Math – STEMedia

Meet Katherine – the Musical Engineer

March 22, 2018July 9, 2018
by admin

Instagram has no shortage of individuals in the STEM fields who embrace a passion for creative expression. One of our favorites is Katherine (@naturallyshe) whose page is filled with awesome, 60 seconds or less, piano covers of anyone from Adele to Stevie Wonder to even Ludwig van Beethoven!

Katherine is an engineer, musician, and teacher in the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Inspired by her own personal story and passions, she has been on a journey to highlight the parallels between music and STEM.

Her musicianship started over 20 years ago, when she started taking piano lessons, learning music theory, notation, and performance. She took lessons for 11 years, and since went on to accompany vocalists at church and events, and currently teaches piano to both children and adult students.

As a young child, she had an aptitude and love for math, but didn’t quite know how that could translate into a future career. At the time, internet was not ubiquitous; as well, STEM outreach programs were not prevalent, so she wasn’t even aware of STEM fields. But a chance conversation with her high school physics teacher steered her to declare an engineering major in college, and she went on to pursue two degrees in Civil Engineering.

Today, Katherine works as both an engineer and a musician. While teaching piano lessons, she began to recognize the parallels between music and engineering. One of the foremost parallels is that the skills gained as a musician (whether learning, listening to, or performing music) develop the ability to recognize and decipher patterns. Music also develops creative thinking which can strengthen problem solving. Music builds imagination which leads to innovation and new design.

In 2015, Katherine started documenting these parallels and sharing them on Instagram, along with media portraying her embodiment of the music+STEM message. In doing so, she hopes to shed light on STEM and encourage/inform artistic students that their passion, gifts, skills, and discipline as artists/musicians can be deployed in STEM.

Fun Fact: She also has her Professional Engineering license

Watch this inspiring rendition of her singing “World’s Greatest” 🙌🏽

Creative

Poetry SLAM With a Twist! (TECHNIMETRIC II)

March 5, 2018June 12, 2018
by admin

“I’m not another E^x I’m making sure you differentiate me from the rest. This differentiation’s a part of me. I’m molding my own life like it’s pottery. These emcees are gonna show you what STEM is supposed to be. Welcome to Technimetric STEM Poetry.”

The innagural Technimetric Poetry Slam, held January 30, 2014, served to prove the theorem that an interest in math or science doesn’t mean that one only uses the left side of their brain. And while one might hypothesize that participation was limited only to STEM majors, event organizers disproved that assumption and branched out to include students of other majors including Business and English. With the spotlight on them, each participant combined techinical knowledge with their passion for creativity to perform inspiring, humorous, and illuminating poetic pieces to a packed house, sharing stories of love, friendship, and motivation.

“Colleges are label makers and degrees are nametags. And for them, in the end, they’re always more comfortable if they can fit you into a category…”

William Stewart, a senior Electrical Engineering major stated in his piece, when you tell someone you’re an engineering major, regardless of all your other extra-curricular pursuits, “they’ll still only know you as that math kid”. But for the participants of this event, they shattered the stereotypes associated with engineers, mathemeticians, and programmers. Each participant was expressive and charismatic, commanding the attention of the room as they lyrically expressed their thoughts, emotions, and observations.

“It’s our time and we gotta own it. If you’ve got the force to go the distance, then it’s your moment…”

While the night was certainly about the showcasing of poetic gifts, it was also about the awarding of prizes to noble participants. Every participant displayed skill on par with excellence, but in the end it was Alexis Carson, a sophomore Computer Science major, who impressed the judges and claimed the grand prize of an iPad Mini. The open-mic style competition, held on the campus of North Carolina State University, was hosted by STEMedia in collaboration with the NC State Chapter of NSBE, Sacrificial Poets, NCSU MEP, and My Health Impact.

This year’s event will be held January 21st @ 6:30 pm, in the Talley Ballroom on the campus of NC State University. Selected participants will perform original pieces on the subject of their choice (Comedy, Romance, Philosophy, Social Commentary, etc.) making sure to contain frequent technical (i.e. STEM) references. The best poet (as determined by judges) will receive a brand new Apple Watch. For more information about this event, visit STEMedia.org or contact Nehemiah Mabry via email nehemiah@stemedia.org

Author: Michael Vance is a writer based in Houston, TX. While he makes his living as a technical writer, he also wears many other hats including, podcast host, blogger, speaker, mentor and most importantly husband and father. You can connect with him on Twitter @mjsmartypants.

Engineering

How To Bounce Back From a Bad Semester

March 5, 2018June 12, 2018
by Cynthia Sharpe

A bad GPA from one semester is not the end of the world IF you respond correctly.

We all have tough semesters. It felt like a professor was against you the entire time; a family issue took up most of your energy; too many programs wouldn’t work no matter how long you spent coding; or maybe, you just played Call of Duty way too much last semester. So you didn’t do too well last semester GPA-wise; that’s OK! You can bounce back! Just DON’T do these things:

DON’T DWELL ON IT
- The longer you dwell on the situation, the longer you prevent progress. Your GPA does not define you. You DO deserve to be here. You are not perfect; no person is.
DON’T IGNORE IT
- Dwelling on it is a no-no, but USING your GPA to make goals is a “yes-yes”! How are you going to know where you are heading and how to get there without looking back, at least briefly? Use last semester’s GPA to calculate what grades you need to get this semester in order reach your preferred GPA. The NC State website has a GPA calculator available for use.
DON’T SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP
- During the first few weeks of class (if not the first day of class), at the end of the session, you should introduce yourself to the professor. This sets up the potential for future interactions that can one day work to your benefit. The professor now knows your face and/or name, so when you start participating in class and sending emails, you are familiar to them. When extra credit opportunities arise, do them. When you can answer a question, answer. Do NOT dim your light and by the end of the semester when it is time for exams to be curved and grades to be determined, your participation in class and sometimes outside of class in a club or event related to the subject, may speak for itself. You could be setting yourself up to earn a better grade than what you would have gotten had you sat down and shut up.
DON’T MAKE THE SAME MISTAKES AS LAST SEMESTER
- Did you suffer from poor study habits last year? Couldn’t get your head in the books and your body out of the party? Took too many difficult classes at once? Didn’t carve out enough time to properly prepare for each class? Priorities got a little mixed up? Just flat out had a negative attitude? That’s OK, just don’t do it again this semester. You know what you did that didn’t benefit your GPA before; and if you don’t know, reflect on it, and grow from it so that this semester can be better than the last.
DON’T EXCLUDE EXCLUSIONS
- Yes, the dreaded and blessed grade exclusion, it is not a myth. It can be your new best friend or your deal with the devil. Use it too soon or for a grade that is not that terrible, and you could regret it down the road. But use it at just the right time, for just the worst grade, and it can do wonders for your GPA. Talk to your advisor about the best decision for you and if using one is necessary. See if grade exclusions are an option at your university and ask your advisor if it may be right for you. Also, have an idea of how your future courses per semester will be in order to minimize your chances of needing another exclusion. It is best to make a well-informed decision and sometimes you are an even better determiner of that than an advisor.
DON’T LOSE FOCUS
- We all get off-track every now-and-then, but don’t let it be a permanent derailment. Find your motivation for doing well and use that drive throughout the semester until you finish strong. Why are you in school? Why do you want/need to do well? Who else wants success for you? Do you plan on graduating? –ever? If you do, get it together and let’s make it happen.
DON’T GO WITHOUT A SUPPORT SYSTEM
- The recovery process is not always easy or speedy, so try to have someone there to help you along the way: a counselor, a friend, a parent; someone who can help take some weight off your shoulders. You may even want to form a study group or get a buddy from class to help hold you accountable for classwork and you do the same for them.
DON’T TRY TO BE PERFECT
- Just be great!

All of these “DON’Ts” can be beneficial, but the best way to start this new semester is to speak over it; go ahead and declare that this semester will be better than the last and claim that you will already achieve the GPA that you are confident you can accomplish by the time the semester draws to a close. Remember, you CAN bounce back from a rough semester.

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

Creative

Putting the Sexy in STEM: Introducing Broader Society to…

March 5, 2018June 12, 2018
by admin

Written By Dr. Monica F. Cox (reposted with permission from C. Poston)

I recently had the pleasure of giving a presentation to a group of underrepresented middle school students within a weekend program focused on developing their leadership skills. As I talked to the group of fifteen students about science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM), I carefully detailed my path to becoming a professor- finding my passion as a mathematician and engineer and then going on to earn a Ph.D. in Leadership and Policy Studies.

As I was about to move on to discuss my experiences as an engineering professor at Purdue, an African-American girl with cornrows raised her hand timidly and asked, “What’s a Ph.D.?” At that moment, I realized that I live in a world of privilege- one where earning a Ph.D. is the norm and forming a research group and publishing academic papers is as common to me as turning on the radio and listening to a Beyoncé tune is to a high school student.

According to the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) (2010),1 in 2009, only 45% of doctoral students in STEM fields were U.S.-born or permanent residents. Of this percentage, 5.2% were Hispanic and 4.4% were African-American, and 1% were classified as other (i.e., American Indians, Hawaiian/Pacific Islanders, and two or more combined groups). This breakdown by number represents 432 Hispanic females, 1,251 Hispanic males, 455 African-American females, 883 African-American males, 19 American Indian females, and 87 American Indian males.

With such low numbers, knowing multiple people pursuing or holding a Ph.D. in STEM could be rare for the average minority person in the U.S., especially those living in underserved or rural communities. Unfortunately, this often places a burden on many minority STEM Ph.D. holders to be the “face” of STEM whether they want to be or not. Many underrepresented minorities also are first-generation STEM Ph.D. holders, thereby encountering questions from well-intentioned family members and friends who want to know, “What exactly do to you do?,” and “When are you going to get a real job?”

These statistics and anecdotal experiences confirm that there are disconnects between the desire to increase the numbers of underrepresented minority (URM) Ph.D. holders in STEM and the practicality of breaking down what a Ph.D. is and its role within the context of STEM education. If we want underrepresented minority students to earn STEM Ph.D.s, we must begin to talk about the STEM disciplines and the degrees that one must obtain to be perceived as the academic expert in their chosen areas of interest. This effort is not one in which STEM Ph.D. holders are doing all of the educating, however. Parents, students, teachers, faculty, and non-STEM stakeholders must engage in mutual exchanges that allow them to demystify STEM Ph.D.s and to make pursuit of STEM Ph.D.s common conversation (similar to how we currently encourage students to go to college). Efforts such as those below might begin to foster stronger collaborations in the advancement of STEM graduate education.

(1) Web searches– In the age of the internet, it’s easy for parents, teachers, and anyone with a computer to identify STEM Ph.D. holders and faculty, particularly those at local universities. Take 30 minutes to go to a local (this might be an institution that is a couple of hours away) college or university website to identify faculty and their STEM research and/or teaching topics. More than likely, an e-mail address or telephone number will be located on their institutional webpages. Use that to contact faculty of interest. (Remember that people with Ph.D.s are approachable!) Some of the questions that you might ask include the following:

-Are lab tours available within your department or university? If so, who might I contact to set up a tour?

-Does your lab or department offer STEM-related programs or outreach activities available to K-12 students, undergraduates, teachers, or the general public? If so, when are they?

Remember, however, that faculty are extremely busy. In your e-mail, assume that the person has a Ph.D. (i.e., address him/her as “Dr._____”), ask for a point of contact, and note that not all faculty will be able to engage in an exhaustive e-mail exchange with you. Take their information, however, and follow up with their suggestions in a timely manner.

(2) Faculty Invitations– Identify ways that faculty can engage with your school or local organizations. (A personal example was that I was invited to talk to preschoolers about engineering for Black History Month.) One of the areas in which faculty obtain promotion is via invited talks. After you’ve conducted your web search, think of ways that you can invite select faculty to visit your organization to discuss his/her research to the audience of your choosing. In your request, remember to include information about any themes of the talk, the intended audience, the anticipated presentation length, and compensation (if available). Include a time for faculty to engage one-on-one with the audience so that audience members can ask questions about STEM, college, and the Ph.D. process. Conclude the visit with a nice thank you note or e-mail. Such mentoring is quite beneficial and potentially life-changing for all involved.

(3) Social Media- Faculty need to use social media to present their research and to translate it for non-STEM audiences. In a recent interview with Oprah Winfrey, box office sensation Kevin Hart discussed the power of social media and connecting to your audience. Although many would ask what social media has to do with STEM, I would say a lot. STEM Ph.D. holders were trained to disseminate their knowledge in very traditional ways (i.e., dissertations and academic papers) and venues (i.e., conferences and peer-reviewed academic journals), but as social media platforms expand, STEM Ph.D. holders must find ways to connect with the next generation of STEM professionals. Professionals must get out of their comfort zones and meet people where they are, which is often not in a classroom or lab. Consider creating a personal Twitter account or research lab Facebook page. The results could be quite rewarding and may open new professional opportunities for you as a STEM professional (e.g., my opportunity to contribute to the Poston Collective).

(4) Entertainment and Broader Society– At a time when almost everyone is talking about shows such as Scandal and Being Mary Jane, STEM-related television programs that boast strong leading characters of color with Ph.D.s are limited. While people expect to see astrophysicists like Dr. Neil Degrasse Tyson hosting Fox’s Cosmos, missing are an abundance of sassy, smart STEM Ph.D. characters who are brilliant and easy on the eyes, leaving even non STEM audiences reveling in the coolness that is STEM.

Although I’m not encouraging every STEM Ph.D. holder to pursue acting or to display their six-packs on YouTube, I am saying that we need to present our whole selves to the world when possible. People need to know that we are more than one-dimensional, pocket-protecting geeks who wear lab coats and safety glasses. Most of us can talk about more than STEM, and we have lives outside of our work. Consider serving as a consultant for the National Academy of Science’s “The Science and Entertainment Exchange”[CMF1] , which connects Hollywood and the STEM community. Also sign up for Help a Reporter Out (HARO) which will connect you to publications and venues that are seen by broader society. A goal should be to a little vulnerable and to be approachable. In that way, people will possibly see themselves earning a STEM Ph.D.

If you are still not comfortable doing anything that doesn’t connect directly to your research, think of new ways to communicate this work. This year, my research students and I created an animated web series chronicling the adventures of the “Quirky Time Gang” (the pseudonym for my research group) With my passions for professional development and comedy, I thought of a nonthreatening, inexpensive way (an annual business subscription to GoAnimate is $300) to communicate STEM graduate education to the masses. Why knows? Maybe Tyler Perry or Oprah Winfrey will check out my series and want to create the first-even animated STEM graduate education series on the Oprah Winfrey Network (Hint! Hint!)?

In conclusion, I think that STEM Ph.D. holders can bring the sexy back to STEM. We are some of the most creative and innovative people on the planet, and it’s time for the world to recognize and emulate that. After all, why should Olivia Pope and Mary Jane Paul have all the fun?

Ref:

1. Gibbons, M.T. (2010). Engineering by the Numbers. Publication of the American Society for Engineering Education. http://www.asee.org/papers-and-publications/publications/college-profiles/2010-profile-engineering-statistics.pdf (retrieved March 23, 2014).

Dr. Monica F. Cox ( @monicafcox ) is an Engineering educator intent on changing the world in nontraditional ways and showing the world that professors are NOT one-dimensional. She is the Director of the Pedagogical Evaluation Laboratory. In 2011, she became the first African-American female to earn tenure in the College of Engineering at Purdue. Find more of her insightful work and other like-minded articles at The Poston Collective website.

Creative

STEM Education Postdoctoral Position, Vanderbilt University

March 5, 2018May 23, 2018
by admin

COVER SUBJECT | STEM Education Postdoctoral Position, Vanderbilt University

Vanderbilt University is seeking to fill a STEM education postdoctoral associate position within the research team of Dr. Ebony McGee, Asst. Professor of Diversity and Urban Schooling, and of Medicine, Health, and Society. Please see the flyer for more detailed information.

Explorations into Diversifying Engineering Faculty Initiatives (EDEFI) invites applicants to apply for a one-year postdoctoral associate position.
This position involves working on a series of projects which are funded by the National Science Foundations and take a holistic approach to investigating how a more racially diverse engineering faculty and workforce can be achieved.
The position is a full-time, twelve-month appointment with a salary range of $50,000 to $55,000 with benefits.

· To apply, please email a cover letter describing your background, future goals, and how the position aligns with your professional trajectory. Please include in the same email an updated Curriculum Vita (CV) and any accommodations required. Application review will begin immediately.

· Inquiries and application materials should be directed to Stacey Houston. More information about the research team and the projects can be found here.

Creative

Whom Do Statistics Say Will Win? (and Why it…

March 5, 2018June 12, 2018
by admin

Peyton Manning and Cam Newton both have the stats in their favor.

Super Bowl 50 is now set! The Carolina Panthers and the Denver Broncos are the two teams vying for NFL immortal glory. Odds are that right up until the Super Bowl kickoff, gamblers and curious observers alike will analyze the two teams and come up with all sorts of reasons why one team is better than the other. Of the more famous methods, simulating the Super Bowl through the Madden NFL video game. Other methods range from the gut-feeling aspect such as using animals to pick the winner, to more scientific methods like using stats and percentages.

Using statistics to determine a winner should be the most accurate way because stats are the average of past work. For instance, if the coin toss winner’s record for winning the Super Bowl is 23-24, it’s safe to say that winning the coin toss isn’t a deciding factor for winning the game. Digging deeper, analysts tend to look at the quarterback to get a better idea of how the teams will perform.

Since Super Bowl XXXIV (2000), all QBs from the winning team have been over 6’4” and 215 lbs except two: Russell Wilson and Drew Brees. All winning QBs were either born in California, Louisiana, Georgia, or Ohio except two; Joe Flacco, and Drew Brees. There are always outliers to any test, but the trend line is fairly consistent. Winning QB’s have to be over 6’4” and 215, and usually come from one of the four aforementioned states. Both QBs for this year’s Super Bowl meet the criteria.

…The game still has to be played.

So how can the two be further separated? One possible solution is called the Golden Mask. This mathematical breakdown looks at an athlete’s face in proportions relative to Phi (1.618…). Based on this geometric formula, also known as the golden ratio, math has a chance weigh in on who the winner will be. Experts theorize that the more alpha male features you exhibit, such as confidence, mental toughness, and even posture, can be solely based on an aesthetic level. The proportions of the position of your eyes, length of your chin, and other facial features all contribute to some aspect of the Golden Ratio. The closer these ratios are to the Golden Ratio, the further one will be exalted above others. Therefore, the more alpha male traits you display, the more people will follow you from an earlier age. This means you’ll get more opportunities, which will undoubtedly give you a leg up in life. This is what owners look for in QB. They want the ones that display the most alpha male traits and are the most beautiful; mathematically speaking, of course. All that being said, the game still has to be played.

As a society, we love to compare. As kids, we compared nonsensical things like who had the best pencil (the arguments were legendary) and now as adults, we compare living quarters, paychecks, and our bodies to name a few.

Why?

It’s just the way we’re wired. The problem with statistics and things of that nature are that they are merely a possibility of what could happen. The game still has to be played. Without it, the numbers are just numbers. So how do your statistics stack up? The pattern of how you’ve done things in the past can be an indicator of your future, but it is in no way the final solution. Life still has to be lived. Though both QBs may be over a certain height and weight and have the right pedigree, this doesn’t automatically qualify or quantify your success. Math can’t always choose a winner. Life must still be lived and the game must always be played.

Written by David Robinson

Creative

Funny Ways to Say “WILL YOU BE MY VALENTINE?”…

March 5, 2018June 12, 2018
by Cynthia Sharpe

We don’t always have the right words to say, or know exactly what to do, but there are indeed some clever ways for getting connected to your Valentine.

JUST ASK

So, there is always the grade school method, “Do you like me? Check ‘Yes’ or ‘No’.” Straightforward, cute, simple, and allows expedition of Valentine’s Day plans. It all comes down to probability. The odds can only be 50/50. And if you’re that confident, try the “Check ‘Yes’ or ‘Yes’ option.”

USE YOUR WORDS

You knew it was coming; use your words! Somewhere in you is a poet. It doesn’t have to rhyme. It doesn’t have to be super serious. It just has to get across your affections. Try starting with the basics, the colors of roses and violets; you may be surprised where it leads you.

PICK UP LINES

They come in segments, as tangents, even as parallels, and now they come as pick ups; I’m talking about lines. Use them at your own risk. Every pick up line has a pinch of corny, but a dash of confidence and hope in them as well, not to mention cute. So muster up your best forms of flattery and put them to the test! Can’t think of any right off the dome? Here are a few to tuck away in your pocket.

SWEET THANG

If you feed them, they will come. Some folks just need a little sweet temptation to get in the Valentine’s Day spirit. Go with flowers if you want, but chocolate-covered strawberries, truffles, or a slice of red velvet with buttercream icing will do nicely.

GET CREATIVE

Find your own way to express your affection and appreciation. Whether you express it in code, with your own invention, by using the lights you never took down for Christmas, or by typing “I Love You” in the calculator, express.

S.A.D.

Singles Awareness Day is real.

I asked my valentine out by writing “____, will you be my valentine…please?” between the lines on the back of a clothing store receipt. It was cute, unexpected, and from the heart; and the answer was yes; so, don’t underestimate the importance of presentation. May the force be with you as you ask away, for someone to be yours this Valentine’s Day.

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!

Creative

Black History x STEM: 7 Trailblazers We Admire

March 5, 2018June 12, 2018
by admin

Photo Credit (NASA/Paul E. Alers)

There are countless numbers of Black-Americans throughout history who have made great strides in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). This month we wish to highlight 7 that inspire us.

1. Lonnie Johnson (Engineer, Inventor)
This guy. Man, if there is one person that I should say “Thank You” to for making my childhood in the 90’s a blast, it’s Mr. Johnson who invented the best water gun of all-time! *Kanye Voice* NASA Engineer and toy inventor Lonnie G. Johnson earned his master’s degree in nuclear engineering from Tuskegee University, and went on to work for the U.S. Air Force and the NASA space program. After tinkering with the invention of a high-powered water gun, Johnson’s Super Soaker became a top-selling item by the early 1990s. He has since been developing the Johnson Thermoelectric Energy Converter (JTEC), an engine that converts heat directly into electricity.

2. Kimberley Bryant (Electrical Engineer, Entrepreneur)
Kimberly Bryant is an Electrical Engineer who graduated from Vanderbilt University and has worked in the biotechnology field at companies such as Genentech, Novartis Vaccines, Diagnostics, and Merck. In 2011, she founded Black Girls Code, a training course that teaches basic programming concepts to black girls who are underrepresented in technology careers. After founding Black Girls Code, Bryant has been listed as one of the 25 Most Influential African-Americans in Technology by Business Insider in 2013.

3. Jerry Lawson (Computer Engineer)

Born in 1940, Jerry Lawson pioneered home video gaming in the 1970s by helping create the Fairchild Channel F, the first home video game system with interchangeable games. A New York native, Lawson is one of the few African-American engineers who worked in computing at the dawn of the video game era. Though basic by today’s standards, Lawson’s work allowed people to play a variety of games in their homes, and paved the way for systems such as the Atari 2600, Nintendo, Xbox and PlayStation. In reference to his minority status, he was once quoted as saying, “I’m one of the guys, if you tell me I can’t do something, I’ll turn around and do it.”

4. Ursula Burns (Engineer, Executive)
Ursula M. Burns is currently the Chairman and CEO of the Xerox corporation. As such, she is the first black woman CEO to head a Fortune 500 company. During her tenure, she has helped the company transform from a global leader in document technology to the world’s most diversified business services company serving enterprises and governments of all sizes. In 2014, Forbes rated her the 22nd most powerful woman in the world. She obtained her B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from New York University Polytechnic School of Engineering in 1980 and a master of science in Mechanical Engineering from Columbia University a year later.

5. Charles Bolden (Astronaut, Marine General)
Charles Frank Bolden, Jr. is the current, and first black Administrator of National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA), a retired United States Marine Corps Major General, and former NASA astronaut. A 1968 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he became a Marine Aviator and test pilot. After his service as an astronaut, he became Deputy Commandant of Midshipmen at the Naval Academy. On May 23, 2009, President Barack Obama announced the nomination of Bolden as NASA Administrator and Lori Garver as Deputy NASA Administrator. Bolden was confirmed by the Senate on July 15, 2009.^[3] He is the first African American to head the agency on a permanent basis.

6. Marie Daly (Biochemist)

Marie Maynard Daly was an American biochemist. She was the first Black American woman in the United States to earn a Ph.D. in chemistry; awarded by Columbia University in 1947. Daly overcame dual hurdles of racial and gender bias to pursue chemistry. She ultimately went on to build a career in research and teaching at such prestigious academic institutions as the Rockefeller Institute, Columbia University, and Yeshiva University.

7. George Washington Carver (Botanist, Chemist, Inventor)
It seems that no list of African-Americans who made tremendous impact in the STEM fields would be complete without this scientific genius. Botanist and inventor George Washington Carver was one of many children born to Mary and Giles, an enslaved couple owned by Moses Carver. He was born during the Civil War years, most likely in 1864. A week after his birth, George was kidnapped along with his sister and mother from the Carver farm by raiders from the neighboring state of Arkansas. The three were sold in Kentucky, and among them only the infant George was located by an agent of Moses Carver and returned to Missouri.

Creative

Africa’s Next Einstein Forum (NEF) Global Gathering

March 5, 2018June 12, 2018
by admin

The Next Einstein Forum (NEF) Global Gathering 2016 ‪was held in Dakar, Senegal this month. It’s the largest scientific gathering in African history. SenEcole, an organization whose goal is to promote science and engineering education for the sustainable development of Africa, did an exhibit at the event and shared some of the postcards (i.e. images seen in this post) distributed to attendees.

Events such as this highlights the importance of STEM education for the sustainable development of African nations, which will not only lessen the suffering of their citizens but will have a hand in bringing untapped potential into the global marketplace.

Additional photos taken from the event can be found on SenEcole’s facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/senecolestemeducation/

Creative

Re: Imagine ATL Students Inspire Us with Another STEM…

March 5, 2018June 12, 2018
by admin

“S. T. E. M… Everybody go and tell you family and them!” That’s the hook to this track seeking to once again espouse the merits of a career in Science, Technology, Engineering, and/or Mathematics (STEM). Check it out:

Youth in re:imagine/ATL‘s program at Frederick Douglass High School wrote and produced this rap song and music video PSA. This original PSA promotes STE(A)M careers to youth across the nation by presenting this creative form of awareness.

re:imagine/ATL is a non-profit organization that equips youth from all backgrounds to share their stories through multimedia production. re:imagine/ATL activates youth through project-based learning to positively impact their community. Find out more by visiting www.reimagineatl.com