graduate, which is very nice. The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 15
Sailing STEM FOR
By Bill O’Neill
magine you can feel a warm breeze as you sail your boat across a beautiful harbor. Sounds better than spending a day in school, right? Except this is a classroom – the floating classroom of the Community Sailing Center in Burlington, Vt. Using inquiry-based teaching and learning, students use sailing angles to learn geometry and a boat’s ropes and pulleys to learn about simple machines. The answer to “How does this boat float?” provides a lesson in the science of buoyancy. Examining plankton and reading weather maps move science lessons from theory to reality. Think of it as STEM on the water. “Sailing is a hands-on, engaging way to teach physics, meteorology and water ecology,” said Mark Naud, executive director of the sailing center. Naud helped develop the Floating Classrooms program in 2008 and worked with US Sailing to build it into a national 16 The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs
curriculum called The Reach Initiative. “As a tool to provide life skills and STEM skills, it’s wonderful. Being able to teach STEM and build community in a way that connects people to their water body is a magical triangulation.” About 100,000 students in 400 community sailing programs went through the Reach program last year. The curriculum was aimed at middle school students at first but has been extended to high school and K-5 students. “The biggest benefit is you’re completely immersed in it. Instead of sitting at a desk, you’re on the water and in nature,” said Jessica Servis, US Sailing’s Reach Initiative manager. “Your body is immersed in the physics of sailing. You’re thinking about the skills and applying them at the same time." “Being on the water changes your perspective," she said. "Students learn about what’s happening in the environment and how we can choose ways to protect it. They learn that simple, localized steps can have a global impact.”
In some communities, as many as 80 percent of the Reach students are out on the water for the first time, according to Naud. “We’re using science as a trick to get them connected to their local water body,” he said. “Many times kids don’t have a chance to fall in love with their waterways or see all the ways it’s impacted,” said Servis. “Some students are scared to be on the water, but afterwards more than 90 percent say they would recommend Reach to a friend.” “The sailing classroom allows students to truly connect with the natural environment around them,” Mary Ann Horrigan, marine science program director for the New England Science & Sailing Foundation in Stonington, Conn., says in a video on the US Sailing website. “It allows them to explore the habitats, the shoreline, the sandy beaches, the salt marshes, and to feel connected to them.” Most Reach programs are happening through the work of organizations in waterside communities, such as the sailing center, which is along Lake Champlain; the Community Boating Center in Providence, R.I.; and Hudson River Community Sailing in New York.
But even land-locked areas can participate. In Marion County, S.C., Beneteau America, a yacht and motorboat manufacturer, invites students from Creek Bridge Middle-High School to its factory. There they see the water tanks where boats are tested and have a chance to maneuver remote-controlled sailboats. It gives the students a chance to see classroom lessons on physics and math applied in the real world. Getting students excited about STEM topics through sailing could have long-term benefits, Naud said. “Water quality is the most important thing, but we take it for granted,” he said. “The drought in California and the water crisis in Flint, Mich., are bringing it to the forefront." “Nationwide there’s a dearth of high-quality scientists being developed," he said. "What students learn through Reach about water, community and STEM topics could develop into really cool careers. One of these students may one day engineer a better wastewater treatment plant or help farmers not over-nutrify their landscape.” •
FOR HIGH SCHOOL RISING SENIORS, JUNIORS AND SOPHOMORES
July 3 – 23, 2016 APPLICATION DEADLINE:
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PIONEERING INGENUITY. We come from a long line of tinkerers — men and women who took what they had and did more than “make-do.” In their garages and backyards they made great out of the ordinary. And that fearless spirit of invention still resonates at West Virginia University.
Courtesy of The Cooper Union.
5 STEPS
to a Great STEM Summer By Rachael Devaney
esearching STEM summer programs can be intense. How do you know that a science, technology, engineering or math camp will hit on the right things you need? There are hundreds of programs, some at elite institutions like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the U.S. Naval Academy, others at local schools or recreation departments. Each focuses on different aspects of STEM, and activities can vary widely from robotics and chemistry to space science and virtual reality. You don’t want to waste money or time on a program that is boring, stale or that adds little to your knowledge bank. And you want a program that suits your learning style, whether it’s lab work, group projects or exploring out in the field.
Sweet Briar College in Virginia, which will welcome 20 high school girls this July to a weeklong, team-based engineering design course. Once you find the right combination of subjects and teaching styles, you can focus on your passions while tackling societal and real-world problems, Yochum says.
2. CHECK OUT THE FACULTY AND MENTORS.
So where to start? We asked some experts.
1. FIND YOUR FOCUS AND LEARNING STYLE.
Consider your interests, then sharpen your focus and see what program suits your brain, says Hank Yochum, chair of the Department of Engineering and Physics at
"Research the different programs and get a feel for what each school is doing, what they specialize in and what their philosophy is," Yochum says. "Here, we weigh heavily on creativity and hands-on learning, but some students may be looking for something more technical and lecture-based, which would point them in a different direction."
While Sweet Briar uses full-time faculty to teach summer students, the school also hires recent engineering graduates to help with student projects and to live in the dorms. Yochum, who is also a professor in the summer program, says the amount of support that teens are given at a camp setting can "make or break" their success. The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 19
"Having engineering faculty on hand while they are learning skills like brainstorming, design and building gives students a higher level of expertise – and students can float ideas by them and really get a feel for where they want to be headed in the future," Yochum says. "There is a huge change from being a senior in high school to actually being a recent graduate who is actually working for a company. It's empowering for the high school girls to see where they could be in a few years. .... Interacting with women who have utilized their education can have a huge effect on their future."
You want a program that not only has technical expertise but also support and mentoring for high school students, says George Delagrammatikas, associate professor of mechanical engineering and STEM and outreach program director at The Cooper Union in New York City. Cooper Union will host 200 rising high school sophomores and juniors in its six-week summer program at the Albert Nerken School of Engineering. The program features hands-on engineering design and problem-solving.
"Faculty from departments like civil, chemical, electrical and mechanical engineering give students the expertise and the foundation they need to confront global problems," Delagrammatikas says. "STEM fields can be highly technical in nature, and if you are spending the money on a summer camp, you want to see your child supported so that they can get on the right track for a career in technical innovation."
Besides technical topics, staff members give workshops on oral presentation skills, technical writing, career counseling and college admissions, says Delagrammatikas. They also help the students use Cooper Union’s library resources, computer facilities and laboratories as the students conduct their projects.
4. THINK CREATIVELY.
5. CONSIDER A PROGRAM’S RELEVANCY.
Delagrammatikas urges parents to also pay attention to scholarship and financial aid opportunities. While Cooper Union's six-week commuter camp program costs $3,100, there are a number of ways families can reduce the price. Many programs will work with qualifying students, Delagrammatikas says, especially if they are "self-starters" and passionate about STEM fields. "Professors are looking to give the opportunity to attend a STEM summer program to students who wouldn't normally have it,” he says.
20 The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs
One of the most important aspects that a STEM program could incorporate is environmental science, says Renée Lopes-Pocknett, former director of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s Education Department in Mashpee, Mass., and developer of Native Youth in Science Preserving Our Homelands summer STEM program. The program, which partners with the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole (Mass.) Coastal and Marine Science Center, takes the relevancy concept even further by incorporating tribal customs into the camp. Lopes-Pocknett, who is a member of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, says the monthlong camp was designed to help reconnect Mashpee Wampanoag youth with the ecology and geology of their traditional homelands through classroom and field presentations, with an emphasis on hands-on experience. It is an example, she says, of how programs can teach kids to help protect and preserve the planet's ecosystems.
"One concept that I think a lot of STEM programs miss is how math, decoding, modern building design, and computer skills and engineering can help combat global warming and global problems,” Lopes-Pocknett says. “Choosing a science or engineering camp that can specifically target sustainability and forward-thinking productivity is the way to go. … Investing in a camp that teaches teenagers how to have a positive effect on the entire environmental climate is so important and will help kids attain jobs and security in the future.”
STEM students also need to understand their roles in culture, she says.
3. LOOK AT FINANCIAL AID.
“Strong academic performance is a start, but I'm also looking for a student who shows passion and creativity outside the classroom in the STEM fields," says Delagrammatikas. “We want students that have staying power and drive and who will take on projects independently. If a student has a website that shows the projects they do at home or at school and I can visually see their creativity, I want them here."
"We need them to interact with scientists and STEM experts, so they can make connections between science, the environment and human and cultural components. Everything is connected, and we need to raise children who both respect traditional knowledge and scientific inquiry.” •
Courtesy of The Cooper Union.
STEM PROGRAMS here do you want to go? Mars? The center of the Earth? The inner chambers of the body or the brain? The STEM programs listed on the following pages can give your dreams of the future shape and focus. And there’s a practical side: Employment in science, technology, engineering and mathematics is projected to grow to more than 9 million by 2022, according to the U.S. Department of Labor. That’s an increase of about 1 million jobs over 2012 employment levels. For more ideas on STEM programs, colleges and careers, visit our website at www.teenlife.com. You have an exciting journey ahead and we want to help you get there. The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 21
STEM Programs
TeenLife.com/RequestSTEM
Colleges VERMONT TECHNICAL COLLEGE
Vermont Tech offers a learning experience unlike any other in Vermont: focused classroom instruction interwoven with realtime, hands-on experience taught by professors who are experts in their field. A particular focus on STEM fields including technology and engineering sets Vermont Tech apart. Location: Randolph Center, Vermont http://www.vtc.edu
LAWRENCE TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
Lawrence Technological University combines the benefits of a caring, small college atmosphere with the academic depth and scope of a larger university. Lawrence Tech takes a personal approach to education, and the University attracts students who have made some big plans for themselves. Location: Southfield, Michigan http://www.ltu.edu/
MONTANA TECH
Montana Tech, located in Butte, Montana, provides a challenging education for success-oriented students who have the passion and drive to become outstanding. Location: Butte, Montana http://www.mtech.edu/
NORTHWEST NAZARENE UNIVERSITY
At Northwest Nazarene University, you’ll find a college you truly love. Our engineering degrees prepare students for the field and graduate school but, most importantly, to use their design skills to change the world. Location: Nampa, Idaho http://engineering.nnu.edu/
RUTGERS – THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NJ-NEW BRUNSWICK
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, is a leading national public research university and the state’s preeminent, comprehensive public institution of higher education. Rutgers is dedicated to the highest standards of teaching and to conducting research that breaks new ground. Location: Piscataway, New Jersey http://www.rutgers.edu/
SUNY COLLEGE OF TECHNOLOGYALFRED
Hands-on Learning. Alfred State, a residential college of technology, provides career-focused education enriched by the liberal arts. With over 65 majors – offering course work in both traditional classrooms and the real world – an Alfred State degree gets results! Location: Alfred, New York http://www.alfredstate.edu/
MILWAUKEE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING
MSOE is the Destination University for ambitious students. Graduates enjoy a 96 percent placement rate with an average starting salary of $56,522. If you value academic challenge and an engaging experience with career-minded application of theory, you belong at MSOE. Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin http://www.msoe.edu/
Brown's Pre-College program, Spark, allows middle school students to immerse themselves in exciting science explorations. Here, students send a homemade water rocket into the air!
22 The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs
STEM Programs
TeenLife.com/RequestSTEM
Brown's Pre-College Programs allow high school students to experience college level academics on an Ivy League campus. Here, students explore molecular biology in the lab.
Independent Advisors IVYWISE, LLC
IvyWise is the leading educational consulting company dedicated to providing comprehensive admissions counseling and tutoring services to students and their families worldwide. Location: New York, New York https://www.ivywise.com/
Schools VALLEY FORGE MILITARY ACADEMY
Valley Forge Military Academy (VFMA) is a private, all-male boarding school offering grades 7 through 12 and postgraduate. The diverse student body represents 35 states and 23 countries. The military education model helps students to prioritize their daily responsibilities. Location: Wayne, Pennsylvania http://www.vfmac.edu/academy/
School Year Programs FIRST (FOR INSPIRATION AND RECOGNITION OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY)
For ages 6 to 18, FIRST helps kids develop a passion for science, engineering, technology, and math (STEM) through fun, mentorbased programs featuring exciting robotics competition. Four levels of after-school programs foster self-confidence, build leadership capabilities, and teach tech skills. Location: National http://www.firstinspires.org/
WEST VIRGINIA UNIVERSITY Founded in 1867 as one of the first land-grants, West Virginia University is still one of the few schools in the U.S. that is a land-grant, doctoral research university with a comprehensive medical school. Location: Morgantown, West Virginia http://www.wvu.edu/
Community Service LION’S HEART
Volunteer with Lion’s Heart – a nonprofit organization for teen volunteering and leadership! Lion’s Heart is dedicated to empowering teens to participate in community service in all kinds of areas, including STEM, while promoting leadership, volunteering, and teamwork. Location: National https://www.lionsheartservice.org/
Summer Programs BOSTON LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
Take part in our award-winning summer STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) teen programs. Students will engage in experimental research and take exciting field trips. Includes Biological, Chemistry, and Biomedical Research, Engineering, Psychology, Neuroscience, and STEM Entrepreneurship. Location: Wellesley, Massachusetts http://bostonleadershipinstitute.com/ The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 23
STEM Programs
TeenLife.com/RequestSTEM
BROWN UNIVERSITY: SCHOOL OF PROFESSIONAL STUDIES
STEM I - SPARK is a two-week residential science program for curious middle school students who seek to live on the Brown University campus, immerse themselves in exciting science subjects, and gain the foundation necessary for further scientific inquiry. Location: Providence, Rhode Island http://brown.edu/academics/ pre-college/spark/
EMORY UNIVERSITY PRE-COLLEGE PROGRAM
The Emory Pre-College Program is a summer academic program for high school students. It gives college-bound sophomores and juniors an exciting glimpse of academic and residential life at a top-ranked national university. Location: Atlanta, Georgia http://www.precollege.emory.edu/
ID TECH CAMPS
Calling all coders! Two-week, pre-college, immersive experience in coding, app development, game modding, and robotics held at prestigious universities nationwide. Learn from elite faculty, tour a major app development studio, meet new friends, and get a taste of the collegiate lifestyle. Location: Campbell, California https://www.idtech.com/teens/
NUVU STUDIO
In summer 2016, robots will be invading NuVu, transforming our school into NuBots studio! And we aren’t just talking about everyday drones and assembly machines we mean bots in every aspect of our life! Location: Cambridge, Massachusetts https://cambridge.nuvustudio. com/discover
Courtesy of ID Tech Camps.
U OF PENN: SUMMER PROGRAMS
The Engineering Summer Academy at Penn offers a unique summer opportunity for a select group of motivated and talented high school students. Experience rigorous and challenging college-level studies at our high-tech, ivy league program in the heart of Philadelphia! Location: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania https://esap.seas.upenn.edu/
UNIVERSITY OF VERMONT – COLLEGE COURSES FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
Teens may begin college studies while still in high school! The University of Vermont offers entry level, college courses online and on campus year round in a variety of subject areas. College credits are transferable within UVM and other institutions. Location: Burlington, Vermont http://professional.uvm.edu/ precollege/college-courses
SUMMER DISCOVERY
Join us at Summer Discovery University of Colorado Boulder for our pre-college summer STEM Research (4-week program) and STEM Academies (3-week programs). We offer opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics to highly motivated high school students. Location: Boulder, Colorado http://www. summerdiscovery.com/ cu-boulder-stem
24 The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs
COLLEGES ADD AN ‘A’ INTO STEM By Bill O’Neill
TECHNOLOGY ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH. IT’S TECHNOLOGY MARRIED WITH LIBERAL ARTS, MARRIED WITH THE HUMANITIES, THAT YIELDS US THE RESULTS THAT MAKE OUR HEART SING.
he kind of thinking that brought us the Mac, the iPod and the iPhone is the kind of thinking that more and more schools are trying to cultivate. From tiny Harvey Mudd College in Claremont, Calif., to major research universities like Duke University in Durham, N.C., and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Mass., undergraduate programs are looking for inventive ways to blur the distinction between the humanities and STEM.
– STEVE JOBS
“Our students are changing. It’s now normal for a student to say it’s not good enough to have just one way of looking at the world,” said Leonard White, associate professor in community and family medicine at the Duke Institute for Brain Sciences. “I have students who want to get ready for medical school, but increasingly they are just as interested in the social sciences, anthropology or performance art. The students are not like my cohort 35 years where we were interested in only one thing.” The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 25
OUR STUDENTS ARE CHANGING. IT’S NOW NORMAL FOR A STUDENT TO SAY IT’S NOT GOOD ENOUGH TO HAVE JUST ONE WAY OF LOOKING AT THE WORLD At Duke, a $50 million gift from Anne and Robert Bass is funding the Bass Connections program, which promotes multidisciplinary partnerships. One outgrowth of Bass Connections is the development of new courses.
New courses this year include one on human-robot interactions, taught by a computer-science professor. The class touches on robotics, artificial intelligence, psychology, anthropology and drama.
“Interdisciplinary teams of faculty members are coming together to co-teach courses, not tag-team teach,” said White. “In ‘Music and the Brain,’ a neuroscientist with expertise on sound perception teaches with a member of the music faculty. In ‘Gender Issues and Neuroscience,’ a neuroscientist studying how hormones affect the brain is teamed with someone from the women’s studies program.
“They start out by asking why a smart phone is so effective,” said Donnelly. “Games don’t come with manuals any more. They’re intuitive. That comes from multidisciplinary thinking.”
“It’s a way to reimagine and reconfigure the undergraduate experience. We’re taking a close look at how can we approach areas of common interest without leaving our own disciplines behind. “There are countless examples where scientists and other thinkers can find common ground, then bring their specific methods and tools to bear on a problem.” Harvey Mudd has a much smaller enrollment than Duke – about 800 students. Although the school focuses on math, engineering and physical and biological sciences, it’s finding ways to offer the same kind of academic blends that Duke is offering. “Harvey Mudd, even from its foundation, had an emphasis on the humanities,” said Thomas Donnelly, professor of physics and core curriculum director. “Our students have a predisposition to wanting to take courses outside of the STEM disciplines. We tell prospective applicants, if you’re not interested in the impact of your work on society, then Harvey Mudd is not the place for you.” A Mellon Foundation grant is helping to fund initiatives at the boundaries of STEM and humanities, including new courses, Donnelly said. For example, last year a photographer and a mathematician teamed up for a course examining wave patterns in art. An engineering professor at Harvey Mudd and an arts professor from a nearby school are teaching a course that’s partly about art and partly about material sciences. 26 The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs
That approach “leavens the scientific disciplines,” said Donnelly. “If you can have a rational discussion where there’s not a precise answer, it’s a grayer world to live in. It’s good to see a world where things aren’t always black and white, as they’re often portrayed in the sciences.” When the Times Higher Education 2015 World University Rankings named the top universities worldwide for arts and humanities education, not many people were surprised to see Stanford and Harvard in the top two spots. But the school in third place – MIT – might have seemed like an outlier. Deborah Fitzgerald, professor of the history of technology and the former dean of the MIT School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences, wrote in The Boston Globe that the school sees the humanities as being of equal importance to STEM subjects. “Some may be surprised, and, I hope, reassured, to learn that we view the humanities, arts and social sciences as essential, both for educating great engineers and scientists and for sustaining our capacity for innovation,” she said. She said that humanities classes help MIT students “gain historical and cultural perspectives and critical thinking skills that help them collaborate with people across the globe, as well as communication skills that enable them to listen, explain and inspire.” That’s the kind of viewpoint that would make Steve Jobs’ heart sing. •
IN HER OWN WORDS
WORKING AS AN ENGINEER DOING RESEARCH STEM WILL INFLUENCE EVERYDAY OF MY LIFE.
What kind of skills have you learned by working on these projects?
HEATHER SKOVKARD Northwest Nazarene University
What drew you to a STEM major in college? The high school I attended had a STEM academy and that really got me more involved in all the STEM fields. My senior year I toured a university, and I was immediately drawn to their biomedical engineering research lab. They showed us how they monitor body movement with small yellow balls that attach to the body and then other video cameras detect them. I was amazed and I wanted to know everything I could about being an engineer. After that tour I knew one day I wanted to use engineering to aid our society. What type of extracurricular STEM experiences have you had in college? I am a member of the Society of Women Engineers, and I work with Professor Duke Bulanon on a agricultural engineering project. I also have partnered with Girl Power and I will host a group of young girls to teach them about engineering and what they can do as engineers.
I have learned so many professional presentation skills. I have personally written three different papers for publication as well as four posters for publication. I know how to work under deadlines and with large and small groups of people. I think one very important skill I have learned is communication of very technical information to the average person, which engineers have to do all the time. How will STEM education influence your life after college? Working as an engineer doing research STEM will influence everyday of my life. What advice would you give to high school students who are interested in STEM? If you have been accelerated in high school in different STEM areas, make sure you put in hard work to continue excelling in those areas. High school is much easier than college, so when you begin to struggle in college ask for help, talk with your professors and peers, and don’t think you will be able to just get by. How do you feel about being a female in a STEM major and what would you say to encourage other girls to get into STEM fields? No matter what your gender is, if you put in the time and effort to learn the basics you can become successful in whatever STEM field you choose. Females may be underrepresented in some of these fields but that does not mean we are any less qualified to do the job. The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 27
10 STEM jobs
(including two you won’t imagine) By Rachael Devaney
mployment in STEM fields is growing at nearly twice the national average, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce Economics and Statistics Administration, meaning those in science, technology, engineering and math careers will be facing a wealth of opportunities even in areas like business, law and medicine.
Wendell, who currently uses her engineering in education, described a handful of up-and-coming jobs in the STEM fields. Students, she says, can find the perfect career by "thinking about a problem they want to solve and the questions they want to answer."
Students who specialize in these programs will find themselves at an advantage once they graduate from college, says Kristen Wendell, assistant professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at Tufts University.
Here are her descriptions of the top 10 STEM jobs she sees on the horizon. (Salary estimates are based on sites such as Monster.com and Salary.com.) For more on outlooks for specific STEM jobs, go to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/.
For Wendell, the skills involved with STEM, such as problem-solving, reasoning and life skills, can empower people to feel more essential in the complex world.
1. ENGINEERING TECHNICIAN: An engineering
“STEM careers are so innovative these days that high school and college students are learning how to design solutions that will protect the environment or are building medical machines that can generate body tissue and cells,” Wendell says. 28 The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs
technician helps an engineer or scientist plan and execute projects. This gives people the opportunity to research, maintain equipment or even create an apparatus that a scientist or engineer can use in the field. Estimated beginning salary: $54,000.
2. COMPUTER SYSTEMS ANALYST: This is where
engineering combines the business and science fields. Computer systems analysts plan and develop computer systems for businesses and scientific institutions. By understanding the needs of both areas, they can design information systems that help organizations and companies run more efficiently. Estimated beginning salary: $82,000.
3. CIVIL OR ENVIRONMENTAL ENGINEER: Civil
or environmental engineers focus on resolving and preventing environmental problems such as pollution, global warming and unsustainability. Many environmental engineers research, plan and design solutions that can protect the environment. This is appealing to many different kinds of students and opens the door to so many different areas around the world. Civil engineers also can find jobs planning and supervising the building of roads, bridges, tunnels. Estimated beginning salary: $75,000.
4. BIOENGINEER: Bioengineers use principles of
engineering to develop solutions within the fields of biology, medicine and health care as well as law, business, education and other fields. Bioengineers can also help develop health-related products and develop techniques that can improve the quality of life. Bioengineers often practice molecular, cellular and tissue engineering or create tools that can model the way different organisms work together. As technology advances, new jobs like computerassisted surgery are more commonly appearing in the workforce. Estimated beginning salary: $53,000.
7. EDUCATOR: Many engineers who are curious
people interested in building devices and powerproducing machines, such as elevators and escalators, that make life easier. They also figure out ways to harness energy and use it in more efficient ways and are often employed in the auto industry. They also design and build infrastructure or heating and ventilation services and develop mechanical products that coordinate with the operation and repair of power-using and power-producing machinery. Estimated beginning salary: $85,000.
9. COMPUTER SCIENCE ENGINEER: This field relies
heavily on technology, problem-solving and teamwork. Computer scientists write software to make computers do new things or accomplish tasks more efficiently, and can be found in many different fields including health care, entertainment, architecture and game design. They also work in traditional fields, including telecommunications and energy systems. Estimated beginning salary: $56,000.
10. LAWYER: Many people who have backgrounds in
6. AEROSPACE ENGINEER: Those who are interest-
ed in the astronomy field but don’t want to be actual astronomers can support the work of astronomers as aerospace engineers. Aerospace engineers design and develop robotics and flight vehicles,
about how people learn can earn a doctorate in science education, which will enable them to work as teachers and professors. They will be able to not only work with college-level students, but also with K-12 students and teachers. Education spans several different areas, including hands-on learning, building and design, lectures and research. Estimated salary: depends on the engineering specialty.
8. MECHANICAL ENGINEER: This career is for
5. WRITER (TECHNICAL WRITER): When you study engineering — any kind of engineering — that expertise can translate into the writing or journalism field. Because the foundation for STEM fields is based on problem-solving and life skills, engineers can find a comfortable living transforming scientific and technical information into readily understandable language. Estimated beginning salary: $60,000.
such as aircraft, missiles, spacecraft and satellites, for governmental institutions like NASA, as well as for private space travel companies like Blue Origin and SpaceX. Aerospace engineers of the future will want to pay attention to these private companies as they will be increasingly looking for people to design and develop vehicles and systems for atmospheric and space environments. Estimated beginning salary: $97,000.
engineering are pursuing careers in law, which opens the doors exponentially to a range of opportunities (intellectual property law or patent law). Both law and engineering have many technical aspects, and when you combine them together it can create a pretty successful field. Estimated beginning salary: $122,000. • The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 29
Note to STEM kids:
You Need To Know How to Write By Monica Fuglei
f you’re a science, technology, engineering or math student, why bother to practice your writing skills? Because right now, experts in STEM industries are combing through resumes, looking for that perfect hire coming out of college. And, post-graduate skills gaps have led them to look for some unique qualities beyond good GPAs or strong performance in STEM skills. They are looking for students who are critical thinkers and creative. And at a recent STEM summit in Denver, business leaders and educators mentioned one essential quality they said many STEM students lack: the ability to write. Author Tom Perrault argues that tech companies even need to consider hiring liberal arts majors because they have skills such as critical thinking that are essential for the long-term success of the industry.
WHAT’S “USELESS” IS NEW AGAIN STEM-related industries need people with creativity, empathy, vision and the ability to listen, Perrault says. And, educators should be cautious that curriculums don’t become so purely technical that they undermine the
“plucky” American self-confidence, creativity and drive that makes Americans innovators, according to international news correspondent Fareed Zakaria in a recent piece for the Washington Post. It turns out, skills previously considered “useless” now are essential, according to a story in Forbes magazine. With the increased cabilities of artificial intelligence and computer programming, even people well-trained in traditional STEM subjects need the ability to apply creative skills and to communicate well. STEM students should recognize that these qualities don’t have to be limited to liberal arts majors. Rather, you can acquire and hone them while working on STEM degrees.
ADDRESSING THE MISSING LINKS I see my STEM colleagues shifting their teaching curriculums to help STEM students learn to communicate and think creatively and critically. One of the best ways we do that is by assigning writing components in STEM classes. Also, we work to add communications-focused assignments, with group work and real-world writing scenarios, so that students may practice empathy and listening. The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 31
These may not be your favorite scenarios: writing and group work. But understand they can help you develop skills that will make you a strong performer in STEM industries after you’ve finished your degree.
CRITICAL THINKING, CREATIVITY AND WRITING Researchers have established a clear link between writing and critical thinking, and it is essential to keep practicing, developing and refining the skill, according to the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD). Because writing education is often focused on teaching students through process – from brainstorming and freewriting to audience awareness and empathy – a solid background in writing encourages those skills so often associated with liberal arts majors: creativity, empathy and critical thinking. Strong writers are also skilled at dialectic thinking: the analytical skill that allows them to seek answers inside conflict. This is often the stimulus for creative solutions to seemingly insurmountable problems. When applied to STEM industry or research, these skills are the foundation upon which innovation is built.
COMMUNICATION IS KEY STEM academics and employers need qualified professionals who can communicate with others. It is no longer enough to be well-practiced at STEM subjects. The best students and employees must be able to share their passions, creative solutions and ideas effectively with others. Good writing skills may be key to effectively getting a job when you are finished with college. The most successful people in STEM are those who recognize “what an incredible asset the creative arts are to humanizing and disseminating science,” mathematical physicist Spyridon Michalakis said in an interview with Edutopia. Writing not only makes STEM practitioners better at their sciences, it allows them to communicate their passions to others who do not understand who don’t understand their work. STEM industries don’t need more liberal arts majors; STEM majors need to learn to write. •
NuVu is a place where young students grow t use their curiosity and creativity to explore ne concepts come to life. Our model is based on and every Summer we use imaginative theme Studios in which students dive into hands-on technology, art and more!
NuVu is a place where young students grow their spirit of innovation. They use
www.nuvustudio.org 45 Massachusetts Ave. Cambridge, MA 02139 617.945.7716
their curiosity and creativity to explore new ideas, and make their concepts come to life. Our model is based on the architecture studio model, and every Summer we use imaginative themes to frame two-week long Studios in which students dive into hands-on design, engineering, science, technology, art and more!
Smart advice FOR
STEM GIRLS By Mary Grauerholz
efathun Momo, a senior at West Philadelphia High School, is driven by a powerful desire: to fulfill her father’s dying wish that she establish free hospitals in her native Bangladesh. “I always loved biology and am taking AP biology,” Momo says. She plans to go to college to study biology and psychology, and eventually become a psychiatrist and conduct research on the human brain. To help her reach her goal, she has a mentor, Joanna Chae, the director of Moelis Access Science, a program of the University of Pennsylvania’s Netter Center for Community Partnerships, which works with Momo’s high school. Momo first approached Chae to help her with college applications last summer. “To me, her initiative to seek help was impressive and prompted me to assist in all possible ways,” Chae says.
As a mentor, Chae has helped Momo apply for career exploration opportunities and scholarships. “We hope that partnerships like MAS will help to increase the number of women and underrepresented minorities in all STEM fields,” Chae says. National Science Foundation data from 1993-2012 indicates that while young women are going into math, computer science, physics and engineering fields, their participation remains far below that of men. So what can girls do to get a boost in STEM fields? We asked Chae and two other women working in STEM careers for advice for young women.
JOANNA CHAE: Ask everyone for help. “High school students may find it difficult to admit they need help and ask for assistance from adults, even those they meet on a daily basis, such as family, teachers, school staff and community members,” Chae says. “I encourage students to follow Momo’s example and talk to these adults.” The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 33
Students should be honest about their struggles in school and questions about colleges and careers. And, she says, “When doubt and anxiety distort your vision, refocus and find clarity by thinking of what you can do now.”
DICKY ALLISON: “If you think you want to be
something, find a person who has grown old in that profession and see if you want to be that person.” The world was a different place for women in science when Dicky Allison of Falmouth, Mass., set her professional goals in the 1970s. Allison’s heart was set on oceanography, and she longed to be a ship captain. “I wanted to go to sea; it was the romance of it,” she says. So after graduating from college in 1974, she walked into a recruiting office of the U.S. Coast Guard with her eye on officer candidate school. One of the recruiting officers, Allison recalls, asked: “What does your boyfriend think about this?” After she assured him it wasn’t a problem, she was interviewed by a panel of officers, one of whom told her bluntly that women simply were not going to sea. “Looking back, I was so brave,” Allison says about her failed attempt at officer training school, “but it never occurred to me not to be.” She turned to biological oceanography, earning a master’s degree, and shortly thereafter became the first female chief scientist on the Westward, a schooner that hosted college students participating in sea semester programs run by the Sea Education Association in Woods Hole, Mass. For the next 2 ½ years, Allison reveled being on the open ocean, sailing from Newfoundland to the Caribbean. Later, on bigger ships, her oceanographic career took her to areas such as the Black Sea and Antarctica. “I was hooked,” Allison, now 64, says. “My definition of heaven was out of sight of land.” She eventually taught at Cape Cod Academy in Osterville, Mass., and will retire this September from a position at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, where she posts researchers’ data to the web in a project funded by the National Science Foundation. 34 The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs
So Allison’s dream to sail the oceans, and even take the helm of a ship now and then, was fulfilled, just in a way she didn’t expect. “I always wanted to go to sea,” she says. “I didn’t want anybody to say, ‘You can’t do that.” Allison now fields requests from young women trying to figure out their own futures. “Don’t close any doors,” she says. And, she says, “find your passion. People who are passionate will probably succeed.”
SARAH BACON: Be self-reflective. Think about what you like to do and what you find challenging. Find ways to immerse yourself in the former and get stronger in the latter. Sarah Bacon, an associate professor of biological sciences at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass., felt gently guided toward science as a young girl. “There’s no ‘aha’ moment,” Bacon says. “Just a series of experiences that kept bending me in that direction.” Her mother, a scientist, was a major influence. The two took walks on their farm, Bacon says, an activity that let Bacon observe nature and “make sense of the world.” Bacon, 50, says she is frequently asked if she has had difficulty as a woman in science, and she says she understands why. “I’ve certainly been the only woman in certain situations,” she says, but she says she hasn’t faced discrimination. “I think women from the previous generation worked really hard, so I had opportunities they didn’t have.” By the time she got to college, Bacon says she felt “recognized” by her science professors, which had a big impact. “Professors made an enormous difference to me,” she says. She also advises young women to pick good mentors. Keep an eye out for someone who takes time for you, to talk and really listen, and invest time and attention, she says. But don’t only consider professional expertise when picking a mentor. “I’ve been careful about choosing mentors who are doing something interesting but are also just nice, and with whom I share an intellectual interest.” •
7 Questions to Ask About
Community College STEM By Sarah Bacon ome students start at community college because it is less expensive.
1. Is community college really less expensive for
your family? While the list price of attending a four-year college or university can cause serious sticker shock, many families do not pay full price because they receive financial aid. It makes sense to fill out a FAFSA, the federal financial aid form, apply to a four-year college that is your best fit, and then see what you are offered in financial aid. Higher education is expensive. But four-year institutions may be more affordable than you think. Don’t decide until you know the cost.
Some want the flexibility or the chance to improve their grades before applying to a four-year institution. There’s no question community colleges are playing an important role in higher education, especially in science, technology, engineering and mathmatics. Just over 50 percent of U.S. bachelor’s degree recipients in science, math and health fields completed some of their studies at community college. But if you are considering community college as a place to begin a bachelor’s degree, there are things to keep in mind. First, a few basics. Community colleges offer a two-year degree – the associate’s degree – while four-year colleges and universities offer the bachelor’s. Most community college students commute to campus rather than live there, and attending community college is typically much less expensive than attending a four-year institution. Community colleges have an open-door admissions policy, which means that anyone can attend. That said, certain in-demand programs, such as nursing, can be very competitive. If you are thinking about starting at community college in order to transfer to a four-year institution, what should you consider? Take a hard look at your goals and ask a few questions.
2. What support is offered at the community college
for students who plan to transfer? Some, like Holyoke Community College in Holyoke, Mass., actively support students planning to transfer to a four-year institution. The Pathways program offers focused advising and help navigating the transition. Being able to talk to someone at the community college who can help you select courses and navigate your transfer is very important.
3. Does the community college have any articulation agreements with four-year institutions? Articulation agreements are formal agreements that a particular set of courses taken at the community college will count at a particular four-year institution. Such formal agreements between institutions enable you to directly apply credits taken at the community college toward your four-year degree.
Sarah Bacon is a professor and biologist at Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Mass. She is also a lead co-investigator on an S-STEM grant from the National Science Foundation to support community college students transferring to Mount Holyoke to major in STEM.
The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 35
4. Does the four-year institution you are targeting
accept transfer students? If so, what are the qualities admissions staff are looking for? Some four-year colleges and universities, like Mount Holyoke College, have a Transfer Admissions Office that can help you understand how to spend your time in community college to maximize the chances of transfer. Transfer students interested in STEM majors at Mount Holyoke can also receive discipline-specific advising from STEM faculty as soon as they are accepted for transfer.
5. Does the community college offer the foundational
curriculum for the area of study that interests you? Familiarize yourself with what the first year or two of study would look like at the four-year institution you are targeting and consider those same courses at your community college. Don’t take a hodgepodge of courses. Instead, select courses with the goal of moving toward a degree in a particular field or major. This is particularly crucial if you are interested in a STEM discipline, as those majors tend to be highly structured.
6. Should you earn an associate’s degree if you plan to transfer? Your goal should be to take courses that will count toward the first year or two at your next institu-
tion, and those may or may not be the courses that enable you to earn an associate’s degree. So if saving money is the goal, be careful about going for a complete associate’s degree. The courses required for your degree may or may not transfer to the four-year institution you want to attend. On the other hand, if you think you might have to take a break in your education, and there is some risk of not attending the four-year institution right away, go ahead and work for the associate’s degree just to have it in your pocket if you need to enter the job market. It is far better to start work with an associate’s than with a high school degree.
7. A final tip:
If you do decide to start out at a community college, take advantage of the opportunity to get to know your professors. Many community colleges offer small class sizes, and like faculty everywhere, your professors will be thrilled to meet a dedicated and interested student like you. Build these relationships with your professors – they are key to helping you identify opportunities you might not otherwise know about. Moreover, they may be writing letters of recommendation for you when you transfer. Building relationships is a very important part of attending college, wherever you decide to go. •
Project-based learning isn’t something you find at a typical college.
But then, we are not a typical college.
Picture Yourself Here
www.alfredstate.edu/picture-yourself-here
IN HER OWN WORDS
BRITTANY VITKOVICH Milwaukee School of Engineering
What attracted you to the STEM program you enrolled in at Milwaukee School of Engineering? Other universities offered civil engineering, but the curriculum lacked specific courses related to building design and had lecture halls that could seat my entire high school. I wanted to attend somewhere I could be more than a number. Here, my professors know more than my name and have gone beyond just teaching me course material. What do you enjoy most about the STEM major you are enrolled in? After deciding to specialize my degree with an emphasis in building electrical systems, I had every intention of becoming a design electrical engineer at an architectural engineering firm. I realized the office environment is not something that I could be in on a daily basis so I decided to look for engineering internships with contractors. With my interest in renewable energy and the knowledge I obtained in my course work, I had the opportunity to intern with a company on a solar project
IT’S UP TO YOU TO PUT FORTH THAT HARD WORK AND DEDICATION, BUT GREAT REWARDS AWAIT THOSE WHO DO.
in Texas. Everything from being on site, having the opportunity to travel, and learning from my remarkable coworkers did more than fulfill my desires for a future career. What STEM career are you interested in? My internship was the gateway to my future career with the same national construction company. After graduation I will be a high-voltage transmission field engineer assisting in power distribution construction on national renewable energy projects. Would you say this STEM program has provided you with a solid base for your future? The curriculum of my department goes beyond design courses. I have also taken courses in project management, construction methods, contracts and specifications and many more which opened the doors to my internship and led to my future career. The different courses we are required to take not only give us knowledge beyond our individual specialties but give us a general understanding of the construction industry as a whole. The hard work MSOE requires from its students, complemented by its outstanding academics, makes career opportunities endless for all students. It’s up to you to put forth that hard work and dedication, but great rewards await those who do! The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 37
IN HER OWN WORDS
THE STEM PROGRAM HAS GIVEN ME A BETTER IDEA OF WHAT I WANT TO PURSUE IN COLLEGE, SO STEM HAS BASICALLY SHAPED THE REST OF MY LIFE
SIERRA
MIINES at Montana Tech
Why are you interested in stem? I am interested in STEM because math and science have always kind of been my thing and getting closer to college I have realized that I would like to pursue a field in the STEM field. How did you get involved with the mines summer program? My dad told me about Montana Tech's MINES camp and I thought it would be worth a shot to at least apply so I did and I ended up having one of the most unique and wonderful experiences. What did you learn in the program? What was your favorite part? I learned about the different types of STEM fields that are out there and got a lot of hands on experience with them and it gave me a better understanding of what to expect in the work field and how to connect with others that have a common goal. My favorite part of MINES camp was going into the mine and getting to blow stuff up. It was something I will probably never get to experience again but I will always remember it. 38 The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs
How has stem in general and this stem program shaped your future? The STEM program has given me a better idea of what I want to pursue in college, so STEM has basically shaped the rest of my life and I am hopeful that I will get to pursue an engineering degree and go travel the world while using what I have learned about the STEM and in this camp about connecting with new people and about the hands on opportunities that are out there. What would you tell another teen who is interested in possibly pursuing a stem major or career? I would tell other teen girls that are interested in pursuing a degree in the STEM field to go for it. There is a lack of women representation in the STEM fields today and I believe that should change. Women should be able to have the same goals men do so you enjoy the STEM field and wish to pursue major in the field then don’t rethink your decision just because it is said to be a man’s line of work, and if you are considering a STEM field then the MINES camp is the perfect place to get hands on experience that you will not be offered anywhere else.
FUEL YOUR
CURIOSITY AT THE 4TH USA SCIENCE & ENGINEERING FESTIVAL!
The USA Science & Engineering Festival returns to the Washington, DC Convention Center on April 16 and 17! All weekend you can experience incredible hands-on activities and see mind-blowing stage performances from actor Wil Wheaton, They Might Be Giants, NASA’s Ellen Stofan and much, much more! And the best part, it’s all FREE! Did you ever wonder what it is like to be an astronaut? What do you have to study to become a roboticist? What is the next medical breakthrough? What’s a typical day for a fighter pilot? Or, what does mathematics have to do with hip-hop and magic? At the USA Science & Engineering Festival, more than 1,000 of the nation’s most prolific STEM companies, universities, government agencies and non-profit organizations will give YOU the opportunity to answer these questions and more as you experience the inspiring and innovative world of STEM! By participating in over 3,000 amazing hands-on activities you can experience a day in the life of exciting STEM professions like:
A MARS EXPLORER
A FIGHTER PILOT
Marvel at a full-size model of the Lockheed Martin InSight spacecraft and “explore the surface of Mars” using Google Cardboard.
Take a seat in the “cockpit” and fly a simulated sortie in the F-35 Lightning II in the Lockheed Martin Pavilion.
A COMPUTER SCIENTIST
Check out great white shark tracking with Chris Fisher from Ocearch and learn about the future of ocean science with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management and the Marine Technology Society.
Ever wonder what happens “in the cloud” when you conduct a Google Search or send a Tweet? Come meet SeeMore, the 10-foot tall, 1-ton, collaborative brainchild of a computer scientist and an artist that visually demonstrates parallel computational thinking through motion, courtesy of the National Science Foundation!
AN OCEANOGRAPHER
A NEUROSCIENTIST
A METEOROLOGIST
At the Backyard Brains exhibit, anyone can be a neuroscientist! See experiments live! See real neurons. See your brain waves. Control robots from your mind!
Learn about weather patterns with NOAA and make a cloud in a bottle with the American Meteorological Society!
A PHYSICIST
AN ASTRONAUT Try on space suits and check out the world of NASA, launch a rocket with Orbital ATK and connect with the International Space Station at the CASIS booth!
A MEDICAL RESEARCHER Join the MedImmune team to learn about your immune system and how groundbreaking science is developing vaccines as well as therapies for cancer, autoimmune and cardiovascular diseases.
Check out the physics circus with Big Top Physics, explore Physics Today and visit Think Quantum to discover secrets of the universe as described by quantum mechanics, the physics revolution of the last 100 years.
A SCIENTIST AND ENGINEER At the Chevron STEM Zone, you can explore STEM based activities such as Circuit Design, VEX Machine Control, Fabricate a Figure, Create a Sticker, Make Lip Balm, and Construct LED Pins.
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE FESTIVAL AND PRE-REGISTER FOR THIS FREE EVENT BY VISITING WWW.USASCIENCEFESTIVAL.ORG. The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs 39
Index
ADVERTISEMENT LISTING
STEM Programs Boston Leadership Institute
11
23
Brown University: School of Professional Studies
30
24
Emory University Pre-College Program
14
24
FIRST
Back cover
23
iD Tech Camps
5
24
IvyWise, LLC
3
23
Lawrence Technological University 22 Lion's Heart
1
23
Milwaukee School of Engineering - MSOE
12
22
Montana Tech- MINES
8
22
Northwest Nazarene University
9
22
NuVu Studio
32
24
Rutgers University
2
22
Summer Discovery at University of Colorado 24 SUNY College of Technology - Alfred State
36
22
U of Penn: Engineering Summer Academy
17
24
University of Vermont
Inside front cover
24
Vermont Tech
4
22
USA Science & Engineering Festival
6
Valley Forge Military Academy
Inside back cover
23
West Virginia University
18
23
40 The TeenLife Guide to STEM Programs
“Choice Not Chance Determines Your Destiny.” – ARISTOTLE – Students at VFMA are immersed in a unique educational experience centered on academic excellence, personal motivation, character development, and team building that helps them reach their academic and personal goals. As a result of the leadership education training and STEAM curriculum they receive, Academy cadets grow to become confident leaders who can navigate practical challenges, apply critical thinking processes, and embody classic values such as ethics, character, and honor. Founded in 1928, Valley Forge Military Academy (VFMA) located in Wayne, Pennsylvania, is an independent, private, boarding-day, college preparatory school comprised of a middle school (grades 7-8) and high school (grades 9-12).
Schedule a tour today at www.vfmac.edu Follow us @ VFMAC 610.989.1300 | admissions@vfmac.edu
Grades K-3
Grades 4-8
Grades 7-12
Grades 9-12
$25 + million in scholarships available for playing the “sport” everyone can play!
Learn more at
www.firstinspires.org
›› Fun Sport for the Mind™! ›› After-school programs for ages 6-18 ›› Kids build & compete with ROBOTS! ›› STEM & project-based learning, creative problem solving ›› Inclusive, welcoming atmosphere
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