September 2015  


Our TxGCP eNewsletter arrives monthly in your inbox to learn about science, technology, engineering and math resources, educational opportunities and more around Texas and beyond!

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day Workshop
The Women in Engineering Program at The University of Texas at Austin has run an award winning Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day program since 2002 attracting nearly 2,000 girls each year and are excited to announce their workshop to teach others how to run their own Girl Day!


The Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (Girl Day) Workshop is for educators, organizations and others interested in learning how to run their own Girl Day program or similar STEM outreach event.

Workshop:
Friday, October 16 through Saturday, October 17, 2015
The University of Texas at Austin campus.


Upcoming TxGCP Events!
    
Educators across Texas are invited to attend free professional development opportunities and discover how to engage young women through research-based, high quality activities and resources!

Here are a few of the upcoming opportunities:

Date
Event
Info
TBD Instructors will be trained on how to use the Invention Process with their students to learn applied STEM, innovation and entrepreneurship!

Location most likely to be in Austin, TX, but reach out to us if you're interested in your community!
November 12-13, 2015
CAST (Conference for the Advancement of Science Teaching) Workshops
Look for TxGCP in your agenda for CAST this year! Here are our sessions:
- ISEA Presents:  From Paper Towers to Straw Kazoos - Where to Find TEKS-Aligned Hands-On Activities
Role Models Matter: Engaging Girls (and All Kids) in STEM!
Hands-on Activities & Strategies to Engage Girls in STEM, Robotics & More!
ISEA Presents: Excite and Engage Kids in Hands-on STEM
ISEA Presents:  Create a Meaningful STEM After School Program Just for Girls
ISEA Presents: Connecting the School Community Through a Halloween Themed, Hands-On STEM Night
March 8-12, 2016
SXSWedu
There are several great STEM Education sessions.
VOTE TODAY!
Lights, Buzzers, ButterflyBots & Girls in STEM

To request or schedule a workshop or forum in your area, please contact [email protected].   
   
Check out the TxGCP website for details about forums, Role Models Matter and SciGirls

Conferences, Events, Contests & More
Entries due by 11/30/2015
The annual NSTA Awards and Recognition Program recognizes exceptional and innovative science educators created in 1973. The NSTA Awards and Recognition were created to raise awareness and exposure of the outstanding work being done in the science education field. 


September 10, 2015 from 3:30 - 6:30pm
The SAWS Education Department welcomes you to a Back to School Resource Fair at the San Antonio Water System Corporate Headquarters: 2800 US Hwy 281 North, 78298. Resources include free elementary and middle school curriculum kits for those who register first. Email [email protected] to find out how to register today!

September 18-19, 2015
Join the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the University of Texas Health Science Center, and the University of Texas San Antonio for a symposium focused on how effective science communication is  useful for a variety of scientific careers.

October 9-10, 2015
The San Antonio Water System Education Department invites you to join us at the 2015 Texas Association for Environmental Education Annual Conference-October 9th-10th at the University of Houston, Clear Lake. Each year, educators from around the state gather to participate in hands-on workshops, attend unique field trips, network with other like-minded educators and be inspired to include environmental education topics in their classrooms. This year, be a part of the first ever San Antonio delegation to the conference.

October 16, 2015
The Cities in Space Competition will be a Texas-wide competition. There are three divisions of the competition: 3D Modeling, Video and Combination of 3D Modeling with Video. Students are asked to create a sustainable colony model for human life on the Moon, Mars or in Free Space.

Congrats to the 2015 Presidential Award Finalists!

Congrats to the ten fabulous STEM teachers being recognized as finalists for  the 2015 Presidential Awards for Excellence in Mathematics and Science Teaching (PAEMST) :


The 2015 Texas finalists in secondary mathematics are:
  • Jonathan Claydon (Spring Branch ISD) - Precalculus and Calculus AB teacher at Northbrook Senior High School
  • Darla Emerson (Lovejoy ISD) - Statistics teacher at Lovejoy High School
  • Rebecca Cordell Grant (Plano ISD) - Math 8-Honors teacher at Haggard Middle School
  • Patty C. Hill (Austin ISD) - Algebra I and Algebra II teacher at Kealing Middle School
  • Penny Smeltzer (Round Rock ISD) - AP Statistics teacher at Westwood High School

The Texas finalists in secondary science are listed below:
  • Carol B. Brown - AP/Pre-AP Chemistry teacher at St. Mary's Hall in San Antonio
  • Sheri Cole (Clear Creek ISD) - Seventh grade science teacher at Seabrook Intermediate School
  • Cara Johnson (Allen ISD) - Anatomy & Physiology teacher at Allen High School
  • Mark Misage (Eanes ISD) - AP Physics teacher at Westlake High School
  • Ferleshare S. Starks (Houston ISD) - Biology teacher at Phillis Wheatley High School


7 Months of the SciGirls 
Seven:
Proven Strategies for Engaging Girls in STEM


 

4. Girls are motivated when they can approach projects in their own way, applying their creativity, unique talents, and preferred learning styles




Encourage groups to share their plans with you, but emphasize that everyone is learning and discovering together. Let girls communicate their findings using a variety of techniques relevant to their lives: poetry, music, posters, plays, slideshows, 2D- and 3D-models, drawings, etc.


Interested in STEM Programming?

  

To find great STEM programs across the country or to list your own, please visit The Connectory website!

Articles, Reports, Resources

LinkEngineering.org Launches to Support Engineering Education
The National Academy of Engineering has launched LinkEngineering, a new website to support implementation of preK-12 engineering education in the United States. LinkEngineering aims to provide high-quality resources and build a professional community for three groups: educators working in preK-12 classrooms and out of school settings; those engaged in preservice teacher education and professional development; and school, district, and state administrators.

Houston Groups Pledge Millions to Boost Bilingual, STEM Education
Talento Bilingue de Houston and the University of Houston are among the public and private organizations investing nearly $11 million as part of an effort to improve education for Hispanics in the Houston metropolitan area. Talento Bilingue de Houston, a cultural arts and education center, committed $1 million to support bilingual education and STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education through the arts, including theater, cinema, and music, with a goal or reaching 300,000 students.
About TxGCP
Texas Girls Collaborative Project
The Texas Girls Collaborative Project (TxGCP) connects organizations and individuals across Texas committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The TxGCP is excited to provide opportunities across Texas for collaboration, networking, sharing of best practices, and leveraging of resources through in-person forums, email listservs and mini-grants.   

Led by the Women in Engineering Program (WEP) at The University of Texas at Austin along with a dynamic Leadership Team and Champions Board, the TxGCP brings together advocates and leaders from non-profits, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, companies and organizations across the state of Texas.

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About NGCP
The vision of the National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) is to bring together organizations throughout the US and Puerto Rico that are committed to informing and encouraging girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

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The TxGCP eNewsletter is distributed approximately once a month. Visit the TxGCP web site for additional updates on upcoming events, resources and mini-grant information.
Share Your Events and News 
Submit information or events to be included in future TxGCP eNewsletters. Remember TxGCP eNewsletters are typically sent at the beginning of each month. Send news and information to [email protected].
Million Women Mentors


 

We are part of the Million Women Mentors movement and with the Texas Girls Collaborative Project, we have made a 

20,000 mentor and role model pledge 

for Texas. Help us meet our 20,000 mentors and role models goal by sharing your story on FabFems or pledging to mentor with Million Women Mentors

 

Join the movement today!
FabFems - STEM Role Models
FabFem of the month:

Joey Key
Joey is the Director of Education and Outreach for the Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. She is trained in gravitational wave astronomy data analysis and works with the NSF Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (LIGO) project.

Join the FabFems directory today!
STEM Program Highlight:
DCCCD STEM Institute
DCCCD STEM Institute is an integrated support program for community college students pursuing a non-clinical STEM discipline within the Dallas County Community College District. STEM Scholars work closely with faculty mentors called STEM Fellows, attend professional skill development workshops, have opportunities to visit STEM-related companies in the Dallas area, participate in a full-day STEM professional conference, and get tuition and book scholarship support to allow them to focus on their studies and STEM Institute activities.
 
Create an account on The Connectory to get added as an event coordinator...and then start entering your events!
K-12 STEM Outreach Google Groups
These groups are all about sharing resources, information, events, volunteers, needs, and more with others reaching out to K12 students aiming to excite them about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

For those not in one of these areas who still want to receive information going out to all groups, join the Texas K-12 STEM Outreach group. 

 

Contact Tricia Berry for any specific regional requests or questions.

STEM Opportunities

TxGCP is frequently asked for STEM program connections. Don't miss out on getting connected with possible collaborators and funders!

 

Gain access to mini-grants and have the first shot at opportunities such as the Water Works camp curriculum, role model training and other curriculum and resource dissemination across Texas!

 

Sign up your program, organization and/or event in The Connectory .  Join over 200 listings from across Texas and find collaborators and other STEM educators in your area.