STEMconnector has published briefing sheets on the STEM jobs outlook in each state. Here’s the Masschussets Federal R&D and STEM Jobs Report for 2013 (PDF, 4 pages). It includes information on:
The organization’s STEMdaily newsletter covers information on STEM education.
Microsoft’s Annual DigiGirlz Event will be held March 15, 8:30AM-3PM for high school girls interested in STEM. Location: Microsoft New England, One Cambridge Center, in Cambridge. Space is limited to 80, and each school may send 5 students and 1 adult. Schools should RSVP ASAP to girlswal@microsoft.com with the school name, number of girls, and teacher/chaperone contact information.
| The Newton Patch’s Melanie Graham has a good photo-and-text report of Lt. Gov. Tim Murray’s visit last week to Newton North HS, to tour its STEM classes, technical programs, and the Innovation Lab to see what the Greengineers have been up to since the Governor visited a year ago. He also received an update on the InvenTeam’s project to develop a Pedestrian Alert System. |  |
Lt. Gov. Murray chairs the state’s STEM Advisory Council, which coordinates public and private promotion of STEM education and careers, manages the STEM Pipeline Fund for economic stimulus, and sparked the WOW! Initiative (video).
Saturday, March 9: Go to Worcester Polytechnic Institute to cheer on Newton’s Ligerbots in the last day of their first FIRST regional competition of the year. As of late Friday, the team is in 6th place in a field of more than 40 teams from all over. The event is free and open to the public at the Harrington Auditorium & the Sports and Recreation Center on the main WPI Campus, 100 Institute Rd., Worcester, MA 01609). See details on parking and foods. Here’s the schedule for Saturday:
8:30-9AM: Opening Ceremonies
9AM-12:15PM: Qualification Matches
1:30-4:30PM: Final Rounds
4:30-5:30PM: Awards Ceremony
Thursday, March 14, 6-8PM: Go to MassBay Community College for the Metrowest STEM Tinkershop for middle-school students and their parents/guardians. The event is free, but early registration is required. Register online soon. Space is limited.
Come see the Ligerbots — Newton’s FIRST robotics team — compete against 41 other teams from around the world in the FIRST Regional Tournament hosted by Worcester Polytechnic Institute, on March 7-9. FIRST is a program designed to inspire high school students to pursue higher education and careers in STEM. In this tournament, over 40 teams will compete from all over the world. Each team has 6 weeks to build a robot to compete in the same game.
Leanora McVittie, Ligerbots CEO, reports: Continue reading Ligerbots to Compete in FIRST Regional Tournament at WPI, March 7-9
The Maker Movement has a lot to offer in STEM education. Making things, even simple ones like a rubber band gun, or jewelry, is intrinsically interesting — and it teaches important things about how things work. Through making things, kids (and those helping them) acquire, almost by accident, a deep understanding of physics, engineering, math, and materials science. Making things complements subject-specific classes while it inspires, captivates, and teaches organization/executive function skills. Here’s an overview of some of the many Maker resources — both global and very local — to help kids (and those helping them) dive in and learn. Continue reading The Maker Movement: Learning by Making