All posts by newtonstem

Bridgewater State University: Open Lab Night, Nov. 8

Events

On November 8, 5PM-8PM, Bridgewater State University’s Center for the Advancement of STEM Education (CASE) will host Open Lab Night 2023, featuring STEM activities and demonstrations at BSU’s Dana Mohler-Faria Science & Mathematics Center. It’s free and open to the entire community, especially students in Grades K-12. Registration is required. All children must be accompanied by an adult. Parking is available in the Bridgewater State University Parking Garage. The BSU Observatory may be open until 9PM, weather permitting. For more information, email casebsu@bridgew.edu.

Broad Discovery Series: New perspectives on diabetes: The many subtypes of type 2, Nov. 9

Events

The next presentation in Broad Institute’s Broad Discovery Series of free, public lectures (formerly Science for All Seasons) will be on November 9, 6PM-7PM. Physician-geneticist Miriam Udler and computational and cellular biologist Melina Claussnitzer will discuss what genetics reveals about the subtypes of type 2 diabetes, and how researchers can use that understanding as a springboard for learning how this disease really works — and what to do about it. Register to attend — either in-person (415 Main Street, Cambridge) or virtually. In-person attendees are invited to a reception in the Broad Discovery Center following the talk.

LigerBots Open House, Sept. 28

After School, Opportunities

The LigerBots, Newton’s dual-high-school FIRST Robotics Competition team, will host an open house for prospective team members on September 28, 6:30PM – 9PM in the engineering room at Newton South High School (Room 9170). All Newton North and Newton South students are invited. This event will include an introductory presentation about the team and hands-on challenges in many of the skill areas that team members learn, like mechanical and electrical engineering, programming, driving robots, CAD (Computer Aided Design), marketing, graphics, photography, and public speaking. Masks are required at all LigerBots meetings. For more information, see the links above or send an email to info@ligerbots.org.

HMSC exhibition: Surveillance – From Vision to Data

Opportunities

Harvard Museums of Science and Culture has opened a new exhibition, Surveillance: From Vision to Data associated with its Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments (1 Oxford Street, Cambridge). The exhibition extends beyond cameras and their watchers to explore the profound influence of data, highlighting historical instruments that have been used to transform individuals and landscapes into data. It explores “how powerful entities, from colonial empires to U.S. intelligence agencies, have harnessed surveillance data to produce and perpetuate hierarchies of human difference.”

On Monday, September 24, 12PM-1PM, there will be a Lunch & Learn exhibit talk during which curators will highlight selected objects and “critical artworks that have resisted now ubiquitous data-driven surveillance.” Registration recommended. Attendees may bring their own lunch.

The HMSC Connects! podcast has a new episode on the exhibit.

Register now for TransportationYOU Summit, Oct. 28

Events

WTS-Boston will host the 2023 TransportationYOU Summit on October 28, 10AM-2PM, for students in ages 8-14 of all gender identities, with a particular focus on educating girls and young women about the collegiate and career opportunities available to them in STEM, and particularly int transportation fields.

The Summit, held in person at UMass Lowell (31 University Ave., Lowell), will have in-person, hands-on workshops and activities hosted by professionals in the field to introduce students to career opportunities in transportation (engineering, planning, construction). Workshops will include activities that simulate real life projects and learn about UMass Lowell’s concrete canoe and steel bridge projects. Space is limited to 100 attendees. Register here by October 13. For more information, y questions, email transportationyouboston@gmail.com.

Separately, through November 6, the WTS Foundation will host a student contest for a rebranding of the TransportationYOU brand.

Science Club for Girls: Fall Registration is open for virtual clubs

After School

Science Club for Girls is currently enrolling girls and gender-expansive youth in grades K-12 in its virtual Science Clubs, which start the week of October 3. Space is limited. Participants need a computer, laptop, tablet, or phone with Internet access. All other materials are provided free. Choose one of four weekly one-hour sessions: Monday, Tuesdays, or Thursdays at 4PM, or Saturdays at 10:30AM. Register here.

Science Research Academy in Lexington coaches middle-school students: Budding researchers and science fair contestants

Summer

Science Research Academy in Lexington offers hands-on scientific exploration to middle school students (ages 11-16), teaching them how to build their own unique scientific research projects from the ground up. It currently offers three programs:

  • Summer Research Sprint: August 7-11, 8:30AM-Noon, in person at Grace Chapel in Lexington, for motivated and curious students entering Grades 6-10 who want to learn about scientific research, build their own projects, and explore a subject more deeply than what is offered in school.
  • Science Fair: January-April, at times determined by participants’ availability. A program 12 classes to prepare 5-10 students of all skill levels (who are entering Grades 7 and higher) for the Massachusetts Science Fair, using a step-by-step process from creating a research idea to presenting at the fair. Expect to also spend multiple hours outside of class working independently on your project. The program includes 12 weekly Zoom meetings, guest speakers, 1-on-1 meetings at least monthly, unlimited access to instructors by email, and an in-person dry run of each student’s presentation with feedback from multiple judges.
  • Independent Research Program: September-November. A 12-week program for 5-10 students (entering Grades 7 and higher) to break down research projects into bite-sized steps with coaching. Each student completes a research project with a project write-up, self-directed.

The founder of the academy, Parth Kocheta, graduated recently from Lexington High School and won the Massachusetts State Science Fair in 2022. The academy’s faculty of experienced student researchers has already guided over 25 students, and this year many of them secured various prizes at the Massachusetts State Science Fair, with 85% of its students advancing from the Regional Fair to the Massachusetts State Fair and several first-time students wining  2nd, 3rd, or Honorable Mention prizes at the State Fair.