The Newton LigerBots high-school robotics team — spanning Newton North and Newton South High Schools — is recruiting new team members. All students in Grades 9-12 who are interested in STEM or business (including software, engineering, finance, public relations, fundraising, writing, photojournalism, videography, graphic design, and public speaking) are encouraged to learn more. Newton North students can meet the LigerBots at Club Day on September 18. LigerBots runs like a small business, and students gain real-world skills through project-based learning in many STEAM fields as they design and build a robot for the FIRST Robotics Competition. In the fall, meetings are 6-9PM on Thursdays at Newton South and Mondays at Newton North. In the winter “build” and competition season, meetings are more frequent. The team also seeks adult mentors, especially in the fields of web design and coding, mechanical engineering, and finance. For more information, email coaches@ligerbots.org.

Empow Studios is offering its Newton Coding Club at the Newton JCC for Grades 2-8 on Sundays, 4:30-6:30PM.  Students will use Scratch and Java to create games, animations, and applications. All equipment is provided. The cost is $110 per month ($95 for JCC members).

High-school and college women who are active and interested in technology and computing are encouraged to apply by November 6 for the NCWIT Awards for Aspirations in Computing. The competition encourages women to pursue computing education and careers through recognition, prizes, and access to an online network of supporters, like-minded peers, and tech-related opportunities. The application (for high-school or college) includes several short essays and multiple-choice questions.

And high-school educators who encourage women’s interest and participation in technology pursuits are encouraged to apply by November 13 for the NCWIT Aspirations in Computing Educator Awards.

To date, the National Center for Women in IT (NCWIT) awards have recognized nearly 8,600 women and 400 educators.

Nominations are open until September 29 for several awards for science teachers from the Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers (MAST):

• 14 county-level science educator awards
• 1 award for an exemplary new teacher
• 1 award for a distinguished “friend of science” working with educators
• 1 award for a K-8 teacher who is inspirational in environmental education

Anyone may submit a nomination by:

• Completing this online form OR
• Completing this document and either mailing it to the address on the document with a sheet describing the nominee’s accomplishments OR emailing the form to awards@massscienceteach.org with the same information.

All nominees will be notified of their nominations, and awards will be presented at the MAST Annual Conference on November 2.  For more information, contact Laura Carlin at awards@massscienceteach.org.

Registration is now open for the following Science Club for Girls programs (see flyer), which are located at Pine Manor College in Newton (among other locations in greater Boston). Science Club for Girls uses mentors and free, fun, hands-on, science, technology, engineering, and math programs to increase girls’ excitement, confidence, and literacy in STEM:

• K-5 Science Clubs
• STEMinistas
• Teen Programs

Applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis until the September 13 deadline.  All are welcome to apply, and priority will be given to girls of color or demonstrating economic need, per the mission of Science Club for Girls.  For more information, email newton@scienceclubforgirls.org.

Want to help?  Professionals and graduate/undergraduate students are invited to apply to be volunteer mentor-scientists for these programs.  Email volunteer@scienceclubforgirls.org.

The MIT Women’s Initiative — a 19-year-old, student-run outreach program to educate and motivate middle- and high-school girls to opportunities in STEM — is seeking donations until September 30 toward its $10,000 goal to expand its outreach to more schools.  Last January, 12 MIT-WI volunteers reached 3000 students in six school districts.  The proceeds of the current crowd-funding will be used to increase the existing program by 50% and also to create a video and a webinar for significantly greater reach and impact.  Every $2000 raised brings the MIT-WI program of presentations, demonstrations, and interactive activities to another school district.

Future City is a four-month civil-engineering program for middle-school students, culminating in an annual design competition in January.  The program seeks professional engineers as mentors to work with educators and share their real-life STEM experience, offer technical guidance, and introduce students to engineering and city design. Mentors can be working professionals, retirees, or college/graduate students with experience in STEM, urban planning, architecture, or related fields. Apply here. The New England region is sponsored by the Boston Society of Civil Engineers Section. In the annual competition, student teams led by an educator and a volunteer mentor spend the fall researching and designing a solution to a city-wide issue, using SimCity. This year’s theme: The Age-Friendly City!

Besides various after-school classes that Einstein’s Workshop will be offering in Newton elementary schools through Newton Community Education this fall, Einstein’s Workshop will offer a range of classes, clubs, and its math academy on weekends in its headquarters in Burlington starting September 16.

The MetroWest STEM Education Network at Framingham State University is hiring a Program Coordinator for Development and Communications. Responsibilities will include fundraising, communications/marketing, grant writing, and event planning to build financial sustainability, promote visibility, and increase membership. Job description and application instructions are here.