The Harvard Museums of Science and Culture (HMSC) have re-opened the Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments. The current permanent exhibition in the Putnam Gallery is TIME, LIFE, & MATTER: Science in Cambridge, open Sunday-Friday, 11AM-4PM. The exhibit presents stories based on items such as a geometric sector designed by Galileo, electrical experimentation apparatus purchased by Benjamin Franklin, clocks illustrating the development of modern synchronized time-keeping, medical apparatus designed in part by Charles Lindbergh, and artifacts of top-secret research by Harvard scientists during World War II.

The Massachusetts Science and Engineering Fair (MSEF) has created a new position for a Director of Development & Communications. MSEF is open to considering candidates to fulfill part of these responsibilities.

Applications are now available for Boston University’s PROMYS, a six-week (July 2-August 12) residential summer program for strongly motivated high-school students (ages 14-19) to explore in-depth the creative world of mathematics. About 80 students are selected from a nationwide/worldwide pool based on online applications consisting of solutions to challenging problem sets, school transcripts, teacher recommendations, and short essays explaining their interest in the program. The cost is on a sliding scale by family income, and full or partial need-based financial aid is available as necessary to ensure all who are selected may attend.  Applications are due March 5. For more information, see the FAQs and then contact promys@bu.edu.

The MassRobotics Girls High School Jumpstart Program is still seeking female STEM professionals (including graduate students) to volunteer to offer mentoring, skills training, and career support for its third cohort of high-school students from underrepresented backgrounds. Apply here for either of two ways to volunteer:

• Volunteers with technical expertise in Solidworks, MathWorks, programming, fabrication and 3D printing needed for occasional Saturdays, in-person at MassRobotics
• Mentors to aid with networking skills and career support who can commit to a minimum of 2-4 hours per month (virtual).

The Newton Schools Foundation‘s Year-End Annual Appeal seeks funds to support innovative programs in Newton Public Schools. Last year, NSF raised $191,000 and funded 52 projects, including these STEM-related ones:

• Math Challenge Boards for all Elementary Schools: Our goal is 50% of the K-5 student body at each school submitting Challenge Math work. Teachers and staff will be involved by encouraging students to pick math challenge work when they have opportunities for academic choice. The math coach and interventionist at each school will also be involved for students to ask for help/clarification as well as recognizing the students who have completed the challenge work. We have found many positive connections are made through the Math Challenge program–students are excited for the challenges and enjoy interacting with math staff around the work. This is incredibly helpful when providing intervention–math staff are known grown ups with a positive association. Principals will be involved by being in the beginning of each school’s videos and helping to build enthusiasm with the students and families throughout the year.
• Math Fact Automaticity: Hands-on educational games for students to practice math fact automaticity and mental math.
• Representation in Mathematics: We will provide exemplar STEAM biographical and mathematic lessons for teachers K-5, that are inclusive of diverse cultural identities. For the summer we will be doing research into people and their life work and crafting lessons. We will also be gathering and developing mathematical activities which connect to the person’s work, in which students will engage during the lessons. We will also be embedding professional development opportunities for teachers. In the fall, we hope to bring to life and model the lessons in various grade levels, piloting them at our home schools.
• STEAM in the Classroom: Introduce art curriculum into the 6,7 and 8th grades as part of their overall STEM education.
• The Modern Classrooms Project: Summer Institute is a four week  professional development workshop which contains expert-led presentations, connections with experts and peers and close work with an expert mentor to build instructional videos, mastery checks and other content materials for 8th grade science classrooms.
• The Calculus Project: Research indicates that success in higher-level high school mathematics is strongly associated with college enrollment and is one of the most reliable predictors of college completion. The Calculus Project aims to narrow the achievement gap in mathematics by increasing the number of African American, Hispanic and low-income students who enroll in and successfully complete calculus in high school.

The MassRobotics Girls High School Jumpstart Program is seeking female STEM professionals (including graduate students) to volunteer to offer mentoring, skills training, and career support for its third cohort of high-school students from underrepresented backgrounds. Apply here for either of two ways to volunteer:

• Volunteers with technical expertise in Solidworks, MathWorks, programming, fabrication and 3D printing needed for occasional Saturdays, in-person at MassRobotics
• Mentors to aid with networking skills and career support who can commit to a minimum of 2-4 hours per month (virtual).

Carriage House at Lee’s Farm, a senior living community in Wayland, would like to have monthly hour-long presentations — informational and hands-on — for its residents on science and technology. If you are interested in providing such presentations, either once or in a series, contact Eden McDonough at emcdonough@carriagehousewayland.com.

Each year, Cool Science hosts an artwork competition on a STEM theme for Grades K-12 in Massachusetts, New Hampshire,  …and Kansas. This year, the artwork submissions are due January 13, should follow these rules, and should respond to the one of these questions/instructions:

1. How might your experience with extreme temperatures be different from kids in other places around the world?
2. Draw someone who is getting ready for flooding where you live.
3. Draw a public transportation system (like buses & trains) that keeps working in a severe storm.

The Newton South HS Mathematics Department seeks to hire a long-term substitute for an immediate opening. Responsibilities include teaching 4 classes (3 preparations): two Math 2 honors classes,  one Math1 accelerated/honors class, and one Statistics class. Consideration will be given to individuals able to cover a portion of the total assignment. Contact Mathematics Chair Alex Kraus at krausa@newton.k12.ma.us.