Imagine... a world without science, technology, engineering or math. Life would definitely be different. No cell phones. Bye-bye umbrellas. Adios airplanes. The world is our laboratory and everything we’ve invented or discovered is somehow connected to science, technology, engineering or math.
What is STEM and why should I care?
STEM is the acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. Did you know that by the time U.S. students reach their senior year of high school, they rank below their counterparts in 17 other countries in math and science literacy, according to the Third International Mathematics and Science Study, the largest international study of scientific achievement ever conducted? It’s a cold, hard fact that when it comes to educating the next generation in these subjects, America is no longer a world contender. In fact, U.S. students have fallen far behind their competitors in much of Western Europe and in advanced Asian nations like Japan, India, China and South Korea.
Now What?
Reinvigorating our country’s science and technology enterprise is a top priority for education and government leadership. A myriad of programs and projects are being launched to inspire students to pursue careers in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields in order to ensure that our nation is prosperous, innovative, and competitive. One of the latest is called “Educate to Innovate” an initiative announced by President Obama in November 2009 to expand the scope and scale of STEM educational opportunities.
Parents, teachers and students... we encourage you to use the resources and links on this site to imagine what you can do with science, technology, engineering and math! Click on the letters to the right for more information in each area.
View the Imagine Television Spots!
Select a video from the list below to view. Keep a look out - more spots will be added soon.
BioWorks University
Did you know that there are thousands of good paying jobs in health services that go unfilled every year? Take a virtual tour of BioWorks University and see the kinds of careers you can have with a solid background in science and a 2-year or 4-year degree. Scholarship money is available if you want to head for college and a career as a health professional.
Carnegie Science Center
Click here to see how girls and science go together. You’ll find plenty of online activities and information about science careers and scholarships just for girls!
Thinkfinity
Come on in and see the world around you through a fantastic collection of science activities. Take virtual tours of museums. Learn from and with practicing scientists. From the science of anatomy to the decryption of graffiti, show that you have what it takes to become part of tomorrow’s science workforce.
National Institutes of Health
Need help with that biology project? Come on in to the National Institutes of Health and see all the free resources that can be downloaded to help you understand the amazing human body, your incredible brain, and how to stay healthy!
Try Science
Do you like to do experiments? Click into this Web site to learn how to answer questions like, “How much iron is in my breakfast?”, “How can I fool my brain?”, or “How can Matt Damon help me save the Earth?”
National Center for Technological Literacy
Did you know that the Boston Museum of Science has tons of free stuff to help you learn more about science, technology and engineering? Drop in to see how one of the leading science museums in the country helps schools and students to sharpen their technology skills!
Girls Go Tech
Explore fantastic technology and science careers with the help of the Girl Scouts. This free site lets you explore the ins and outs of many cool careers from criminal science investigations, to theme park design, to planning towns and cities.
Scratch
Want to get noticed by engineers and technologist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology? See what’s going on with design and technology for kids at the MIT Scratch site. Download free software and use the Internet to collaborate with kids and teachers around the world to create and solve your own design problems.
Sketch-Up
Join a global building community. Use free tools to create 2-D and 3-D shapes. Combine shapes to create buildings and inventions! By combining fun with a little work and imagination, you could be on the way to a future in design and engineering! Your building could appear on Google Earth!
Dare to Compare
Want to see how your STEM skills stack up against kids all over the country? How about against kids all over the world? You may just be “world-class” and not even know it. If not, you’ll find out how close you are while there’s still plenty of time to work toward your career in technology, mathematics, science or engineering.
Design Squad
See regular kids working on some intriguing design challenges. Have your own design ideas? Try them out and contribute your solutions to this site!
Engineer Your Life
Calling all girls! Did you know that female engineers improve lives every day? Are you looking for cool ways to help people in your home town or around the world? Check out dozens of engineering careers that will let you make a difference in your life and in the lives of other people at Engineer Your Life.
Future Cities Competition
What will cities look like in your future? Do you want to be a part of turning your ideas into reality? Engineers all over the country are looking for students just like you, and the 2009 champions were middle school students from Ohio! Take a peek at what it’s all about!
NASA Robotics
Future space exploration will depend heavily on robotic rovers, and NASA wants you to be part of their team. Click in to see how you can combine building kits, your wits, and a lot of support materials to design robots solve engineering problems.
Discover Engineering
Want to save the planet, or help others, or design with computers? Come to this site to discover great opportunities in engineering.
Engineer Girl
Hit this link to explore the fantastic opportunities for girls interested in design and engineering. Poke around and see if you can find the answer to this trivia question: “What was the largest privately funded construction project in 20th Century North America?” Hint: Girls helped!
Figure This
Did you know that you can exercise your brain and make it stronger? Here is a great site for families to exercise their math brains. Students who are strong in mathematics are made, not born. Make your math future brighter by becoming a fearless problem solver!
NCTM Illuminations
Want to play with some online math tools and games? These activities have been reviewed for accuracy and entertainment value. Learn math and have fun as you play with these cool math tools!
Expanding Your Horizons
Hey, ladies! Mathematics isn’t just for guys! Here is a site that shows how to encourage, engage, and support girls in going for some great careers in math and science.
CoolMath
Do you like math, but don't know what you can do with it when you get out of school? Do you have a job in mind, but don't know how much math you'll need? Here are some links to sites that you will find helpful!
Sloan Career Cornerstone Center
Need a way to explore career opportunities in mathematics, computing, science, technology, engineering, and healthcare? Don’t wait. Get started today! Parents and students can explore almost 200 degree fields and find out about education requirements, salaries, career planning resources, precollege ideas, and how to network in the field. Most useful resources are downloadable as PDFs, PowerPoints, and podcasts.
