October 2014

National Girls Collaborative Project Header

In This Issue

Collaborative Network Activities

FabFems Spotlight

Upcoming STEM Events
Champions for Collaboration

Quick Links

NGCP Updates

The Story Exchange

National Leadership Team Members, Karen Peterson and Brenda Britsch, were recently interviewed by The Story Exchange, as part of an ongoing look at the lack of

Peterson and Britsch

female representation in STEM fields. Peterson and Britsch tell the story of how they, along with several other women, went to the National Science Foundation with an idea to form the NGCP as a place where leaders of various groups could share knowledge and advice.

Collaborative Network Activities

Hello Alabama! It's the new ALGirlS Collaborative!

Help Alabama Girls in STEM (ALGirlS) Collaborative spread the word to Alabama based organizations that are committed to informing and encouraging girls to pursue careers in STEM by checking out their November 21st Collaborative Kickoff, liking them on Facebook, following them on Twitter, and adding your organization or program to the Program Directory.

CalGirlS Online Forum: Exploring Growth Mindset

October 8, 2014; 11:00 AM-12:00 PM Pacific

The California Girls in STEM (CalGirlS) will host an online forum to provide regional opportunities for collaboration, presentation, and discussion of Research Based Strategies in informal learning. The keynote speaker for this forum is Lisa Regalla, Interim Executive Director at Maker Education Initiative.

PA STEM Girls Collaborative Project Role Models Matter - Penn State Erie Forum
Erie, PA; October 17, 2014; 9:00 AM-4:00 PM

This forum will give attendees an opportunity to learn how to increase and improve the quality of their outreach to girls in STEM.

New York STEAM Collaborative Kick-off
Malta, NY; October 25, 2014; 9:30 AM-5:00 PM
Participants will learn about the New York STEAM Collaborative and how it will bring together organizations and individuals who are committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics (STEAM) to network, collaborate, and share resources.
Register

Hands On! SciGirls Training

Hendersonville, NC; November 3, 2014; 8:00 AM-4:00 PM

Participants will learn the latest research for exciting and engaging girls (and boys) in STEM; experience hands-on STEM activities; and gain access to free materials for hands-on, video-enhanced activities that put a creative twist on teaching STEM.

Montana Girls STEM Fall Collaboration Conference

Helena, MT; November 7, 2014; 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

The Collaboration Conference will feature networking, presentations from mini-grant recipients, and STEM professional development. This conference will also include the opportunity to learn more about STEM programs at Helena College as well as ways to partner with the college and other STEM businesses and non-profits.

Register

New York STEAM Collaboration/Professional Development Forum

Troy, NY; November 12, 2014

This forum will bring together formal and informal educators, industry, academia, and public partners to explore new ways to encourage and promote girls in STEM.
Register

Alabama Girls in STEM (ALGirlS) Collaborative Kickoff

November 21, 2014; 8:30 AM-2:30 PM

Educators, counselors and STEM/STEAM coordinators are invited to attend the ALGirlS Collaborative Kickoff. Participants will learn about the National Girls Collaborative Project, hear from keynote speakers, and attend specialized breakout sessions.

Noelle Bopda-De-Moukoko

This month we are pleased to introduce you to our first FabFem from Cameroon, in Central Africa! Marcelline Noelle Bopda-De-Moukoko is a mechanical engineer at Halliburton, in the Field Operations Development Program. She has a Masters in Engineering and is a member of the Society of Women Engineers. Educated in a country where French is the main language, Noelle attended bilingual schools where she was able to develop her first love for English, and her second love, for Math. She is fond of yoga because it doesn't have a time or space limit. Although there are few women engineers in Cameroon, Noelle says, "Live your dreams, because nothing is impossible." Connect with Noelle today!

The FabFems Spotlight highlights women from the FabFems Role Model Directory. FabFems are enthusiastic about the science and technology work they do and want to inspire a future generation of FabFems. Search the Role Model Directory to find FabFems like Noelle to connect with in your area.

Stay connected to FabFems:

Upcoming STEM Events

An Introduction to the Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum's Teacher Toolkit
Online; October 2, 2014; 11:00 AM-12:00 PM Pacific
The Smithsonian Latino Virtual Museum is excited to announce the launch of their Teacher Toolkit. Attendees will learn more about the Teacher Toolkit and hear from educators who have led these activities around best practices for integrating transmedia resources into STEAM programming for girls. Register.

Society for Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) National Conference

Los Angeles, CA; October 16-18, 2014

The SACNAS Conference showcases cutting-edge science and features mentoring and training sessions, specifically tailored to support undergraduate and graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and career professionals at each transition stage of their career as they move toward positions of science leadership. Register.

National Nuclear Science Week (NSW)

October 16-24, 2014

NSW is a week-long celebration to focus local, regional, and national interest on all aspects of nuclear science. The website includes lesson plans with step-by-step ways to teach the fundamentals of nuclear science in the classroom.

Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC) Conference
Raleigh, NC; October 18-21, 2014
ASTC is an organization of science centers and museums dedicated to furthering public engagement with science among diverse audiences. Attendees will have the opportunity to learn best practices, network, and gain a better understanding of how to create engaging programming. Register.

National Chemistry Week (NCW)

October 19-25, 2014

NCW encourages chemists and chemistry enthusiasts to build awareness of chemistry at the local level. The website includes the following educational resources: lesson plans, classroom activities, video demonstrations, books, and guided information for the classroom.

Lights On Afterschool

October 23, 2014

Lights On Afterschool, an Afterschool Alliance event, is a nationwide celebration of afterschool programs designed to draw attention to high-quality afterschool and summer learning programs crucial to children, youth, families, and communities. Visit the Lights On Afterschool website to register an event, access planning tools, and find an event in your area.

Society of Women Engineers WE14
Los Angeles, CA; October 23-25, 2014
WE14 offers collegiate and professional women in engineering, career and professional development resources. Collegiate attendees will attend a career fair, network, and meet role models and mentors. Professional attendees will attend professional development workshops and learn about cutting-edge innovations. Register.

Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) Conference

Detroit, MI; November 5-9, 2014

The SHPE conference brings together STEM professionals, pre-college students, undergraduate students, graduate students, educators, government representatives, and corporate representatives to empower Hispanics in STEM fields. Early bird registration ends September 30, 2014. Register.

American Indian Science and Engineering Society (AISES) Conference

Orlando, FL; November 13-15, 2014

The AISES conference brings together Native American STEM educators, professionals, and students for mentoring and networking, professional development sessions, and a career fair. Register.

STEM Equity in Practice: Reflecting on a Mini-Grant Partnership

November 19, 2014; 10:00 AM-11:00 AM Pacific

This webinar highlights a partnership between the Dr. Justina Ford STEM Institute and the Equity Assistance Center. Presenters will discuss the accomplishments of the partnership and lessons learned that may be helpful to other STEM programs that include girls from underrepresented communities. Register.

Champions for Collaboration

NGCP Champions Board members are selected to give the NGCP a balance of expertise and regional representation. We highlight Champions Board members to inspire and inform

your work to engage girls in STEM. This month we feature Jessi Smith, Special Assistant to the Provost/Director of ADVANCE and Professor of Psychology at Montana State University.

Jessi Smith

What excites you most about your work? I get most excited about righting a wrong, fighting for injustice, and pushing the boundaries of what seems impossible. Be it a complicated study I have designed that no one thinks will work; a negotiation that everyone else has given up on; a policy that no one thinks will pass... The most satisfying experience is when we work our tails off and them someone says "I didn't think it was possible, but...." Because for me, the "but" is the impetus for change.

Who are your role models? My role model is someone I have never met: Dr. Sandra Bem. I read her research, her memoir, and I followed her career. She was a psychologist who was among the first to find a way to measure and define femininity, masculinity, and androgyny. She tested the functional utility - and limits of gender schemas. Remarkably, she revised her theories when studies suggested the need. How many of us are willing to say we are wrong? She also did not give up, even when the system rejected her work as "soft" or somehow less rigorous because she studied gender. But most importantly? Her ideals informed how she lived her fully embodied and empowered life. From raising her children, to loving her partner, to her autonomously defined death, Dr. Bem inspires me to be true to my values in all facets.

What advice would you give to the NGCP community? My advice is to "ask a social scientist." We need to insist on using scholarship to inform our practices, policies, and ideas. Social scientists aren't trained on how to reach out with their scholarship, so please come to us! And the benefits are circular; I know that someone living and working within STEM has an experience to share that could be the answer if we test it systematically. Connecting academics with community and corporate leaders in dialogue will create a cycle of information exchange that is critical to cultivating a culture of science that welcomes all people no matter their gender, race, ableness or orientation.

STEM Resources

Applications for Aspirations in Computing Award Now Open
The National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) Award for Aspirations in Computing honors young women at the high school level for their computing-related achievements and interests. Applicants can apply to both the local and national level in one application. Submission deadline: November 2, 2014.

Earth Science Week Toolkit
The American Geosciences Institute (AGI) Earth Science Week 2014 Toolkit contains educational materials for all ages that correspond to this year's event theme, "Earth's Connected Systems." The toolkit includes the program poster, activity calendar, and materials from partners. Earth Science Week 2014 will be celebrated October 12-18.

National Cyber Security Awareness Month
October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. Designed to engage and educate through events and initiatives with the goal of raising awareness about cybersecurity and increasing the resiliency of the nation in the event of a cyber incident. Includes link to Stop.Think.Connect Resource Guide to host a classroom discussion or community meeting on online safety.

National Disability Employment Awareness Month
Congress designates each October as National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM). NDEAM is a national campaign to raise awareness about disability employment issues and celebrate the many and varied contributions of America's workers with disabilities.

Paving the Way to Work: A Guide to Career-Focused Mentoring for Youth with Disabilities

Developed by the National Collaborative on Workforce and Disability for Youth, the Paving the Way to Work Guide concentrates on career-focused mentoring of youth and youth development outcomes for youth with disabilities.

Vocational Rehabilitation Agencies

Vocational Rehabilitation (VR) assists individuals with disabilities, who are pursuing meaningful careers, secure gainful employment commensurate with their abilities and capabilities through local job searches and awareness of self-employment and telecommuting opportunities.

Real World Design Challenge
The Real World Design Challenge is an annual competition that provides high school students, grades 9-12, the opportunity to work on real world engineering challenges in a team environment. Teams use professional engineering software to develop solutions to challenges that confront our nation's leading industries.

STELAR Highlights Evaluation

include a guide on evaluation, targeted to program directors, that helps build common understanding between program implementers and evaluators, example evaluation instruments, and select publications from the National Science Foundation's ITEST community.

Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC)
The TARC is modeled around the aerospace industry's design, fabrication and testing processes and gives students opportunities to apply their math and science skills to a real world project outside of the classroom. Students participate in a team of 3-10 students to design, build, and fly a rocket. The submission deadline is December 12, 2014.

NGCP Program Directory: Search for Collaborating Programs or Register Your Program! The online Program Directory highlights programs that focus on motivating girls to pursue STEM careers. The purpose of the directory is to help organizations and individuals network, share resources, and collaborate on STEM-related projects for girls.

Global Resources

World Space Week
Worldwide; October 4-10, 2014
This year World Space Week focuses on the importance of the Global Navigations Satellite System (GNSS), and the website features instructions and guides for GNSS inspired events and activities.

Grace Hopper Celebration of Women in Computing India (GHCI)
Bangalore, India; November 19-21, 2014
The GHCI is India's Largest Gathering of Women Technologists. GHCI brings together a community of women technologists and increases visibility for the contributions of women to computing. Register

Partners

About Us

The National Girls Collaborative Project™ is partially funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation, GSE/EXT: National Girls Collaborative Project: Building the Capacity of STEM Practitioners to Develop a Diverse Workforce, Grant No. HRD-1103073.