Our world, our environment our climate

These past two weeks, I have been focused on a new topic of interest that I would love to expose our students to, environmental science and justice and climate science. It started when one of our advisory board members, who happens to be an environmental scientist, gave me information about funding from a federal agency to support climate literacy educational projects. In addition, to preparing a letter of intent for this grant, I attended a 2 day conference on climate literacy. Both of these disciplines, environmental and climate science, not many people want to explore mainly because how many of us have an environmental scientist in our network; but it is a topic that is so relevant to our everyday lives.

A few years ago, I started paying attention to environmental science and justice based on some cases in the news (mainly on NPR) about neighborhoods, mostly in disadvantage communities in which its residents were getting sick due to toxic dumping by corporations in their neighborhood. In these stories, the communities had issues with their drinking water, air quality and/or their houses where built on land that wasn't properly cleaned prior to building residences on it. Unfortunately, most of these incidents were happening in communities of people of color and/or lower socioeconomic status. It made me wonder about the policy that allowed this to happen as well as if this was happening in these communities because most of the communities don't have enough scientific literacy to understand what is happening to them until it is too late.

Environmental and climate science are so intertwined. In climate science there is this debate if things such as global warming, ocean acidification etc are a result of human pollution or the natural evolution of the planet. Climate science in a nutshell is observing how patterns in climate over a period of time affect our planet. A simple change in weather patterns can affect so much of our lives. It isn't as simple as if we will have more hurricanes or rain or if it will be a brutal winter. Climate science issues can truly affect our food and water supply.

Environmental science is such a broad topic but in a nutshell it covers how we protect and preserve our planet. Yes, there is the big push for going green by reducing our waste, water consumption and paper use etc, driving hybrid vehicles, trying to figure out ways to reduce our use of fossil fuels and non clean energy. We are counting our carbon footprints. We are utilizing more recycled paper or trying to go paperless. Put what is also covering is holding corporations accountable for the damage that they do to the planet. There are companies that have polluted our water supply, air and land and not only are they getting fined, but they are responsible for the cost of cleaning up their mess and in some cases, the medical treatment for those who suffer medical issue such as cancer, asthma etc.

But what I've learned most about these two sciences, is that it truly is where science and policy intersect. We can't have effective policy to protect our planet without scientists and engineers nor can scientists and engineers do enough research without policy that not only requires research but funds the research. This is going to be problem not only for the scientists of today, but as part of an issue that the future STEM workforce both those who stay in research and/or chose to pursue a career in scientific policy to continue to solve.

The Need for Nonprofits to Diversify Revenue Streams

In the 5 years, since I have founded SEM Link, there has always been the challenge of obtaining the resources that are needed to achieve our mission. As a non profit organization, although our goal isn't to make a profit, it costs money to run our programs and operate our organization. The constant task that is set before me as an executive director and for me to engage my board in assisting me with is ensuring that we have enough funds in the account and other resources for our needs as an organization. I must sadly admit, that unfortunately most times we don't have enough funds and other resources to achieve all of our programming goals or operations projects.

There are several reasons for this and it has nothing to do with the economy. The main reason that we don't have enough funds is due to apathy in the community. This apathy is based on several misconceptions of how nonprofits get their funding and what each individuals, community organization, corporation, professional society and small business owner can do to provide the resources necessary for non profits like ours to achieve all of our programming goals.

One of the ways that I have changed my approach to ensuring that we have enough resources to achieve our goals as a organization is to look at what we need beyond just funds. So the past two years, I have took the bigger picture approach to fundraising by developing a resource development year. Each year, when I set our annual budget, I determine what resources are needed to achieve the programming goals. In the revenue I look at the actual funds that are needed to achieve programs and operations and set the budget based on that, for that is my ideal situation. Then I look at the items in our budget that can be replaced by in kind service or good donation by an individual or business. Then I look at the number of volunteers needed for our programs. Then I set goals to obtain those resources for myself and SEM Link's board and we pound the pavement to get what we need.

However, I know that the most important resource that any non profit organization is financial contributions that individuals and corporations make to the organization. You see the reason that many people don't give including some non profit board members is that they assume that because you are a non profit organization you can get your fundings from grants. However, typically non profits organizations only get receive funding from about 25% of the grant proposals they submit annual. Why does this take place. Mainly because funders have limited resources and can't support every organization that submits a request for funding. Even if you have a great proposal or program, you can not receive proposal simply because your project didn't fit their funding proposals or your organization is less known that other organizations that may have submitted proposals.

So what does an non profit need to do in order to survive, we must develop and implement a diversified revenue stream. A diversified revenue stream means that your organization has multiple methods for obtaining funds for its organization. This include earned income strategies where nonprofits do things to earn revenue for themselves, this can be as complex as selling a good or service or signing up for programs such as goodsearch that allow non profits to earn money when its supporters do everyday things like search or shop online. The next part of a diversified revenue stream is ensuring 100% participation from your board in their required annual contribution to the organization. Whenever you apply for grant or seek corporate funding they want to know how is your board giving. The board given is an important aspect of this diversified stream in how can we ask others to give, if the one entity that is committed to the organization, the board of directors doesn't give to the organization.

The next components of the diversified revenue stream are a corporate giving, individual giving and annual giving fund. The corporate giving plan sets up an infrastructure for corporation to exhibit corporate social responsibility. It lets corporations understand the benefits of giving to your organization and how they will be recognize for their gift. It usually is a structure that has multiple levels so that corporations can give to either the level of their ability or to the level they want to be recognized in the community. The second part of this is an individual donor campaign, which encourages and provides an venue for individuals to make a financial contribution to your organization. SEM Link's individual donor campaign is "Donate Your Lunch Money" which stresses to individuals that even a small amount of money like your lunch money can make a difference in helping an organization achieve its mission. An annual donor campaign allows individual or corporations to make a pledge to make an annual contribution to an organization. It provide an organization security that ever year, they will receive a certain amount of funds from certain individuals or corporations.

So I say all of this to say, that we can no longer afford to be apathetic. Non profits don't achieve their mission with funds from grants alone. It is up to the community (individuals, corporations, small business owners and professional societies) to do their part in providing the resources to help non profit organizations. So I encourage you to help SEM Link "unveil potential through exposure" by donating your lunch money, become a corporate partner, volunteering or becoming an annual giver.

Creating a Partnership with Elected Officials to Promote Student Achievement and Career Exploration in Math and Science

As non profit organization, we are constantly looking for ways to obtain resources and support for our programs and services; for without resources we can't achieve our mission. People always see grants, volunteers and corporations, but have we explored the resources and connections that we can get form our elected officials.

I know that me personally,although I am the first person to vote in an election and sign a petition, I don't have much interaction with my elected officials on the local, state and federal level. However, as I am beginning efforts to make SEM Link a national organization, I am getting suggestions that I can't do that without building relationships with elected officials on the city, county, state and even federal level. What resources can these elected officials provide to our organization? The first thing that I can think about is name recognition, even if the elected official doesn't give you a dollar, it validates your organization's presence in the community having the endorsement and support of the elected official. The second resources is connections in the community, it takes a lot of money and influence to become an elected official, if he or she believes in your mission that politician can connect you to all the money, power and influence that helped them get elected to not only get the resources that are needed, but to get your name out in the community as well as build your brand. Finally, the new relationship with the staff of elected officials can get you access to discretionary funds, information about upcoming grants and in some cases a voice to affect policy in the area in which you serve.

As I think about what we can do to become a national organization, that is able to "unveil potential through exposure", I have to look at building relationships with the elected officials in the areas we serve.

Celebration of Current African American STEM history makers.

I truly admire our EPA administrator, Ms. Lisa P. Jackson even though I hadn't heard of her until she became current job. What I like about her is that she is a chemical engineer just like me that has utilized her training as an engineer to make a difference in the world. She proves my theory that if you get your training as a scientist or engineer, you will learn skills that are transferable and will allow you to be successful in any career path.

I am a fan of Ms. Jackson's facebook page and she was honored as the The Grio's Top 100 history makers (http://www.thegrio.com/black-history/thegrios-100/). As I reviewed this article, I noticed that there were several African-American STEM professionals on this list and I become excited. One of the things I noticed is that whenever there is talk about famous STEM professionals, most of them are dead. I know that there are African Americans that are alive that are making their contribution to the field. So thank you grio.com for sharing their stories, you should check it out.

Finally, be sure to share this story with the children that you know, especially African American children. I truly believe students that are typically underrepresented in these career paths aren't pursuing this fields not because they don't have the ability, but because they don't see people like them who can serve as role models and mentors. So I encourage you this month and every month to ensure that children get an opportunity to see people like themselves, even if it is in a magazine or a website like this pursuing a diversity of careers. It is my vision that all children believe the words of the hook, which I may be paraphrasing, to one of my favorite rapper NAS's song where he has children singing "I know I can, be what I want to be, if I work hard at it, I can do anything"

Celebration of African American STEM Professionals for African American Heritage Month

Today is African American Heritage Month better known as Black History Month. It is a month that is designated to celebrate the contributions of African Americans to society. One area of contribution that African Americans isn't always recognized for is the area of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. African Americans, past, present and future have made a great contribution to society through inventions, research and innovations in the STEM disciplines.

A mentor of mine says that in order to study the history of math and science you have to go back to its origins. The foundations of many of the principles and theories in math and science can be traced back to ancient African civilizations. For example chemistry, has origins in Kemet, which is was the land of the dark people. Mathematics principles such as in basic arithmetic, algebra, geometry and trigonometry can be traced to ancient African civilizations. As well as principles in medicine, pharmacy, horticulture and engineers.

In American History, African Americans have been innovators and leaders in STEM disciplines. African Americans invented everyday items such as the ironing board, washing machine, traffic light, refrigerator and many more. We continue to be innovators in the STEM disciplines, so let's not only celebrate stem professionals past and present, but tell our children their stories so we can have future STEM professionals.

The intersection of science and policy

In Tuesday's online section of energy and environment, there was a report in 2009, the use of wind power as a source of renewable energy went up 39% percent. But the increase of use of renewable energy sources as a part of how we generate power, isn't simply left to science alone, but is due to some government intervention as well. At times, the innovations in science and technology are kinda like the chicken and the egg theory. Which came first, the innovation in science or the government regulation and/or funding in the area of innovation?

In the past few years, with the high oil prices, the problems that diplomatic problems with the Middle East and the rest of the world and pollution caused by generation of power has fueled a debate on how can we achieve energy independence and use more renewable energy sources. Even if the diplomatic relations between the oil producing companies and the rest of the world are always peaceful, fossil fuel are a limited supply and will one day run out. So they debate begin, how to we create a cost effective way of generating power for our homes, business and cars that will allow us to be responsible stewards of the planet.

The technology for use to generate wind power as a renewable energy source has been around for years. There have been wind turbines and wind turbines around for several years. But why the jump of the use of wind energy in 2009; more federal regulation on the use of renewable energy and money for the federal stimulus bill to support this initiative. The growth of wind power, will be based on the level of governmental regulation. The more regulation concerning electricity and the use of renewable energy resources in power generation; the more innovation and practical use we will see.

I'm just curious what other scientific discoveries are lead by government regulation and vice versa. In the big scheme of things, my major concern is that we continue to have innovations in science, technology, engineering and mathematics and funding to support scientific research.

So

Scientific literacy and the world around us

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson defines scientific literacy as how you see and view the world. When you think about it that is exactly what reading and writing science (scientific literacy) is. Some people confuse it for the ability to derive the newton's first law of thermodynamics or any chemical or mathematical question. But science and math is much simpler than that; it is part of who we are and what we do on a daily basis. It is such an integral part of our world, you can't understand the world and how it functions without understanding science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

For example, let's take cooking something that we do everyday, you have to understand basic math such as fractions to ensure that you are using the proper amount of ingredients to get the taste and flavor you desire. When turning on your lights, you must understand the simple concept of circuits, electric engineering and physics. When you drive your car, you are understanding the concepts of material science, mechanical engineering and chemical engineering. When you use your computer or your cell phone, you must understand concepts of electrical and computer engineering and material science.

You see if you pay attention to what is around you; science, technology, engineering and mathematics is the basics on your every day life. When you are able to recognize that you are scientifically literate.