One of our programs is the Experimental Design Program, which provides math and science fair project support to K-12 students and educators. This program teaches students how to design and conduct experiments for math and science fairs. They utilize research, laboratory and scientific literacy skills gained through individual and group learning opportunities as well as mentoring. This program improves the quantity and quality of math and science fair projects for students by providing schools with undergraduate students, graduate students and professional mentors with science technology, engineering and math backgrounds.
Engaging students in scientific research during their secondary education is a wonderful opportunity for STEM career exploration. When engaging the students in research they get an opportunity to get full exposure to what most STEM professionals that have a traditional career path, engage in research. When working on a research project, they are answering questions, learning about scientific concepts and principles, reading the work of other STEM professionals, learning laboratory and research techniques. They also learn valuable scientific literacy skills of reading, writing and talking science. If they enjoy research while they are a K-12 student, they will hopefully make steps to pursue a STEM career. If they don't enjoy research, they will learn valuable skills that they can transfer to any career path they chose. The great thing about K-12 student exploring career at any early age is that they can back better decisions and steps towards pursue their desired career path
Showing posts with label K-12 students research projects. Show all posts
Showing posts with label K-12 students research projects. Show all posts
Thursday, December 9, 2010
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Whoo Hoo It is the 2010 National Chemistry Week
This week, October 17-23,2010, is National Chemistry Week,which as science educator is one of my favorite times of the year, along with National Engineers Week in February. Now these two STEM themed weeks, may be my favorite because I have a degree in chemical engineering. However, I realize that these weeks bring attention to two career paths that aren't pursued not because kids are intellectually capable but aren't exposed to these career paths enough. I also think people don't realize how much chemistry is connected to their everyday lives. Almost everything we do and most of the technological advances that improve our quality of life or entertain us are based on chemistry. One of my favorite entrepreneurs Madame CJ Walker,became a millionaire from a real-world application of chemistry, making hair care products.
National Chemistry Week (NCW) is a community-based annual event that unites American Chemical Society (ACS) local sections, businesses, schools, and individuals in communicating the importance of chemistry to our quality of life ( for more information check out this website http://bit.ly/d1WGTd). Although this event is a program of the American Chemical Society, there are many scientific professional societies and STEM educational organizations and schools that host national chemistry week events. Every year since its inception, SEM Link has celebrated National Chemistry Week by engaging K-12 students in hands on activities in chemistry and career exploration in these fields. We were able to do this through partnerships with our local section of American Chemical Society and volunteers that were chemical professionals or graduate or undergraduate students.
The 2010 National Chemistry week is exciting because we are hosting celebrations on both coasts. In Metropolitan Atlanta, we are partnering with Georgia Institute of Technology to visit local middle schools to engage kids in hands on chemistry activities and provide role models for these students. We are excited to provide these students an opportunity to meet and interact with undergraduate and graduate students that can serve as role models for those kids that are interested in science. In Oakland, we are hosting a National Chemistry Week Celebration with our San Francisco Bay Area community partner the ASA Community Science Center. This event is extra special because it is a satellite event of the USA Science & Engineering Festival. The festival, which is in its inaugural year, is a national celebration of Science engineering that takes place October 10-23, 2010. At the Oakland event, which is free and open to the public, we are going to expose kids to chemistry through hands on activities.
National Chemistry Week is another opportunity for us to do what we do as an organization "unveil potential through exposure"
National Chemistry Week (NCW) is a community-based annual event that unites American Chemical Society (ACS) local sections, businesses, schools, and individuals in communicating the importance of chemistry to our quality of life ( for more information check out this website http://bit.ly/d1WGTd). Although this event is a program of the American Chemical Society, there are many scientific professional societies and STEM educational organizations and schools that host national chemistry week events. Every year since its inception, SEM Link has celebrated National Chemistry Week by engaging K-12 students in hands on activities in chemistry and career exploration in these fields. We were able to do this through partnerships with our local section of American Chemical Society and volunteers that were chemical professionals or graduate or undergraduate students.
The 2010 National Chemistry week is exciting because we are hosting celebrations on both coasts. In Metropolitan Atlanta, we are partnering with Georgia Institute of Technology to visit local middle schools to engage kids in hands on chemistry activities and provide role models for these students. We are excited to provide these students an opportunity to meet and interact with undergraduate and graduate students that can serve as role models for those kids that are interested in science. In Oakland, we are hosting a National Chemistry Week Celebration with our San Francisco Bay Area community partner the ASA Community Science Center. This event is extra special because it is a satellite event of the USA Science & Engineering Festival. The festival, which is in its inaugural year, is a national celebration of Science engineering that takes place October 10-23, 2010. At the Oakland event, which is free and open to the public, we are going to expose kids to chemistry through hands on activities.
National Chemistry Week is another opportunity for us to do what we do as an organization "unveil potential through exposure"
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Rewards for Scientific Research: Why our Experimental Design Program Exists
On facebook of all places, I came across the story of a high school student, a young female that had won $100,000 for her research in computer science from the Intel Science Search. From this contest over 30 high school students won some monetary prize for engaging in research in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (to see the article visit the http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35902666/ns/technology_and_science-science/). I was throughly impressed by these young minds and the various topics of there research. It seems like these students love for science and math was fostered at an early age by their parents, educators and mentors. I am confident that these students are well on their way to become a part of the future STEM workforce.
As I read this story, I reflected upon several things and had several questions about these kids. Most of the kids weren't photographed for this story, so I wonder how many of these students were African American or Hispanic or would be labeled "at risk" youth. Did all of these kids come from families where they had strong parental support and an atmosphere at home where academic achievement was not only expected but promoted. How many of these engaged in hands on math and science activities at school, at home or in the community? How many of these kids went to math and science summer camps? How were this kids about to over the peer pressure that math and science isn't cool. How many of these kids were able to meet and interact with STEM professionals. What facilities and other resources did they have access to in order to conduct their research? How did they learn about this contest?
The Experimental Design Program is our program that provides math and science fair project support for K-12 students and educators. This is one of the program activities that we started day one of our existence. My vision is that more K-12 students independent of school district, parental support or racial identify can have the resources available to them to conduct experiments for math and science projects. I want any students that has a project and a desire to complete it to be able to come to us to get the support to be competitive in not only those math and science fair that are supported by their district, but for contest such as these. What encourages me about these type of contest and this story is that student can learn at an early age that there is just as much financial and other rewards for being a STEM professional as being an athlete or entertainer.
So our goal is truly to continue to increase the quality and quantity of math and science fair projects by providing students with the resources necessary to conduct experiments that are competitive. We have to "unveil potential through exposure" on math and science fair project at a time.
As I read this story, I reflected upon several things and had several questions about these kids. Most of the kids weren't photographed for this story, so I wonder how many of these students were African American or Hispanic or would be labeled "at risk" youth. Did all of these kids come from families where they had strong parental support and an atmosphere at home where academic achievement was not only expected but promoted. How many of these engaged in hands on math and science activities at school, at home or in the community? How many of these kids went to math and science summer camps? How were this kids about to over the peer pressure that math and science isn't cool. How many of these kids were able to meet and interact with STEM professionals. What facilities and other resources did they have access to in order to conduct their research? How did they learn about this contest?
The Experimental Design Program is our program that provides math and science fair project support for K-12 students and educators. This is one of the program activities that we started day one of our existence. My vision is that more K-12 students independent of school district, parental support or racial identify can have the resources available to them to conduct experiments for math and science projects. I want any students that has a project and a desire to complete it to be able to come to us to get the support to be competitive in not only those math and science fair that are supported by their district, but for contest such as these. What encourages me about these type of contest and this story is that student can learn at an early age that there is just as much financial and other rewards for being a STEM professional as being an athlete or entertainer.
So our goal is truly to continue to increase the quality and quantity of math and science fair projects by providing students with the resources necessary to conduct experiments that are competitive. We have to "unveil potential through exposure" on math and science fair project at a time.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
About SEM Link
- SEM Link
- Science, Engineering and Mathematics Link, Inc. (SEM Link), a tax-exempt nonprofit organization, was founded in 2004 on the premise that exposure to members of the science, engineering and mathematics (SEM) communities is critical to student development in math and science. Our mission is to promote student achievement and career exploration in math and science while increasing student exposure to the science, engineering and mathematics communities and enhancing resources that are available at local schools and community organizations. Our two core programs, Math and Science Career Academy and Experimental Design Program, provide students with an opportunity to develop their math and science skills by enhancing the classroom learning experience and teaching them skills that are transferable to other areas of life. We recruit students and professionals for our programs that have backgrounds in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.