Join us for a panel discussion with Picture a Scientist's film makers, Sharon Shattuck and Ian Cheney, both award winning documentarians, and one of the featured scientists from the film, Dr. Raychelle Burks. Participants will learn more about the origins of the film, the important struggles and strides of women in STEM, and connections between film making and STEM.

All registrants will receive a secure link for 72-hour access to view the film prior to the webinar. Due to the topics covered, the film is most suitable for ages 14 and above.

PICTURE A SCIENTIST chronicles the groundswell of researchers who are writing a new chapter for women scientists. Biologist Nancy Hopkins, chemist Raychelle Burks, and geologist Jane Willenbring lead viewers on a journey deep into their own experiences in the sciences, ranging from brutal harassment to years of subtle slights. Along the way, from cramped laboratories to spectacular field stations, we encounter scientific luminaries - including social scientists, neuroscientists, and psychologists - who provide new perspectives on how to make science itself more diverse, equitable, and open to all.

NGCP has compiled this list of resources for all who are seeking to gain a deeper understanding of the historical and systemic racism in the United States. We will continue to add to this list to support our fight against racism.

Each month, this spotlight will highlight new programs, resources, and role models that are part of the IF/THEN® Initiative, an initiative from Lyda Hill Philanthropies designed to activate a culture shift among young girls and introduce them to STEM careers.

This September marked the end of the first year of the AAAS IF/THEN Ambassadors program. This group of 125 inspiring women STEM innovators selected by the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) serve as role models and engage with young people through a variety of avenues, from making media appearances to speaking at virtual events. To mark the program’s one-year anniversary, the Association of Science and Technology Centers—an IF/THEN Coalition member—checked in with a few of the Ambassadors to learn more about their experiences in the program. Ambassador Myria Perez, a fossil preparator at the Perot Museum of Nature and Science, shared her enthusiasm for the way the program has raised the profile of women in STEM fields, saying, “I’ve been the apprentice; now it’s my time to be the role model.” Myria’s fellow Ambassador Olivia Castellini, senior exhibit developer at the Museum of Science and Industry, is excited that the program can help inspire girls to pursue STEM careers, “I love that I get to create experiences that share the joy of discovery and the delight of knowing science with the world.” Read the full blog post.

The IF/THEN® Collection includes thousands of images, videos, posters, and materials available for FREE to educators across the U.S. Use in classrooms, social media, camps, museum exhibits, and more. Stay connected to IF/THEN:

Five women who study, design and build, or teach and learn using satellites will talk about the role satellites play in their lives and communities. This live, World Space Week, virtual event from locations around the world invites the public to participate with questions and comments. This event will be recorded for ongoing access. Connect via Zoom session or live stream on Facebook.

The NCPN conference is a professional development opportunity offering informative presentations, keynote speakers, and other timely information for professionals in Career Pathways, CTE, and workforce and economic development. Register.

ASTC is an organization of science centers and museums dedicated to furthering public engagement with science among diverse audiences. This year's theme is "New Frontiers in Science, Technology, Learning, and Community Engagement toward a more Equitable Tomorrow." ASTC has issued a new Rapid Call for Virtual Session Proposals that specifically address the individual, organizational, and societal challenges we are currently facing. Registration closes on October 14, 2020. Register.

Organized by the Afterschool Alliance, Lights On Afterschool draws attention to the many ways afterschool programs support students by offering them opportunities to learn new things—such as science, community service, and robotics—and discover new skills. The events send a powerful message that millions more kids need quality afterschool programs. Visit the Lights On Afterschool website for event ideas on how to celebrate with students (remote or in-person), showcase your program to your community, and discover ways to participate without hosting an event.

The SHPE conference brings together STEM professionals, pre-college students, undergraduate and graduate students, educators, government representatives, and corporate representatives to empower the Hispanic community to realize its fullest potential and to impact the world through STEM awareness, access, support, and development. This year’s theme is "Ascend to Transcend." Register.

The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE) is recognized as the most comprehensive educational technology conference in the world. ISTE20 is being transformed into ISTE20 Live, a fully virtual, immersive learning event. Participants will have the opportunity to connect with educators, presenters, and exhibitors in chats, meetups and virtual hallway conversations, as well as hands-on tool demos and peer-to-peer collaborations. Register.

Networking is the cornerstone of Association for Career and Technical Education's (ACTE) virtual event. Participants will have opportunities to gather for inspiring speakers and content-rich sessions covering new CTE program innovations that have emerged from the pandemic. Participants will have the flexibility to tailor their session times, and all registered attendees will receive access to all 300+ sessions post-event. Early bird registration ends October 23, 2020. Register.

The Connectory is a free online collaboration tool for program providers that helps them find partners based on interests, and showcases STEAM opportunities for youth to families.

Earth Science Week is October 11-17. Visit The Connectory's Find an Opportunity page and select Earth and Environmental Science under Area of Interest to discover this type of opportunities available for youth. Below is a sample of some of the opportunities currently available:

Sloth School Virtual Program (Oct 14) hosted by the Girl Scouts of Alaska. Girls (grade 4-12) will learn sloth facts, conservation information about sloths, and how girls can help conservation efforts.

Sedimentology (Oct 20-22) hosted by Science Safari in Cary, NC. Youth (PreK-5th grade) will learn about Quicksand, fossil layers, and other earth mysteries.

Free Virtual Events with EarthEcho - Fall 2020. EarthEcho (founded by siblings Philippe and Alexandra Cousteau in honor of their father Philippe Cousteau Sr., son of the legendary explorer Jacques Yves Cousteau) is working with scientists and environmental experts to inspire youth (middle to high school) to act now for a sustainable future.

Get Started and stay connected to The Connectory:

This multi-phase innovation and entrepreneurship competition encourages young adults to participate in designing the future through purpose-driven education. Teams of 2-5 students (ages 13-18) from around the world create products and/or services to address pressing global and local challenges. They become entrepreneurial problem-solvers, addressing challenging social, scientific, and societal issues through utilizing their creativity and critical-thinking skills. Registration deadline: November 6, 2020.

Earth Science Week will be celebrated October 11-17. Teaching and learning resources have been developed by American Geosciences Institute, to help educators teach about our planet and its systems. Some resources are specific to exploring this year’s theme, "Earth Materials in Our Lives", while others include professional development opportunities and information about online resources and geoscience careers. A printed toolkit is availabe to order.

NCW is October 18-24, 2020. This year's theme is "Sticking with Chemistry" and explores glues and adhesives. NCW encourages chemists and chemistry enthusiasts to build awareness of chemistry at the local level. The National Informal STEM Education Network has resources for hosting your own chemistry event.

October is National Cyber Security Awareness Month. The overarching theme for 2020 is “Do Your Part. #BeCyberSmart.” The theme empowers individuals and organizations to own their role in protecting their part of cyberspace, with a particular emphasis on the key message for 2020: “If you connect it, protect it.” Visit staysafeonline.org for tips and resources.

National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT) has assembled a set of interactive elements to help teachers make all students feel welcome and to maintain and enhance their interest in computing. By adding the elements to their own virtual classrooms, teachers can maintain a positive classroom climate, show students “possible selves” in computing, maintain student interest, and show them career and other opportunities. Learn more about virtual convening by viewing the previously recorded (Aug 2020) "Classroom Climate: Why it’s important and some ways to create/maintain, even virtually."

Progress for adolescent girls has not kept pace with the realities they face today, and COVID-19 has reinforced many of these gaps. This year, under the theme, “My Voice, Our Equal Future”, be inspired by what adolescent girls see as the change they want, the solutions- big and small- they are leading and demanding across the globe.

2020 commemorates 25 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action – the global agenda for advancing the rights and empowerment of women and girls, everywhere. Generation Equality was also launched in early 2020 as a multi-year, multi-partner campaign and movement for bold action on gender equality. A clear narrative and actions related to the needs and opportunities of adolescent girls and their solutions is central to the Generation Equality mission.