Category Archives: Opportunities

Women in STEM: Volunteer at STEM Pathway’s SET in the City, Apr. 7

Women in STEM fields are invited to participate on April 7 in the 10th annual SET in the City, a program for girls in Grades 9-12 to explore academic paths and careers in STEM.  Volunteers in STEM careers are needed for the program’s Science Information Bazaar, to be held 10:30-11:30AM in the Photonics Center at Boston University. There will be tables set up for you to bring some demonstration, exhibit, poster, or computer application to share with the girls.  Register online to volunteer.  For more information, email setinthecity@bostongirlsstem.org.

Clay Center Course: Beginner Level Amateur Radio Course

The Clay Center Amateur Radio Club — a public outreach STEM program of the Dexter Southfield school — is offering Beginner Level Amateur Radio — a radio Technician Class course for adults — and children (ages 11+) with a parent — to facilitate successful completion of the FCC radio license test, which will be administered in the final class. Children passing the test will receive free membership in the Clay Center Amateur Radio Club, the largest youth-oriented radio club in New England.  Six Wednesdays March 28 – May 9, 6:30-8:45PM at the Clay Center at Dexter Southfield School.  Register here via Newton Community Education.

Zero Robotics Summer Competition for Grades 6-9: Apply by Apr. 13

Zero Robotics is a nationwide summer-time programming competition for middle-school students where the robots are SPHERES (Synchronized Position Hold Engage and Reorient Experimental Satellites) inside the International Space Station! Each team of 10 to 20 students (who will be in Grades 6-9 in the fall) is organized and managed by a public or private school or community-based organization that serves middle-school youth. Each organization should apply by April 13, identify an adult to engage and inspire the team, recruit team members, create accounts on zerorobotics.mit.edu, and start writing code. The program runs July 9 to August 10, during which teams should expect to spend 15 hours a week on the project.  The early rounds of the competition will use simulated SPHERES, and the final round of competition will use real SPHERES and will be officiated by an astronaut on the ISS sometime in August. For more information, contact Katie Magrane at Katie@massilc.com.

STEM Pathways High School Training in Synthetic Biology, Apr. 14 & 28

STEM Pathways — a Boston University/MIT outreach program for synthetic biology — will offer a one-day training session for high-school students (ages 16+) on two Saturdays — April 14 and April 28 — 10AM-4PM, at Boston University.  Students will learn about fundamental synthetic biology tools and concepts like DNA purification, gel electrophoresis, and bacterial transformation in a working synthetic biology lab environment. There is no fee, and lunch will be provided. Registration (including a recommendation letter from a teacher) is required by April 4 for the April 14 session or by April 18 for the April 28 session. For more information,  email connect@stempathways.org. 

MSMR Student Competition: Enter a Poster, Essay, or Website

The Massachusetts Society for Medical Research will hold its 27th Annual Student Competition, in which New England students in Grades 7-12 learn about a breakthrough in life sciences and report about it via a poster, essay, or website — as if reporting for the What A Year website for science discovery.  Awards of up to $500 will be made in two levels:  Grades 7-8 and Grades 9-12, with education grants for the teachers/advisors of the winning students.  Entries are due by May 7.  See the student packet.

Boston Society of Architects: Events for Kids, Teens & Adult Volunteers

The Boston Society of Architects will host the following events at BSA Space (290 Congress Street, Boston):

Adults can sign up to volunteer by March 30 for Kids Build! events on April 6, 7, 8, and 15, as well as for the Family Design Days on May 19 and June 16.

Mass. STEM Summit, Nov. 14: Call for Presenters and Exhibits, by May 4

The 15th annual Massachusetts STEM Summit will be held at DCU Center (40 Foster Street in Worcester) on Tuesday, November 14, 8AM-4PM, focusing on the theme, Pipelines to Prosperity.  Proposals are sought for breakout sessions and resource exhibits for any of these strands:  Early Education, K-12 Education, Higher Education, and Workforce/Business. Proposal forms and guidelines, for both sessions and exhibits, are available on this page. Proposals are due May 4.

Become a TEALS Volunteer to Teach High-School Computer Science

Supported by Microsoft Philanthropies, Technology Education And Literacy in Schools (TEALS) recruits, trains, and places volunteer teaching assistants in high-school classrooms to support partner schools and teachers in offering computer-science courses on a sustainable basis. Several schools in the local area participate: Boston Latin, Boston Community Leadership, Boston International, Brookline, Burlington, Cambridge, Excel Academy East Boston, KIPP Academy Lynn, Revere, Waltham, Watertown, Woburn. Applications are now open for new volunteers for the 2018-19 school year. For more information, read the Volunteer Guide and the FAQ, and view a video of an introductory info session.

Register for Clark University’s Spring Splash, Grades 5-12, Apr. 8

Clark University’s Spring Splash — a one-day program offering 28 classes for students in Grades 5-12 — will be held April 8, 10AM-5PM on the Clark campus (950 Main St., Worcester).  Students should register by March 30 but as soon as possible because classes fill up.  The day is free, with lunch included.  For more information, email clarkuesp@gmail.com.  The classes are taught by Clark students and include these STEM topics:

  • STEM Majors 101
  • Intermittent Fasting: The Ultimate Fat-Burning Lifestyle!
  • It’s a Liquid… it’s a Solid… It’s Oobleck!
  • All About Tigers
  • Astronomy – The Stars Above
  • Cool Chemistry Stuff