MITES seeks instructors and mentors for transformational STEM programs

Events, Opportunities

MITES (MIT Introduction to Technology, Engineering, and Science) is seeking instructors and mentors for its free, transformative STEM programs for students in Grades 7-12 from underserved and underrepresented backgrounds. Applicants may be undergraduates, graduate students, and working professionals who are energetic, thoughtful, and motivated by the MITES mission. There are both paid and volunteer positions available.

For nearly 50 years, MITES (formerly the MIT Office of Engineering Outreach Programs) has changed thousands of lives, advancing equity and access in STEM fields. MITES runs three programs:

  • MITES Semester: Hybrid STEM program for rising high school seniors, June–December (formerly MOSTEC).
  • MITES Summer: Six-week, residential STEM program for rising high school seniors (formerly MITES).
  • MITES Saturdays: Multi-year STEM academy for students in Grades 7-12 in Boston, Cambridge, and Lawrence, MA public schools (formerly SEED Academy).

An equal opportunity employer, MITES encourage those from backgrounds historically underrepresented in STEM to apply — to help students see people like themselves as successful professionals, leaders, and guides in STEM. Openings may be for remote, in-person, or residential programs; part-time or full-time; for summer or academic year; and as instructor or mentor. See FAQs for prospective staff and email staffapp@mit.edu for more information.

MITES will host its Saturdays Symposium on May 6, 10AM-4PM, at MIT’s Stata Center (32 Vassar Street, Cambridge), to celebrate the achievements of more than 100 MITES Saturdays scholars from Boston, Cambridge, and Lawrence as they present their final projects. It’s a good opportunity for anyone interested in supporting and/or working for MITES.

Empow Studios: Save $100 on STEM Summer Camp, through Apr. 30

Summer

Empow Studios is celebrating World Creativity and Innovation Day (April 21) — and a few days following — by offering a $100 discount on any of its STEM Summer Camps through April 30 if you use code INNOVATION. Empow’s award-winning camps include Minecraft, Roblox, Coding, and STEM Survey. Its risk-free registration policy offers refunds up until 14 days before camp begins. Empow now has locations in Newton Upper Falls and Newton Centre, as well as Natick, Lexington, Cambridge, Boston, and Milton.

Olin College Spring Expo, May 9

Accomplishments, Events

Olin College of Engineering will hold its Spring Expo on May 9, 10AM-Noon, when students will share their favorite projects, research experiences, and other pursuits at tables lining the hallways of the Miller Academic Center, in some classrooms, and outside. Community members and student family members are invited, but the school is not able to accommodate any additional groups of Grades K-12 students this year. No pre-registration is required, but please sign in upon arrival at the Miller Academic Center.

PATHwayS Camp to design living space on Mars, July 24-28

Summer

The PATHwayS Camp is a free, one-week (July 24-28) NASA camp for BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) students 18 and older to work in teams to respond to this challenge: “Design a fictional self-enclosed system that could be used to support human life on Mars for 1 year. How can you ensure thriving in addition to just surviving? Consider the various aspects of living: health, communications, community, water, food, or energy systems.” The camp will include field trips and presentations that will help guide students to design the life support system. This camp is free for the 15 students who are accepted. Applications are due April 30. For more information, email Aimee.Bonanno@umb.edu.

PATHS is a new coalition of two minority serving institutions, UMASS Boston and Bunker Hill Community College, with funding from NASA, working to increase diversity in engineering in Massachusetts. The group supports students to explore STEM activities, persist through the barriers by finding a path that works for them, and change the status quo.

Science Friday Climate Fair at WBUR CitySpace, Apr. 18

Events

WBUR’s Science Friday will host a free event, the Science Friday Climate Fair, at WBUR’s CitySpace (890 Commonwealth Avenue, Boston) on April 18 at 4PM-8PM for kids of all ages to explore the ways scientists, educators and engineers are inventing solutions to climate change, creating sustainable systems and learning from the natural world. (Interactive stations are best suited for Grades 6-8.) Exhibitors include:

Earth Day: HMSC celebrates 200th birthday of Alfred Russell Wallace

Events

On Earth Day, April 22, 1PM-4PM, the Harvard Museums of Science and Culture (26 Oxford Street, Cambridge) will celebrate the 200th birthday of Alfred Russell Wallace (1823–1913), who discovered the theory of evolution by natural selection independently of Charles Darwin. HMSC will spotlight Wallace’s contributions to our understanding of biodiversity, highlighting why they are relevant to science today. Harvard students will share his legacy as a visionary scientist, a daring naturalist, and a passionate human rights advocate through stories and objects that reflect his professional achievements and travels in the Amazon and Indonesia. Free with regular museum admission. Free parking starting at noon at the 52 Oxford Street Garage.

FSU McAuliffe Center: Science on State Street, Apr. 22

Events

The Christa McAuliffe Center at Framingham State University is hosting its free STEM festival, Science on State Street, on April 22, 2PM-6PM, in collaboration with the MetroWest STEM Education Network (MSEN). It’s open to all in the MetroWest area. With a particular focus on themes relating to planet Earth, and 136 exhibitors, the festival helps all explore environmental science,  environmental justice, and sustainability. This year’s festival will feature Climate Hope Concert by Multiverse,  interweaving climate science and music to build community and spark action. For more information contact the McAuliffe Center at cmc@framingham.edu or 509-626-4050.

Edge on Science offers mentorship to teams in Changemaker Challenge

Events, Summer

Ashoka and T-Mobile are jointly hosting the 2023 Changemaker Challenge, in which teams in ages 13-18 may submit a project idea that drives digital empowerment, puts equity into action, and supports a thriving planet. The deadline to submit project ideas is May 18. There are online info sessions on April 18, May 4, and May 10.

Edge on Science, which runs week-long summer STEM programs in Newton and Beverly, is offering a free hour of mentorship to the first five Changemaker Challenge teams that contact the founder of Edge on Science, John Aviste.

LigerBots finish FRC season strong in West Springfield

Accomplishments

Following strong performances at the Rhode Island and Revere District competitions, the Newton LigerBots robotics team qualified for the New England District Championships held in West Springfield this weekend. At the start of the competition, Jeffrey Lam, a Junior at Newton North HS, performed the National Anthem on his electric guitar! Competing alongside alliance partners Mayhem Robotics and Air Strike, the LigerBots placed 25th out of 90 teams in West Springfield, nearly qualifying for the World Championships.

Finishing off the season strong, the team won the FRC Imagery Award, which “celebrates attractiveness in engineering and outstanding visual aesthetic integration of machine and team appearance.”

Kevin Yang, LigerBots co-CTO and a Junior at Newton South HS, was named one of the four Dean’s List Finalists and thus won an invitation to attend the FRC World Championships in Houston, April 19-22. Until their next competition season, in January 2024, the LigerBots will conduct community outreach events and work on off-season projects!