All posts by newtonstem

Grades 9-12: Register Now for Northeastern Splash!, In-Person, Mar. 26

Events

Each spring, NEPTUN (a Northeastern University student group) hosts Splash!, a free program for students in Grades 9-12 to take fun and informative mini-classes led by Northeastern undergraduate students. This year, Splash! will again be held in-person at Ryder Hall on the Northeastern campus, on March 26, 8:45AM-6:40PM. Proof of vaccination or a negative Covid test within 72 hours will be required, and current plans will require masking. The $0 cost includes free pizza and a T-shirt. Registration is now open and is first-come/first-served and requires setting up a free student account. For more information, see the FAQs or contact nu.neptun@gmail.com. You can also access online recordings of Digital Splash! courses from last spring. Among the 26 in-person Splash! courses this year are these STEM offerings:

  • Exploring the Engineering Design Process with Rube Goldberg Machines
  • Playful Peep Science
  • [ACCESS_GRANTED]: 1N7R0 70 H4CK1NG
  • The Key to Unlocking Data: An Intro to Database Management
  • Can We Make You Enjoy Math?
  • Let there be Lights!
  • Emoji: How They Work and Why They Break Everything
  • Epigenetics: Why everything you know about genetics is wrong
  • I’m So Tired: Why You Feel Like You Never Get A Good Night of Sleep
  • Plant-on-Plant Violence
  • Glowing Plants? Yes, Glowing Plants.
  • Get Some Structure in Your Life: Modelling the Cytoskeleton

Newton Schools Foundation Seeks Donations to Expand Calculus Project

Recommendations

The Calculus Project works in all of Newton’s middle and high schools to have more Hispanic, African American, and low-income students successfully complete calculus in high school, as a path to success in college. The program provides intensive, small-group summer classes, enrichment activities, and year-round mentoring and tutoring.  The TCP summer program includes instruction in Computer Science, field trips to STEM-related companies, and college campus visits for rising 11th graders with a focus on STEM majors and careers. The program currently includes 150 students in Grades 8-12. The Newton Schools Foundation seeks donations to fund the enrollment of an additional class of 8th Graders to start this summer. While the NPS operating budget funds part of the program, tax-deductible donations via the NSF are needed for the summer program, tutoring, enrichment activities, and supplies. Donate here.

Oak Hill MathCounts Team Advances to State Competition

Accomplishments

The Oak Hill Middle School MathCounts team won third place at the MathCounts MetroNorth Chapter competition, held online last month, qualifying the team for the in-person state-level competition this weekend. In the MetroNorth competition, twelve OHMS students participated, and four members of the team placed in the top quarter in the individual rounds. These four represented the school in the collaborative team round, solving 9 of the 10 problems and advancing to the state competition. MathCounts is a mathematics competition for middle-school students with chapter, state, and national events. The Oak Hill team is coached by Newton South HS students many of whom are MathCounts alumni. The coaches hope to start a MathCounts team at Brown MS next year.

McAuliffe Center: Star-Gazing Mar. 8; “Big Astronomy” Planetarium Show Mar. 18

Events

The Christa McAuliffe Center at Framingham State University will host an evening of stargazing and observation on March 8, 5:30PM-7:30PM (weather permitting), in FSU’s O’Connor parking lot by Maynard Road in Framingham. Masks are required.

On March 18 at 6:30PM, the Center’s public planetarium show will be Big Astronomy: People, Places, Discoveries, a full-dome film suitable for all ages, followed by a discussion with the Director of the Center and a graduate student about career paths and areas of expertise in physics and astronomy. Tickets are $5.

N.E. Sci-Tech’s Youth Inventors Workshops on Saturday Mornings

Opportunities

New England Sci-Tech (NEST) STEM education center hosts its Youth Inventors Workshops on Saturdays, 9AM-Noon, throughout the year. They’re best for Grades 7-12, and students in Grades 5-6 may be included with special permission. Instructors are NEST teachers or volunteers, some with electronic or mechanical engineering degrees, as well as high-school or college students with experience in robotics or electronics. Students are encouraged to work in teams to design and build projects — brainstorming, sketching out ideas, calculating dimensions, learning to use design tools and software, building prototypes, testing and retesting, and solving problems that inevitably arise. The cost is $80 ($0 for NEST members).

UMass Amherst Summer Pre-College Programs at Newton’s Mt. Ida Campus

Summer

UMass Amherst is offering three summer pre-college programs for students in Grades 10-12 at its Mt. Ida campus in Newton. Students can experience college-level academics, explore their interests, and get a feel for campus life. All programs meet Monday-Friday, 9AM-4PM, are taught by UMass faculty and advanced graduate students, and feature hands-on, project-based learning. Residential and commuter options are available. Applications are considered on a rolling basis through June.

  • Building & Construction Technology: CityLab, July 10-30
  • Combatting the Climate Crisis with Neighborhood Trees, July 24-30
  • Veterinary Technology, July 10-23

Science Club for Girls: Virtual Catalyst Awards, Apr. 5

Events, Virtual/Online
Register here (tickets $0 to $1000) for  Science Club for Girls‘ annual fundraiser, the Catalyst Awards, which will be hosted virtually this year on April 5, 5:30PM-7PM, with the theme Transforming the Face of STEM. The evening will highlight SCFG’s successes and celebrate over 27 years of empowering and inspiring girls and women in STEM. NBC10 Boston Morning News Anchor Latoyia Edwards will emcee the program, which will present the 2022 Catalyst Awardees:
  • Dr. Yvonne Greenstreet, CEO of Alnylam Pharmaceuticals
  • Dr. Mariana Matus, CEO of Biobot Analytics
  • Dr. Nancy Simonian, CEO of Syros Pharmaceuticals

In other news… SCFG Live! — the weekly online/TV science show produced by SCFG for ages 5-8 — has just started its fourth season. You can catch up on all 15 episodes of Season 3 at that link.