Category Archives: Opportunities

WPI Seeks Presenters for AweSTEM! Celebration, Mar. 27

Each year, Worcester Polytechnic Institute hosts AweSTEM!, a celebration of STEM education for educators. This year it will be held on March 27, 3:30-5:30PM, with the theme Growing STEM in Our Communities. Educators are invited to apply by December 14, as individuals or teams, to share via an exhibit an activity, lesson, or initiative that is unique, exemplary, and illustrating the theme of Growing STEM in Our Communities. For more information, contact Katie Elmes at kaelmes@wpi.edu.

STEM Professionals: Sign Up to Judge the New England Future Cities Competition, Jan.

The New England Regional competition for the 2018-19 Future Cities program will be held January 26 at Watertown Middle School (68 Waverly Ave., Watertown). STEM professionals can support the competition, either as mentors throughout the fall semester or as judges before and during the regional competitions (info here). You can register online to be a judge. Contact Reed Brockman at newengland@futurecity.org or 617-240-7979 for more information about the New England event.

Newton North PTSO Science Fundraiser; Parent Meeting on Hands-On Learning in Biology, Dec. 6

This year’s annual Newton North HS PTSO fundraiser for Educational Excellence is focusing on funding new equipment for hands-on learning in biology and upper-year electives. On December 6, 7:15-8:45PM, the NNHS Science Department invites parents to learn about the school’s science programs with a hands-on activity, Q&A with Science Department chair Heather Haines, and brief remarks by Zeke Alvarez-Saavedra, co-founder of miniPCR–the DNA Discovery System. You may contribute here to the PTSO’s fundraiser.

Mass. Audubon Program: Young Leaders for Climate Justice

The Massachusetts Audubon Society is inviting teams of 3 to 12 high-school students to participate in Young Leaders for Climate Justice. Teams will attend a Climate Learning Intensive Program on January 26, create and implement action projects, and meet again to present their projects at Mass Audobon’s Climate Summit on May 18. Teams must apply by December 21. The fee is $300 per team, and financial assistance is available. For more information, email dfteens@massaudubon.org. Existing teen groups and clubs — as well as ad-hoc teams — are encouraged to apply, as long as they have an adult sponsor.

Update from Science Club for Girls

Science Club for Girls has been focusing on developing a strategic plan and a more robust development model to support expansion of its services. Its mission is to “foster excitement, confidence and literacy in STEM for girls from underrepresented communities by providing free, experiential programs and by maximizing meaningful interactions with women mentors in STEM.”

  • This fall, SCFG is running 12 clubs in three locations in Cambridge: Amigos School, King Open School, and Margaret Fuller Neighborhood House. Each club has three or more mentors who are women undergraduates, graduate students, or STEM professionals.
  • SCFG also has 15 Junior Mentors who are girls in Grades 8-12 — most of whom have been involved with SCFG since Kindergarten — to maintain institutional memory, traditions, and excitement.
  • SCFG is currently conducting a search for a new Executive Director.
  • This summer, SCFG raised $239,000 from individual donors, foundations, corporations and government sources.  You can donate here to continue the work of this organization.

Register by Nov. 13 for Boston BioBlitz Initiative for Girls

Boston BioBlitz Initiative for Girls (BBIG) is a STEM program for girls (ages 12-15) held on 13 Saturdays, 10:30AM-2PM between November 17 and May 4 at Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo. It’s full of biodiversity and citizen-science activities in classroom and outdoors, as well as field trips to local urban wildlife areas. Participants will learn to use wildlife observing platforms such as iNaturalist and DataQuest — and will take leadership roles in the Boston Area Nature Challenge next April. The cost for the entire program is $20. Apply by November 13. For more information, contact Emily Miller at 617-989-3742 or emiller@zoonewengland.com.