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Friday, October 17, 2014
STEM Food & Ag
USDA Announces $9 Million in Food and Agricultural Sciences Education Grants at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (USDA National Institute of Food & Agriculture)
The U.S. Department of Agriculture�s (USDA) National Institute of Food and Agriculture today announced more than $9 million in grants to support agricultural science education at Hispanic-Serving Institutions (HSIs) in five states and Puerto Rico. These grants will enhance the ability of these colleges and universities to support underserved students and develop a skilled American workforce. �Hispanics in the United States make up 17 percent of the current population, a number that is projected to grow to 31 percent by 2060. Yet, this population is consistently underrepresented at colleges and universities across the country,� said Sonny Ramaswamy, NIFA director. �NIFA aims to strengthen the ability of our Hispanic Serving Institutions to carry out educational programs that attract and train students who will play a key role in solving future agricultural challenges.�

Land O'Lakes, Inc. announces Global Food Challenge Emerging Leaders for Food Security Program (PRNewswire)
Land O'Lakes, Inc. is reinforcing its commitment to addressing the task of feeding more than 9 billion people by 2050 by introducing the Global Food Challenge Emerging Leaders for Food Security fellowship, a unique internship and development program for 10 students at five universities. The fellowship will support the emerging leaders of tomorrow as they work to identify innovative and practical ways to meet the world's need for a 70 percent increase in global food production. These students, sophomores at the University of Minnesota, Purdue University, Iowa State University, Northwestern University, and George Washington University, will be matched with university professors who will help guide the research they conduct.
Diversity in STEM
Crafton Hills College is recognized for its STEM Pathways project (Yucaipa News Mirror)
On Sept. 30, Crafton Hills College was recognized by Ex�celencia in Education for its STEM Pathways Project at Celebrac�on de Excelencia in Washington, D.C. The project received an Honorable Mention for the 2014 Examples of Excelencia, in the Associate category. Examples of Excelencia is the only nat�ional initiative to identify and promote programs and departments at the forefront of advancing educational achievement for Latino students in higher education. Through a comprehensive year-long process, promising practices at the associate, baccalaureate, and graduate levels in institutions of higher education and community-based organizations are recognized at the annual Celebraci�n de Excelencia held in Washington, D.C. and cataloged in the Growing What Works Database.

Is the key to closing the STEM skills gap higher salaries? (Fed Scoop)
The federal government faces a continued challenge to lure science, technology, engineering and mathematics workers away from the perk-heavy private sector. However, a trio of agencies recognized last week that human capital officers are not fully leveraging one simple authority that could help recruit more STEM candidates: offer them more money. Office of Personnel Management Director Katherine Archuleta penned a memo last week with the White House�s Office of Science and Technology Policy and the Office of Management and Budget notifying federal chief human capital officers of their discretion to provide �additional direct compensation in certain circumstances to support their recruitment and retention efforts for the STEM workforce.�

These Stories Will Help You Understand Why It Can Be Hard To Be A Woman In Science (HuffPost ImpactX)
Are sexist comments keeping women from pursuing careers in science and technology? When we posed that question to users on the Whisper app, the responses flooded in. As a follow-up, here are the stories our own readers shared with us (scroll down). We've shortened some a bit and highlighted the most cringe-worthy passages, but otherwise we've left them just as they were--including some graphic language. If you make it to #11 at the bottom of the page, you'll see one anecdote that gives us a glimmer of hope. 1. Smart, but not smart enough to be a biologist.. In both grammar and high school I was told by other girls that no one will ever like me because "You're too nerdy and like 'gross stuff'." In an all girls high school, other students would tell me that I'm smart, but not smart enough to be a biologist.
Reports
Incentives Help Florida College Students Complete Math Courses, Study Finds (NPR)
Hillsborough Community College students who were paid cash bonuses were more likely to complete remedial math courses and meet with math tutors, according to a new study from social science research firm MDRC. The study looked at students in Hillsborough Community College�s Mathematics Access Performance Scholarship program, which pays students $600 per semester for three semesters, if they met goals. Those goals include visiting HCC�s Math Labs tutoring center at least five times and earning a �C� grade or better on a college level math course or intermediate Algebra.

Science careers favour rich, male Asians, according to research (Independent UK)
Pupils opting for a career in science are likely to be privileged, male and with an Asian background, according to new research. By contrast, girls and pupils from a disadvantaged background are more likely to have been put off the subject because they see it as being only for the �brainy few� and not for them. A study of 3,658 11 to 15-year-olds revealed only 5% had what was termed as a �high science capital� - are confident in the subject and likely to pursue a career in it, whereas 27% had �low science capital�, ie they lack confidence in the subject and do not see themselves as �science people�. The research, carried out as part of the Enterprising Science project jointly backed by King�s College London, BP and the Science Museum, will now be used to help launch initiatives aimed at making science a more �family friendly� subject..
Higher Education
MU gets nearly $2.3M grant to study math education (AP)
The University of Missouri is using a four-year grant of nearly $2.3 million to study elementary school math education. The grant to the Columbia campus comes from the National Science Foundation. In 2012, the Missouri State Board of Education approved a certificate that recognizes elementary school teachers who have received extra math training. The University of Missouri and four other Missouri institutions began offering the 24-credit program in 2013. The research will assign teachers with the math certificates to different classroom settings and study the effects.

Taft College STEM program brings in new counselor-manager (Taft Midway Driller)
Taft College has taken another major step to advance its STEM Program, with the hiring of Stacie Rancano as the STEM program manager-counselor. In January, the college brought Rachel Taylor onboard as coordinator for STEM Outreach Activities. In that capacity, Taylor directed TC�s on-campus activities with area junior high and high school students. Rancano, who took the new program manager-counselor position two months ago, serves two areas. She deals with high school students involved in dual-enrollment, where they take classes at their high school for credit toward their diploma and classes at the college that can be used toward a degree. And she counsels TC students majoring in the STEM fields.

Osceola high-tech manufacturing center breaks ground (Orlando Sentinel)
Osceola County and the University of Central Florida broke ground Thursday on a new high-tech manufacturing facility near Kissimmee. Originally aimed at producing smart sensors, the facility may also include a broader focus on photonics. The Florida Advanced Manufacturing Research Center, originally announced in June, is expected create a new hub for manufacturing, attracting thousands of jobs and eventually growing into a $200 million project. The sensors would be used in appliances, cars, surgical devices, mobile phones and other technology � known as smart sensors. On Thursday morning, UCF President John Hitt said the university is pursuing a $200 million in federal and private funds to house a national Integrated Photonics Manufacturing Institute.
STEM Competitions
Win a One-On-One with Legendary Astronaut Buzz Aldrin (Conrad Foundation)
The first 250 teams to register for the Giant Leap to Mars Challenge at www.conradchallenge.org will automatically be entered into a drawing to win the �Office Hours with Buzz Aldrin� sweepstakes for a chance to video chat with the legendary astronaut. The Giant Leap to Mars Challenge celebrates the 45th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing and the historic voyage of Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin. For this competition, NASA and the Conrad Spirit of Innovation Challenge want you to design a creative solution that addresses the issues and challenges of a Mars mission including long duration space travel, healthcare, nutrition and quality of life.
Foundations
Silicon Valley Education Foundation raises $1.15 million at annual event (San Jose Mercury News)
Silicon Valley Education Foundation raised $1.15 million Oct. 1 at its 10th annual Pioneers and Purpose dinner, jumping $150,000 ahead of last year's total. Featuring STEM education and its growing use throughout area schools, the most interesting discussion occurred with SVEF president and CEO Muhammed Chaudhry interviewing New York Times journalist Thomas Friedman and Mike Splinter, executive chair of Applied Materials. At the dinner, Friedman was recognized as the 2014 Champion of Education, and Splinter was honored as the 2014 Pioneer Business Leader. At the dinner, six seventh-grade students from the 49er/SVEF-sponsored STEM Leadership Institute went head to head with six CEOs taking on several challenges.
North Dakota
ND Teachers Taught to Use STEM Program (KFYR)
Schools across the state have a few days off. However, while students are away, the teachers don't get to play. Today, administrators attended an all day energy conference at Bismarck State College. The Energy: Powered by North Dakota conference taught teachers how to integrate STEM into their daily curriculum. Jan Morrison, president and CEO of Teaching Institute for Excellence, said, "We've talked about the importance of STEM to a nation, to North Dakota, as an economic driver...During 2013, North Dakota had, on average, 20,000 job openings per month." "The idea is to integrate an interest in STEM early and then to nurture that through K- 12," said David DeMuth, executive director of the Great Plains STEM Education Center at Valley City State College
Michigan
Gov. Rick Snyder visits unique STEM school, says pushing technical education is a top priority (Jackson Citizen Patriot)
Fresh off his visit to the Southern Michigan Center for Science and Industry on Thursday, Oct. 16, Gov. Rick Snyder said pushing career technical education is a top priority for his second term. Students at the newly opened center showed Snyder some of the skills they've learned in their first month at the advanced manufacturing and pre-engineering education and training facility. The governor couldn't contain his excitement when students McKendry Evans, 17, and Jared Kaczor, 16, got their hovercraft off the ground in a demonstration. Evans and Kaczor said it took about a month to build the hovercraft, which consisted of PVC pipes, two household fans and a modified leaf blower.

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STEMconnector�
STEMconnector to Host 100 Diverse Corporate Leaders in STEM TownHall (10/22, 2-3PM ET)
STEMconnector� will host an online TownHall on Wednesday, October 22nd from 2:00-3:00PM ET, featuring keynote presentations from honorees in the 100 Diverse Corporate Leaders in STEM publication. Participants will speak about their vision for a more competitive nation, their own journey, and their advice on how to get more women and minorities into STEM education and careers. Speakers include Kimberly Foster Price, VP at 3Mgives; Ray Dempsey, VP at BP America; Theresa Hennesy, VP at Comcast Cable; Larry Quinlan, Global CIO at Deloitte; Dexter Cole, VP of Programming at the Science Channel; Seema Kumar, VP at Johnson & Johnson; Barbara G. Koster, Senior VP & CIO at Prudential Financial; Sanjay Verma, Divisional VP of Global Services at PTC; Dawne Hickton, CEO at RTI International Metals; Michael Norris, CEO at Sodexo; Sajan Pillai, CEO at UST Global; and Miguel Quiroga, Executive Director of Customer Experience at Verizon.

Introducing Innovative Science Writing Competition: The 2015 DuPont Challenge Elementary Division
Children can become scientists at any age. All it takes is curiosity about the world around them. That�s why The DuPont Challenge, now in its 29th year, is excited to announce the addition of The DuPont Challenge Elementary Division, a science writing competition for students in grades K-5. This will take place alongside the existing Junior and Senior Division science essay competition for middle school and high school students. The DuPont Challenge Elementary Division asks teachers to help their students explore STEM topics in a classroom-based challenge that gives students the chance to participate in a creative, inquiry-based exploration.

100 Diverse Corporate Leaders in STEM - Avis Braggs of ConocoPhillips
Avis Braggs is manager, Information Technology (IT) and is a member of the IT leadership team and the senior manager leadership forum for ConocoPhillips. "Mentorship is a key vehicle for gaining access to unfiltered feedback, guidance and support. I also believe being a mentor is an obligation leaders have. Mentoring others increases our ability to expand the impact of the experience we�ve gained, and it extends the value of the investments that have been made in our professional growth. While I serve as a mentor for several employees, I believe I have the most impact when I know the employees� abilities and aspirations, I�m familiar with the organizations they�re trying to navigate, and there is a mutual trust."

Report: Food And Ag Industries, Educational Institutions Need New Talent To Meet Demand In STEM Fields
A new report released today identifies a growing gap between the supply of new graduates trained in agriculture-related STEM fields and the demand for young professionals in related roles by global food and agriculture employers. The report recommends that the food and agriculture industries work closely with educational institutions on closing the employment gap necessary to sustainably feed an expected global population of nine billion people by 2050. The report, released today at the World Food Prize 2014 Borlaug Dialogue, includes a detailed analysis of university enrollment and workforce trends in six agriculture fields: agricultural business and management, agriculture mechanization and engineering, animal sciences, plant and soil science, food science and technology and other life sciences.