Boston’s Museum of Science has a new temporary exhibit — New England Climate Stories — opening February 17 and included as part of museum admission. Masks and proof of vaccination are required. A new planetarium show, Explore: Our Changing Earth, will open February 19, with separate admissions pricing, and is recommended for Grades 4-12 and adults.

The Massachusetts Life Sciences Center is facilitating and funding year-round, paid internships for Massachusetts college students and recent graduates through its Internship Challenge, creating over 550 opportunities each year in life sciences companies and academic research. There is no application deadline but students are encouraged to apply between February and April for the best chance at a summer placement. Employers do the interviewing and selection, then provide a mentor and a hands-on learning experience. Employers sign up here and applicants sign up here. For more information, email internship@masslifesciences.com.

Harvard Museums of Science and Culture will re-open its Collection of Historical Scientific Instruments on January 24. Reservations are required and Covid precautions are followed.

NewtonSTEM is supporting the LEAH Project and Science Club for Girls — two excellent programs that provide STEM education, inspiration, and mentoring for girls and young women from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM fields. Please click the bold links below to join in and make your contribution, too.

The LEAH Project has proven successful in empowering Boston-area youth — low-income, of color, and/or first generation college — to diversify STEM fields and succeed in them. Guided by its parent organization, Health Resources in Action, the LEAH Project offers paid STEM internships, college and career readiness programs, and leadership opportunities to build confidence and provide skills and connections that youth need to thrive. Join NewtonSTEM in supporting the LEAH Project with your donation of any amount.

Science Club for Girls is a non-profit that does a terrific job fostering excitement, confidence, and literacy in STEM for girls and young women from underrepresented communities in the Boston metro area. This fall, SCFG has expanded by 40% to reach 350 youth with 83 mentors in its Science Clubs — four in-person clubs and 30 virtual. There are still 230 girls on its waiting list, and SCFG aims to raise $50,000 by December 31 to extend its reach to meet this need and will match contributions (up to a total of $30,000) toward this goal. Join NewtonSTEM in supporting SCFG with your donation of any amount. 

The Technovation Challenge is a free, worldwide, technology entrepreneurship competition in which each teams of up to five girls (in three divisions by age:  8-12, 13-15, 16-18 years old) identify problems in their local communities, build prototype applications for them (AI or mobile apps), develop business plans, and pitch the plans to potential investors. Teams meet January-April for 3-4 hours weekly with mentors from the tech/business community in preparation for regional and worldwide events in May and June. Sign up here. The MassTLC Education Foundation, which hosts the program in the Boston area, seeks volunteer mentors with expertise in coding, design, marketing, or finance. Email Sara Fraim at sara@masstlc.org for more information.

The LEAH Project has proven successful in empowering Boston-area youth — low-income, of color, and/or first generation college — to diversify STEM fields and succeed in them. Guided by its parent organization, Health Resources in Action, the LEAH Project offers paid STEM internships, college and career readiness programs, and leadership opportunities to build confidence and provide skills and connections that youth need to thrive. Join NewtonSTEM in supporting the LEAH Project with your donation of any amount.

As one LEAH Youth Leader says,

“LEAH has made me feel strong and capable enough to pursue my dreams in medicine. If it wasn’t for their rigorous Biomedical Research internship, I wouldn’t have thought I was capable of learning biomedical research. Because of LEAH’s guidance and support during online learning, I was able to learn and perform DNA extraction and other molecular biology experiments. The LEAH staff also provided a space for me to meet other youth who share similar interests, whom I am able to laugh and learn with. Most importantly, I grew academically and socially because I was challenged by my teaching assistants in the summer and feel ready enough to teach younger youth and challenge them to learn as much as possible. LEAH has been a wonderful and eye-opening opportunity for me.”

Science Club for Girls is a non-profit that does a terrific job fostering excitement, confidence, and literacy in STEM for girls and young women from underrepresented communities in the Boston metro area. This fall, SCFG has expanded by 40% to reach 350 youth with 83 mentors in its Science Clubs — four in-person clubs and 30 virtual. There are still 230 girls on its waiting list, and SCFG aims to raise $50,000 by December 31 to extend its reach to meet this need. Join NewtonSTEM in supporting SCFG with your donation of any amount. We’re aiming to raise $500 — 1% of SCFG’s goal.