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Government
24 New Teacher Quality Partnership Grants Totaling More Than $35 Million Awarded to Recruit, Train and Support More Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Teachers (U.S. Department of Education)
U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan today announced the award of $35 million for 24 new partnerships between universities and high-need school districts that will recruit, train and support more than 11,000 teachers over the next five years�primarily in STEM fields to improve student achievement. These awards are the culmination of this year's Teacher Quality Partnership (TQP) grant competition that President Obama announced in May at the White House Science Fair. For the first time, this year's TQP competition focuses on preparing STEM teachers, and increasing the participation of underrepresented groups�women, minorities and people with disabilities�in teaching STEM subjects. 
Diversity in STEM
'Women Mentors' initiative launched to push girls toward STEM jobs (Des Moines Register)
Iowa is launching an initiative known as "Million Women Mentors," which has a goal of enlisting 5,000 mentors to urge girls and young women to pursue careers in [STEM]. Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds said the goal of the public/private partnership is to attract male and female mentors from all 99 Iowa counties. She noted that growth in so-called STEM jobs has been three times greater than non-STEM jobs, and that women with STEM jobs earn 33 percent than females in other fields. "I believe mentors can guide, encourage, and open doors for girls and young women to be fully equipped for the great jobs of tomorrow in STEM-related careers," Reynolds said at an Iowa Capitol news conference where the initiative was announced on Wednesday.
Hacker School Offering Grants to Diversify the Programmer Demographic (Geek Mom)
In early 2012, Hacker School�think of it as a 3-month immersive retreat where programmers can hone their craft�announced a partnership with some leading software companies like Etsy to offer ten $5,000 grants for women who wished to attend. Hacker School wanted to diversify their student body, and over the last couple of years, they have managed to increase their female student body from 5% to 35% through these grant programs. Today, Hacker School announced they are pushing the definition of diversity to include other minorities that are under-represented in programming: African Americans, non-white Hispanics, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders. They want their students to be a better representation of the demographics of America.
Meet the Scirens, the Actresses Who Want Better Science in Hollywood (io9)
When talented women embrace science, the result is a steady stream of joy and curiosity. We sat down with the Scirens, a new collaboration of actresses sharing their excitement for science and technology, and advocating for their inclusion in the entertainment industry. This spring, actress and writer Taryn O'Neill was inspired to solidify her position on the importance of actresses speaking out in support of [STEM]. In the conversation that followed, Scirens was born, a platform for actresses to spread their sense of wonder inspired by the world around us.
STEM and Sports
D-backs Welcome 14,000 Students For Science Of Baseball And STEM Showcase (Arizona Diamondbacks)
The Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) will welcome 14,000 Arizona students and their families this Friday, Sept. 26 for the game against the St. Louis Cardinals as part of the D-backs Science of Baseball and STEM Showcase, presented by Chase and Insight. The entire upper level at Chase Field will be filled with Arizona youth who are learning more about [STEM] through a unique program that will be highlighted throughout the ballpark. More than 63 schools have taken part in the program with 3,000 students and teachers participating in a pregame STEM parade on the field. Each of the pregame parade participants will receive a free D-backs Science of Baseball t-shirt, compliments of Chase.
Detroit Lions Join STEM Professionals To Inspire DPS Students (CBS Detroit)
Detroit Public Schoolsstudents will have a unique opportunity to learn more about the importance of a STEM education from a diverse group of professionals. Athletes for Charity, Tata Technologies and the Detroit Lions have joined together to help expose students to STEM, while also developing their skills in reading and writing. Clark Preparatory Academy and Dixon Educational Learning Academy were the first two schools selected for the inaugural launch of the STEM Youth Literacy Program. The curriculum includes monthly book distributions by various Detroit Lions players, coordinated by Lions safety Don Carey, to deliver age-appropriate STEM-related titles to students.
Reports
5 Case Studies That Illustrate the Promise of Apprenticeship in the United States (Center for American Progress)
As detailed in the recent Center for American Progress report, �Training for Success: A Policy to Expand Apprenticeships in the United States,� apprenticeship is a workforce-training model that combines on-the-job training with classroom-based instruction and has been proven to benefit employers, employees, and the overall economy. Apprenticeships allow businesses to meet the growing demand for skilled workers, and they lead workers to higher wages and better employment outcomes. Furthermore, they are a smart public investment. A recent study in Washington state found that for every $1 in state investment in apprenticeships, taxpayers received $23 in net benefits, a return that far exceeds that of any other workforce-training program in the state.
Higher Education
Thousands of students expected at hands-on STEM festival at Delta (Midland Daily News)
More than 3,500 students and chaperones are expected to descend on Delta College Friday to get a hands-on introduction to STEM education. The students, 3,200 of whom are from 32 middle schools across the region, will be attending the Dow Chemical Great Lakes Bay Regional Science & Engineering Festival. The event is an attempt to �bridge the �attraction gap� of students in the 4th-12th grade for STEM fields,� said Cynthia Drake, an associate professor of biology at Delta. So many students were interested in the event, which will take place in four sessions beginning at 8:30 a.m., that there is a waiting list to get in, Drake said. There is no charge to students or schools because of the support of The Dow Chemical Co. and several other area businesses and foundations.
Olin College President Rick Miller on Reengineering Engineering (Xconomy)
Every day in business, we hear how technology is disrupting the old guard.. But let�s take the case of education. What about non-technology disruptions? What about new ways to organize and teach, so that future engineers, and future leaders, are far better equipped to address and even solve the biggest challenges in the world�in energy, health, security, and more? Helping to come up with those new strategies is the aim of the Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering. Located in Wellesley, MA, Olin opened its doors in 1999 with an audacious charter: provide an experimental lab for remaking engineering education. The intent was to keep it small�it only has 350 students and doesn�t plan to grow that number�and give everyone free tuition for four years and free housing for the first year.
Coding
Code Fellows programming bootcamp that guarantees $60K salaries after graduation expanding to Portland (Geek Wire)
The Seattle-based programming bootcamp that guarantees its students a salary of at least $60,000 after graduation is expanding to Portland, Ore. Code Fellows will initially offer its 4-week Foundations I course beginning Nov. 3 until Nov. 26 in the Rose City. The program will then expand its curriculum and offer more advanced courses that teach specific software stacks, including �Foundations II,� �Bootcamp,� and �Dev Accelerator.� Code Fellows CEO Kristin Smith, who took over in May, called Portland one of the �fastest-growing tech communities in the country with a wealth of software programming and app development job opportunities.�
STEM Competitions
�Mighty Mom� Breast Pumping Toolbelt Wins MIT Hackathon [VIDEO] (Boston Globe)
The results of MIT�s Make The Breast Pump Not Suck Hackathon are in. More than 150 breast pump users, engineers, designers, health care and lactation specialists, as well as educators, converged at the MIT Media Lab for two days of hacking, collaborating and deliberating about how to create a better breast pump. The judges, made up of a panel of the Hackathon�s inspirational speakers, chose the team who worked on the �Mighty Mom� design for first prize of $3,000 from Vecna Technologies, Inc. Because �every mom is a superhero,� the �Mighty Mom� is a discrete, wearable and smart utility belt for breast pumping.
Arizona
John Lewis (Mayor, Gilbert, AZ): Gilbert must grow STEM skills to meet job demand (AZ Central)
We've evolved into Arizona's fifth-largest municipality whose economy runs on innovation, technology and a skilled workforce. We are home to companies like Orbital Sciences, Banner Health/MD Anderson, GoDaddy, Ironwood Cancer & Research Center and Dignity Health. We also boast a thriving ecosystem of innovative, small- to-mid-size companies that make up the backbone of our economy. Companies like Canadian manufacturer Silent Aire, commercial construction firm Nexus Steel and life-science research firm Heliae, which develops and commercializes algae-based products. If you look closely, you'll see a trend in that list: Gilbert has a growing portfolio of companies involved in [STEM].
STEM Food & Ag
This Is What Your Grocery Store Will Look Like In 2065 (Fast Co.Exist)
.jpg) Grocery stores aren't really known for innovation; 50 years ago, a supermarket down the street might have looked basically the same as it looks today. But 50 years in the future--as the food system reacts to a changing climate, water shortages, and shifting technology-- you might find things at your corner store radically changed. In The Future Market, a pop-up grocery store that will be built in New York City next summer, a group of designers will work with the food industry to demonstrate what the bodega of 2065 might look like. You might, for example, walk into the store with a digital food ID that tells the store your allergies, food preferences, and dietary needs, and then you might shop on a touch-screen shelf that automatically delivers your order--possibly picking fresh vegetables from an in-store hydroponic farm on the way. |
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 STEMconnector�
100 Diverse Corporate Leaders in STEM - Nikki Arora of UST Global
 UST Global Nikki Arora expertly combines strategy and creativity to help elevate the brand of UST Global as a leader in IT consulting. As Corporate Marketing Officer, she is responsible for corporate and business development through multiple branding and marketing platforms, including CSR and special philanthropic initiatives. In the IT consulting industry for more than 18 years, Nikki specializes in corporate brand-building, event management, talent acquisition management, operational management and client relationships. She has facilitated UST Global's expansion into new geographic locations by cultivating relationships with influential industry and country leaders. She is one of the founding partners of UST Global's Mexico Operations Center, working closely with the company's CEO and with former President of Mexico Vicente Fox to successfully build IT centers throughout the country. Nikki is skilled at establishing operational excellence within culturally diverse environments, providing leadership through proactive strategic planning and by delivering value-added services globally. She began her career as a recruiter for UST Global, and advanced to Global Head for Talent Acquisition. In that role she created the Employer of Choice brand campaign, helping boost the company's recruitment initiatives. An advocate for women in STEM professions, Nikki is on the leadership committee of the Million Women Mentors Program (MWM). She's helping build a network of 1 million mentors to encourage young women interested in pursuing STEM careers.
National FFA Organization membership explodes to 610,240 students
 Analysts forecast that the world's population will grow to 9 billion people by 2050. With global needs today to fight hunger and prepare for the expected population explosion, the industry of agriculture needs educated, skilled and passionate people dedicated to sustainability. Today's students are answering that call, evidenced by an explosion in FFA membership throughout the United States, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in the past year. Membership in FFA today stands at 610,240 students up from 579,678 in 2013. Membership increased by more than 30,500 during the 2013-14 school year. The number of new, local FFA chapters throughout the country grew to 7,665. �FFA, through agricultural education, is preparing our youth to ensure the security of our country's food, fiber and natural resources for years to come,� said National FFA Organization CEO Dr. Dwight Armstrong. �Through real-world experiences, the nation�s agriculture teachers are helping students develop the technical knowledge, skills and problem-solving capabilities to be the industry's leaders of tomorrow. FFA members will be tomorrow�s advocates for agriculture.� The Texas FFA Association added more members than any other state, with 8,364 members.
Twitter Chat - #disrupttheclassroom
 We're very excited to host our very first Twitter chat with the Mobile Learning Partnerships (MLP) Initiative from Innovate+Educate! Please join us from 11:00 AM ET to 12:00 PM ET on Thursday, October 2, 2014 to talk about the role of technology and mobile learning both in the classroom, and how it relates to STEM. While @STEMconnector will be chatting with @MLPExp, we want you to join in the action! Use the #disrupttheclassroom hashtag to let us hear your opinions and to ask questions. Innovate+Educate is an industry-led nonprofit implementing research-based strategies to close the national skills gap and bridge the opportunity divide.
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