The monthly TxGCP eNewsletter is designed for advocates and educators to learn about STEM resources, educational opportunities and more across Texas!

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February 2023

This month we celebrate Black History Month, Engineers Week, and Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day with Texas Girls in STEM Day celebrated on March 1st. See below for ways to get involved, stories and events to amplify, and resources to use.

Celebrate Black History Month

As we celebrate Black History Month, we celebrate Black innovators and STEM professionals. Amplify their stories this month and every month:

Check out the 2022 Texas Women & Girls in STEM Summit Featured Session: We are our Ancestors' Wildest Dream: Learning from Black Women Leading STEM Nonprofits

2022 Summit: Featured Session: We are our Ancestors' Wildest Dream

Engineers Week: February 19-25, 2023

Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day: February 23, 2023

This year’s Engineers Week theme — Creating the Future — recognizes how engineers play a vital role in innovating solutions to global challenges that impact future generations.

Engineers create new possibilities by working together to develop new technologies, products, and opportunities that make the world a better place.


DiscoverE, the organization behind Engineers Week, has free resources you can use to inspire future innovators, such as hands-on engineering activities and lesson plans, information about engineering education, and pathways to technical careers. Visit the volunteer planning guide, educator planning guide, and DiscoverE.org.

Celebrate Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day on February 23, 2023! DiscoverE’s Girl Day is a time when volunteers, educators, and others act as role models, facilitate engineering activities, and show girls how engineers change our world. DiscoverE’s Despite the Odds research found that this simple formula helps girls develop an interest in engineering, build their confidence in their problem-solving skills, and create a STEM identity. Join us and be a role model! Learn more at DiscoverE.org/GirlDay.

Texas Girls in STEM Day: March 1, 2023

Share your Texas Girls in STEM Day celebrations to be shared in the March 1 TxGCP eNewsletter and on TxGCP social media. Email [email protected] by February 27 with your celebration information.


Women in STEM (WiSTEM) at UT Austin will be hosting 2 virtual STEM role model panels to celebrate Texas Girls in STEM Day 2023:


12:00 - 12:45 p.m. CT - Join UT Austin WiSTEM Outreach Ambassadors for a virtual panel discussion to hear about their diverse pathways into their STEM undergraduate majors at UT Austin and what excites them about their major and future career pathways. Target audience: high school students interested in learning more about STEM majors and pathways. Hosted on Zoom Webinar - Register now.


4:30 - 5:15 p.m. CT - Join UT Austin STEM alumni role models for a virtual panel discussion to hear about their diverse STEM career pathways and what excites them about how their work is impacting our world and our future. Target audience: high school students and STEM undergraduate students interested in learning more about STEM career pathways. Hosted on Zoom Webinar - Register now.

NGCP Updates

National Girls Collaborative Project (NGCP) Upcoming Webinars:


Girls in STEM: A (Data-based) Tale of Confidence & Satisfaction

February 21, 2023, 9:00 AM Pacific / 12:00 PM Eastern

Learn more and register online.


Supporting Equitable Approaches to Early Science Education

March 9, 2023 11:00 AM Pacific / 2:00 PM Eastern

Learn more and register online.

Find a STEM Program

Science Near Me

Science Near Me is a free resource to help you quickly find opportunities to engage in all types of science, technology, engineering, math, (STEM) events, projects, and programs near you, in person and online.

Connected Girls is a free, curated directory of STEAM opportunities designed for girls or other groups that have been historically excluded that is managed in partnership with Science Near Me. On either platform, search by location, topic, audience, and more to find STEAM opportunities and events for students, educators, families, and more.


Math Finder

Math Finder is an interactive website where you can access hundreds of short (2-4 minute), inquiry-based videos showing math and science walks in real-world places ranging from parks to playgrounds, from coffee shops to college campuses, and more. Use the videos flexibly as virtual field trips, opportunities to make connections to student interest and to show math come alive in the most unexpected places, strategies to deepen student engagement and to expand student identity as STEM inquirers and explorers in places that they move through, introduction to new concepts, reinforcement, homework, or in other ways. All videos are searchable by place, math topics, science themes, age groups, and more.


STEM Starts

The University of Texas at Austin has launched a new website to support educators, students and families in accessing pre-K–12 STEM programs from all across the university. Search for programs and events by grade, subject, and more.


STEM Camps Across Texas

TxGCP maintains a listing of STEM Camps across Texas. If you have a regularly occurring STEM Camp to share, send information to [email protected].

Posts from TxGCP STEM Google Groups Across Texas

NASA Inspires Futures for Tomorrow’s Youth

Our NASA Inspires Futures for Tomorrow’s Youth (NIFTY) project is seeking 20 partners to provide NASA-themed STEM programs for underrepresented youth (with a focus on girls and youth of color). Selected partners will receive $5,000 to run two programs, one in late 2023 and one in early 2025. The NIFTY project is funded by NASA. Applications are due by February 18, 2023. Learn more about NIFTY and how to apply. Contact Julie Noyes at [email protected] with questions.


The New York Times 4th Annual STEM Writing Contest:

The Times invites students to choose an issue or question in science, technology, engineering, math or health, then write an engaging 500-word explanation. Contest Dates: Jan. 18 - Feb. 15, 2023. Learn more!    


MathWorks Math Modeling (M3) Challenge

The M3 Challenge is a free, internet-based applied math competition for high school juniors and seniors in the U.S. and sixth form students in England and Wales. Working in teams, participants have 14 hours to solve an open-ended math-modeling problem focused on a relevant issue. The contest awards $100,000 in prizes annually. The challenge weekend is March 3-6, 2023. Registration deadline is February 24, 2023.


Society for Science Advocate Program

The Advocate Program is a year-long professional development program that supports teachers and mentors who are working to increase the number of students from traditionally underrepresented race/ethnicities and low-income households who enter STEM research competitions. The Advocates receive training and support from Society staff, mentorship from Lead Advocate, a $3,000 stipend, and an all-expense-paid trip to attend the Advocate Training Institute in Washington, D.C. Applications are now being accepted for the 2023/2024 program cycle; applications close on March 5th, 2023. Click here to apply!


McDonald Observatory Teacher Summer Workshops

Sessions will be held in June, July, and August. Workshops take place over four days and three nights and include telescope tours, discussions with resident researchers, and nighttime observations. Educators experience inquiry-based activities aligned with science and mathematics teaching standards, practice astronomy skills under the Observatory’s dark skies, and work with nationally recognized astronomy educators. Participants receive Continuing Professional Education credits. Applications are due by Wednesday, February 15, 2023. The workshop application form will take 10-15 minutes to complete. Applications will be accepted after the February 15 deadline and will be considered for workshop waitlists. Applicants will be notified by March 1 about the status of their applications.


Dallas Area: Education Outreach Day 2023

Schools in Texas are invited to bring middle and high schools (grades 5-12) to participate in Education Outreach Day at the Regeneron International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) on Thursday, May 18, 2023! This is a unique opportunity to meet ISEF finalists from around the world and participate in many hands-on, interactive STEM activities.

When: 9 am-3 pm on Thursday, May 18, 2023

Where: Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center, Dallas, TX

How: Schools should complete this form

Educator Resources: All Educators

Amazon Future Engineer

Amazon Future Engineer is a comprehensive childhood-to-career program aimed at increasing access to computer science education for children and young adults from underserved and underrepresented communities. 


NASCAR Kids

Immerse K-8 students in real-life applications of STEM—and teach key science concepts at the same time—with lessons about a sport that many students enjoy. Check out these fun and engaging NASCAR-themed lessons and resources, free of charge to educators nationwide!


“Got Veggies?” Garden Education Resource

The Central Texas Food Bank’s Garden Manager, Greg Mast, has developed a garden educational resource. This collection has 6 short videos (roughly 10 minutes each) that cover gardening basics, healthy recipe demos, and more. Additionally, there is an activity booklet to go along with the curriculum. This resource is free, open to the public, and can be shared.


Access and Engagement III 

Access and Engagement III adds to these earlier findings and continues the story as schools gradually returned to in-person teaching. In addition to survey data from educators, the current study features qualitative findings, obtained through focus groups and interviews, sharing personal accounts of challenges, successes, and reflections on the potential long-term impacts of the pandemic.


Ciena Teacher Grants

The Ciena Grants are established to support classroom teachers with the implementation of innovative and engaging STEM (Science Technology Engineering and Math) programs, activities, and technology (software and hardware) to promote learning and digital equality. The Ciena grant program will award deserving teachers in the DC metro area, DoDEA schools, and schools in all 50 states grants up to $3,000. The grants will be applied towards materials and resources to support STEM programs and activities. Schools with high economic need (over 50% of the students qualifying for free or reduced lunch assistance) will be given priority consideration to support digital equality. Innovative distance and virtual learning projects and programs will be considered. Applications accepted on a rolling basis.

View Past Newsletters

PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED OPPORTUNITIES

Annual Girls Lead STEM Month

SWE Invent it Build it 

Greater Austin STEM Quarterly Networking Forum

Engineering Research Symposium

 McDonald Observatory Teacher Virtual Workshops

Matagorda Bay B-WET PD Opportunity

STEM Research Experience for Teachers - El Paso Teachers

Big Green Jumpstart School Garden Grant

Society for Science - Advocate Program

Ciena Teacher Grants

Spark of STEM Coffee Break Free STEM Video Series for K-12 Educators

NASA Engagement & Educator Professional Development Collaborative PD Events

McDonald Observatory Educator Professional Development

IF/THEN Collection: Library of women STEM innovators

STEM Girl Day at UT Austin 2023 Registration

Elementary and middle school students, families, and educators are invited to join us for FREE hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fun!


STEM Girl Day at UT Austin 2023

Saturday, February 25, 2023

11:30 a.m. til 4:00 p.m. CT

Learn More!

Get Connected: STEM Email Groups, Volunteers, Mentors

Join our K-12 STEM Outreach Google Groups!

These email groups (open and moderated listservs) are all about sharing resources, information, events, volunteers, needs, and more with others reaching out to K-12 students aiming to excite them about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

Central TX | DFW | East Texas | El Paso | Houston | 

Laredo | RGV | San Antonio | WacoWest TX

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.


Find STEM Role Models on FabFems!

FabFems.org

About TxGCP & NGCP

The Texas Girls Collaborative Project (TxGCP) is a statewide network of advocates and educators from non-profits, K-12 schools, universities and colleges, and companies across Texas and beyond who are committed to motivating and supporting women and girls to pursue and thrive in careers in STEM. TxGCP leads the annual Texas Women & Girls in STEM Summit, disseminates curriculum and effective practices, and supports a network of collaborators, resource sharing and STEM communications throughout the state. Led by Women in STEM (WiSTEM) at The University of Texas at Austin, TxGCP is a state collaborative of the National Girls Collaborative Project.


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).

National Girls Collaborative Project and Texas Girls Collaborative Project Logos
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