February 2018 – STEMedia.org

Career & Education: What’s the Connection?

February 28, 2018June 12, 2018
by admin

How much of what I learned in school am I actually using in my career? Well, that is an interesting question and it actually does cause a bit of reflection. To be honest, from an overall percentage standpoint, I would say that I’m using a very small amount of the facts I learned but that’s just the technical answer. Since I know that the question is likely coming from those who are tired of memorizing the artists from a particular era, various chemistry nomenclature, and the like, I’m going to be honest with you. Yes, there are a lot scholastic details that I have forgotten, and rightfully so. However, on a larger scale, there’s a tremendous amount that I have learned through my academic experience that I do utilize. It may sound trite, but I’ve learned how to work with deadlines. I’ve learned how to work with people. I’ve learned how to time manage. I’ve learned how to figure things out. The truth is, what happens in school isn’t just the memorization of processes, facts and figures, but it is the strengthening of a mental muscle that will serve you well in the future.

My job as a Bridge Design Engineer might not incorporate every single mathematical theorem that I had to regurgitate on a college exam. Neither has it involved an ounce of weight training that I took as a PE course elective. But the fact of the matter is, just as those weights strengthened my muscle to be more useful in the next basketball game I played in, in the same manner, my mental muscle was strengthened through various high school and college experiences. It allows me to take a problem that’s been handed to me and figure out a way to get it done, even when there isn’t a set path in front of me. To the person who may be asking the question, “How much of this do I even need to remember for my future career?” Please remember, that it is not always about the exact thing that you study but it’s more about the process of engaging and learning that is invaluable. I like to think of school as a continuous like a big weight training class. It’s strength and conditioning for your mind, and sure, there are several non-traditional ways that you can engage in the same; I encourage those as well.

I caution anyone who is on the path to becoming an Engineer, or a Scientist, or any otherSTEM professional and bemoans the need to take apparently unrelated electives in their curriculum. Trust me. It’s all for a purpose. The real answer to, “How much of what I learn in school will I use in my career?” Is, “Pretty much all of it.” Pretty much all of it. Because it’s not about the destination or accomplishment, or getting every single President’s names correct. It’s the transformation that takes place while you’re engaged in that journey. Continue to give all you got at each step, and I promise you, you’ll come out much better in the end.

Nehemiah J. Mabry, Ph.D. is a structural engineer, educator, and entrepreneur based in Raleigh, NC. He is the founder and president of STEMedia, and he believes in not simply having the next BIG thing, but creating it 😉 >> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYrsL4OJyTI

Global

The Biology of Race : A Myth

February 28, 2018June 12, 2018
by Cynthia Sharpe

Did you know race was a science? I don’t mean race as in a competitive challenge of athletic abilities or vehicle control. I mean race, the thing that divides people based on distinct physical characteristics. Yes, there is science in the melanin of skin and the origin of where certain people get their features from, DNA and all that, but race science went on to declare that certain races were inferior to others based on categorizing by German scientist, Johann Blumenbach in the late 1700s.

You may recall the scene in the 2012 movie, Django Unchained, where Leonardo DeCaprio’s character presents the skull of a deceased slave to Jamie Foxx’s character. He explains that the key to understanding how they are two different species is in phrenology, determining mental characteristics by looking at skull shape. Though this science behind inferiority and superiority were proven untrue, for a while the people of America bought into it.

The truth is, race is not real though, the way people are treated because of ideas of race is real. The concept of race and its implications are discussed in depth in Raleigh’s Museum of Natural Sciences’ exhibit, “RACE: Are We So Different?” Based on the book by Alan H. Goodman, Yolanda T. Moses, and Joseph L. Jones, this national exhibit is the first to tell stories of race from the biological, cultural and historical points of view.

From the science perspective, human beings are more alike than different and there is nothing in our DNA that supports the idea of race. This exhibit brings to the attention that race is about culture and NOT biology. It also points out how “race is a recent human intervention” that has become “embedded in our institutions and everyday life.”

“RACE: Are We So Different?” has four inviting components to it. It will feature artwork by photographer Wing Young Huie, that highlights ethnic and socioeconomic diversity in the communities of Minnesota. It will also host 90-minute guided discussions about race experiences called Cultural Conversations. This portion is free and open to the public on Saturdays and Sundays from April 22 to September 3, but do require registration. The exhibit even has a speaking series as well as a special event on June 10th called “Rhythm of Race: A Celebration of Music, Dance and Spoken Word.” This event aims to use artistic expression to reiterate the messages within the exhibit and to “build bridges among people of all racial and ethnic backgrounds.”

“RACE: Are We So Different?” is an exhibit that most definitely melds technical intelligence with creative genius, which is what STEMedia is all about! Go check it out for yourself! Hear the stories, see the stories, speak your story. For more information about the exhibit’s activities and dates, go to http://naturalsciences.org/exhibits/featured-exhibitions/race. To get a glimpse of what the exhibit is concerning, see the video below.

Creative

Finding Undergraduate Research – Episode 3 | The 1%…

February 28, 2018June 12, 2018
by Tayler Furlow

We are back with episode three of the 1% Engineer Show, looking at how to find undergraduate research. Check it out below and check back on Fridays for new videos. Don’t forget to look into The 1% Engineer website for more interesting information!

In this episode, we discuss one main tactic to deploy in order to find undergraduate research opportunities. Professors are ALWAYS looking for ambitious students to support their research initiatives, and even if funding is not available (though it usually is), you can get involved with research in your spare time anyway and volunteer. The crux of the lesson is to show your initiative, show you are ambitious and hungry for more involvement in the industry. Visit your professors during office hours, stay after class, tell them you want to get involved. Explain how passionate you are about their focus area, and how you want to help. I highly encourage 1% Engineers to get involved, as mentioned even if there is no funding to be had, because they will not be disappointed with the impact. This type of ambition will lead to more opportunities by way of a great reference, and potential future connections after getting more involved and standing out.

Creative

STEAM+ Arts Integration Conference

February 28, 2018June 12, 2018
by admin

Former public school Science schoolteacher and founder of J Rêve International LLC, Jacqueline Cofield is a multi-passionate, multidisciplinary cultural creative, educator, and yogini. Cofield has traveled to nearly 60 countries, resided in eight, and is trilingual. She earned Masters degrees from both the University of Southern California, and The City College of New York (CCNY), and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts.

Her global work includes programs with MAPP International Productions, Paramount International TV, Columbia Pictures, The Sundance Film Festival – New Frontier, Disney Corporation, Sony Music, The Peggy Guggenheim Museum, UNESCO, Give1Project, The Chicago Sinfonietta, G.R. N’Namdi Gallery, The University of Southern California, Ithaca College Los Angeles, University of Rochester, Pittsburgh Public Schools, and The New York City Department of Education.

As a graduate student at CCNY’s’s Graduate School School of Education, Cofield completed her M.S. thesis research on ‘The Impact of Arts Related Activities on Science Concept Comprehension,’ a qualitative and quantitative study. A former physical science middle-school educator for the New York City Department of Education, she is a global advocate for STEAM Education, Multiple Intelligences, and Arts Integration.

STEAM education is an interdisciplinary approach to pedagogy that promotes collaboration, communication, critical thinking and creative problem-solving. STEAM education supports the development of skills between business and education. Students become engaged when they see the relevance of what they are studying and how it can support their current range of studies, and future aspirations.

J Reve International has partnered with Community MicroEnterprise Center, as the Fiscal Agent for the role of Program Manager for the STEAM+ Arts Integration conference. The project builds on our existing work, seeking to increase our engagement and support to build local and global social capital through educational K-12 programming. Specifically, this project is a professional development program designed across disciplines and levels to engage educators, administrators, artists, cultural programmers, and policy makers, while investigating practical applications for arts integration. The initial program will take place in Washington DC July 28-30th, in collaboration with the Pepco Edison Place Gallery and the Paul S. Devroaux Memorial Lecture.

We are educators, artists, scientists, programmers and creatives who believe in the power of the arts to engage and enlighten.

What is STEAM+? We’ve added the + symbol to recognize and include non-STEM subjects. Learning and teaching can be interdisciplinary. We recognize that inclusive approaches include a range of subjects, such as ESOL, physical education, language, global studies, and history, for example, all relate to STEM subjects and can enhance learning.

Our STEAM+ program is proud to take the focus of education beyond just Science, Technology, Engineering and Math. We encourage a holistic approach to education, exploring the many ways that art can be used to teach, empower, and engage students in any discipline. We have already reached over 40,000 people globally and our mission doesn’t stop there. It is our pleasure to continue to encourage arts education advocacy for multi-subject educators all around the globe.

Furthermore, we have reached eight different countries, five continents and are involved with 50 community partners and schools. Our inclination for launching STEAM+ is backed by the proven impact art education has on our society. Two important points have emerged from studies regarding neuroeducation and the importance of art incorporation into education: it is vital to students’ success that educators and researchers communicate and collaborate; arts learning must be better understood before successful integration of the arts across the curriculum can occur.

We are overjoyed by the launching of our new program, STEAM+, and the impact it will have on global educators and their classrooms. Our Professional Development Program will feature presentations, panels, roundtables and more.

We look forward to you joining us on our journey to help encourage students to stay in school and succeed in school, work and life. And we hope you will join us for an incredible experience that will continue revolutionizing the education of our future generations, for years to come.

For more info jrevesteam.com

Creative

[Watch ▶] Our National Academy of Engineering E4U3 Award…

February 28, 2018June 12, 2018
by admin

Our video, Sustainable Cities through Intelligent Infrastructure [STEM Poetry] received the People’s Choice Award & Best Overall Video for the National Academy of Engineering’s E4U3 Mega-Engineering video contest. Thanks to everyone who voted and supported the campaign!

Thank you, Thank You, THANK YOU!

The awards ceremony was held at the NAE’s 2016 Annual Meeting, October 9-10, where this year’s focus was on global mega-engineering initiatives that often are not recognized as engineering. Several professionals from around the world were recognized for their contributions to the field and a brand new class of inductees was formally brought into this prestigious community. Sunday’s program concluded with STEMedia receiving $30,000 to continue our mission to provide creative and inspiration content for the STEM community – not a bad deal! 😉

Photo Credit: NAE.edu — Photo Credit: National Academy of Engineering (NAE.edu)

10-11-16-20:08

Career

Job Interview Tips- Episode 4 The 1% Engineer Show

February 28, 2018June 12, 2018
by Tayler Furlow

Episode 004 – Job Interview Tips. In this episode, we reverse engineer what a job interview really is, and provide tips to excel in your next interview. Job interviews are a source of anxiety for many people, especially engineers, as they commonly struggle with communication. However, once you fully understand the goals an employer has during an interview, your tasks are much simpler. A job interview is mostly a conversation to evaluate your ability to communicate, to gauge your confidence, and evaluate you as a person. You no longer need to sell yourself and converse about grades or technical skills – you have met the criteria for the job so generally their thinking is more high level at this point. Although, preparation for worst case scenario questions is a must, like challenging interview questions. In future episodes, we will discuss these, such as “What are your biggest weaknesses?”. That’s one of the trickiest questions to answer. Tip: reply with something you may be somewhat weak on, like technical writing or organization, yet you are actively studying and strengthening this attribute. You have then turned a weakness into a highlight of ambition and self improvement for yourself!

Creative Arts

5 Tips for Responding to Frustration over Your Mistakes

February 28, 2018June 12, 2018
by admin

I’m sure we’ve all had those moments in life where we give into frustration and call ourselves everything awful thing we can think of. Largely, this comes as we reflect on the mistakes we’ve made and the path some of those mistakes have set some of us on. How many times have you said to yourself, “I should have done x, y and z”, “I hate that I took this Calculus class with such and such”, “I feel like a failure.” If you haven’t had these moments, keep living, they do come. These frustrating moments are important, but what is more important is that you sit with them but do not stay there. So, how do you start to change your perspective and see your mistakes in a different light? After all, they say perspective is everything, right? Here are 5 tips to help reinterpret your mistakes:

You are EXACTLY who you needed to be for that moment in your life: This is first and probably one of the most important. I’m a believer that life has unique ways of teaching us things and bringing out the parts of us we often do not realize we need. Yes, you made a mistake, but you were where and who you needed to be in that moment. If that moment elevated you in any capacity to a better version of yourself, then you were enough. Even in this moment, if you’re dealing with a mistake, you are who you need to be to overcome this challenge. Trust the timing of your life.

Grant yourself a little empathy: I was notorious for this at one point in time but we are often too hard on ourselves. Be honest with yourself, but be gentle, you are still growing, still evolving. Grant yourself the same grace you would anyone else in your life and you will find your frustrations become fleeting.

Write, write, write: This is probably cliché but journaling has literally saved my life. Get some paper, some paints, crayons, or whatever and express yourself however you see fit. I recommend writing and art so that you can go back and read and reflect. Don’t police yourself when you write, your journal or notebook or canvas is your space. Let all of that frustration out because it is you in your most authentic form. As a scientist, I’m all about dates and methods so be sure to date your work, this allows you to go back and read who you were in that moment (see point one). You might even realize that what you thought was huge is merely small potatoes and you can acknowledge your growth.

Nuthin’ but a ”G” thang: Whatever your ”G” is (spiritual practice), lean on those mantras that you were taught. Reflect on those ideas and realize your place in the universe is so much more than what is distracting you at the moment. In your spiritual practice, whatever it may be, take the time to breath. Feel your breath as you recite those taught principles and give that frustration to the universe. From a science perspective, the universe was created from what would seem like a series of unlikely, unfortunate (mistakes) events and here we are, perfectly able to relish in the aftermath. Ask yourself, do you really think if the universe can be created from what would seem like a series of chemistry lab mistakes, you can’t make it?

We live baybeh, yeaaah: Get out there and experience the physical world around you. Yes, you may have made mistakes, but you are still here and still can live and make the most of life. Grab a jump rope and keep it with you, as someone who enjoys boxing, you can keep a rope and hop for a few minutes so that those endorphins flow. Look at the macro perspective of and physically get involved with yourself and the world around you. Walk, run, skip and talk to yourself.

You are your own best work and even when you are frustrated you are still you. There is no one like you and your experiences matter. Tell your story, frustrations and all. Mistakes do no define us, how we live through them and who we become is all that matters.

Creative Arts

Digital Art Workstations (Black Music Month)

February 28, 2018June 12, 2018
by Cynthia Sharpe

Last month (June) was Black Music Month. Since announced by President Jimmy Carter in 1979, June has been recognized as the designated month to formally honor the achievements and contributions of black music. Because of this celebration, it seems fair to reflect and pose the question, “Where would black music be without engineering? -not only the engineering that goes into creating and recording sound, but the engineering that goes into producing a “good” sound?”

When people think STEM, they don’t always think STEAM. STEAM is the inclusion of art and design as a driver of STEM innovation. Well, when folks think STEAM, they don’t always think music. But nestled between our proclivities about art and technology, there lies musical composition through the Digital Art Workstation.

A Digital Art Workstation is a software that allows artists to do vocal recording as well as compose beats digitally. From claps, to drums, to tings and explosions, this software has hundreds of sounds to choose from. It allows the control of volume for these sounds. It provides a meter for you to keep time while composing a beat. It even lets you cut music, play it back and piece portions together. This thing is absolutely BOSS!

And there are so many different kinds of workstations: Ableton, FL Studios, Logic, and Pro Tools, just to name a few. And the great thing about this method of composing beats is it can all be done on a computer! You can compose a piece within minutes, if you’re that good! Some workstations have tangible equipment as well for those who prefer touching dials instead of clicking them to master songs.

A music engineer is nothing without his or her equipment. The fact that beat-making is now on software and does not require external components, this sort of engineering has fallen into the hands of many people desiring to spread their sound. At-home studios are popping up and young professionals are blossoming into their passion. Independent artists are getting their own music out without making it to “the big-time”. Creativity and expression are flooding the streets thanks to technological advancement.

The culture of Hip Hop is furthering. Rhythm & Blues is being cultivated by the hands of those who grew up listening to it. The Digital Art Workstation is an affordable, portable studio.

Like music, life is what you make it. When life gives you sounds, make a beat. When it gives you noise, master it into something easy on the ears. No matter your circumstances, your voice matters. Your creativity belongs somewhere.

Stay grinding. Stay STEAMy. 💪🏾💪🏾

This piece comes to us from one of our talented content contributors, Cynthia Sharpe. Her bio is below and if you would like to work with us you can email us here!

Cynthia M. Sharpe, is a May 2015 graduate of NC State University. Cynthia graduated with a B.A. in English with a concentration in creative writing and currently aspires to pursue an M.F.A. in Creative Writing. “As I let my own light shine, I unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.” -Cynthia M. Sharpe, inspired by Marianne Williamson

Career

Inspiring Women & Their Mark on the Tech World

February 28, 2018June 12, 2018
by Tayler Furlow

Tech has long been considered a man’s world—and in many ways it still is. But this important segment of the business community continues to expand its reach, which means it continues to make inroads for women. And there are important female pioneers in the tech world that are leading that charge, making sure that young women have mentors and role models to follow.

Take Tracy Young: She took on both the construction industry and the tech world—both long dominated by men—to create PlanGrid with two friends. The software relies on tech tools to make construction planning and design less expensive and quicker, too.

While construction is business segment that’s been around for centuries, tech-related fields such as app development is relatively new—but there are still women who have used this new field to make their mark. Find out who these diverse female ground-breakers are in the graphic below.

Engineering

Resume Tips! – Episode 5

February 28, 2018June 12, 2018
by Tayler Furlow

Time for episode five, Resume Tips! Check it out below and check back every Friday for a new episode . Don’t forget to look into The 1% Engineer website for more interesting information.

Having a great resume is incredibly important in technical fields. This is because the vast majority of technical professionals have terrible resumes, so it’s a great way to stand out if you have better resume content or a superior design. Grades and technical ability only go so far anyway, so a single unique resume could land a job despite your marks / skills being potentially lower than others. The first tactic is to be relevant to the position. The experience that is most applicable should be highlighted and emphasized, and therefore your resume should be specifically catered to the jobs you apply for. Two, quantify your value. Put numbers behind the attributes you are selling for yourself. If you were in a leadership role, how many people did you supervise? If you designed houses, how many were there? Three, have a great design. Spend a little time researching progressive and attractive resume designs, generally in creative fields from people who are better at design than most STEM individuals. Design is everything today, if something doesn’t look good, an employer expects the quality to be poor.