August 2015  


Our TxGCP eNewsletter arrives monthly in your inbox to learn about science, technology, engineering and math resources, educational opportunities and more around Texas and beyond!

Conferences, Events, Contests & More
August 11th and 12th, 2015
Texas A&M International University, Laredo will host FREE Code.org workshops. Please disseminate the attached flyers.  FREE CPEs for educator re-certification will be provided.  Teachers will also receive the supplies they need to teach the course-at no cost. Code.org has developed an elementary and middle school curriculum that allows even the youngest students to explore the limitless world of computing - at no cost for teachers and schools!

 

NASA Mars Education Program Free Online Training

August 25th, 26th, and 27th, 2015

NASA's hosting an exciting in depth MSIP online training for educators and other education professionals on August 25th -27th. This is a great opportunity to learn more about MSIP or get a quick refresher course! We are opening this event to anyone that is interested, whether you are an experienced MSIP educator, a 1st year MSIP educator or are completely unfamiliar with the project. All education professionals are welcome to attend!

 

San Antonio Water System Back to School Resource Fair

September 10, 2015 from 3:30 - 6:30pm

The SAWS Education Department welcomes you to a Back to School Resource Fair at the San Antonio Water System Corporate Headquarters: 2800 US Hwy 281 North, 78298. Resources include free elementary and middle school curriculum kits for those who register first. Email [email protected] to find out how to register today!

 

Science Communication and Outreach Career Symposium

September 18-19, 2015
Join the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, the University of Texas Health Science Center, and the University of Texas San Antonio for a symposium focused on how effective science communication is  useful for a variety of scientific careers.

 

San Antonio Water System 2015 Texas Association for Environmental Education Conference

October 9-10, 2015

The San Antonio Water System Education Department invites you to join us at the 2015 Texas Association for Environmental Education Annual Conference-October 9th-10th at the University of Houston, Clear Lake. Each year, educators from around the state gather to participate in hands-on workshops, attend unique field trips, network with other like-minded educators and be inspired to include environmental education topics in their classrooms. This year, be a part of the first ever San Antonio delegation to the conference.


New Worlds: Cities in Space Competition & Conference

October 16, 2015
The Cities in Space Competition will be a Texas-wide competition. There are three divisions of the competition: 3D Modeling, Video and Combination of 3D Modeling with Video. Students are asked to create a sustainable colony model for human life on the Moon, Mars or in Free Space.

7 Months of the SciGirls 
Seven:
Proven Strategies for Engaging Girls in STEM


 

3. Girls enjoy hands-on, open-ended projects and investigations




SciGirls promotes exploration, imagination, and invention. Encourage your girls to ask questions and find their own paths for investigation.


K-12 STEM Outreach, SciGirls, Role Models Matter, Waterbotics, Mother Daughter TEA, and InventionX Workshops

    

Educators across Texas are invited to attend free professional development opportunities and discover how to engage young women through research-based, high quality activities and resources!

 

To request or schedule a workshop or forum in your area, please contact [email protected].   

   

Check out the TxGCP website for details about forums, Role Models Matter and SciGirls

 

Interested in STEM Programming?

  

To find great STEM programs across the country or to list your own, please visit The Connectory website!

Articles, Reports, Resources

Is This The Beginning Of The End For The SAT And ACT?
Many high schoolers hoping to attend George Washington University in Washington, D.C., one of the top private universities in the country, breathed a sigh of relief this week. GWU announced it will no longer require applicants to take the SAT or ACT. The move comes after the school formed a task force to study the pros and cons of going "test-optional." GWU attracts lots of high-achieving students who do well on both exams, but the task force concluded that the school's reliance on these tests was excluding some high-achieving students who simply don't test well.

New State Goal: 60 Percent of Adults With a Degree By 2030
With an eye on keeping up with demographic changes and competing with other states and countries, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board adopted a new overarching goal Thursday: Get 60 percent of Texans between 25 and 34 a postsecondary degree or certificate by 2030. That will be a difficult task - only 38 percent of Texans in that demographic currently have such a degree.

Nationwide Teacher Shortages encouraging districts to look at Virtual K-12 Staffing
Many districts ask this question each July as the new school year closes in: How are we going to find the highly qualified teachers we need for the following school year? Typically the answers have been to increase class size, cancel classes, add self-paced online classes, or place unqualified teachers or aides in front of students. As any educator knows, the most important element of a student's success is the actual teacher in front of that class. Over the past five years, School Districts around the country have been upgrading their technology infrastructure and computing devices due to PARCC, Teacher evaluation, or One to One initiatives. This has supported the emergence of "Virtual K-12 Staffing."

About TxGCP
Texas Girls Collaborative Project
The Texas Girls Collaborative Project (TxGCP) connects organizations and individuals across Texas committed to informing and motivating girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The TxGCP is excited to provide opportunities across Texas for collaboration, networking, sharing of best practices, and leveraging of resources through in-person forums, email listservs and mini-grants.   

Led by the Women in Engineering Program (WEP) at The University of Texas at Austin along with a dynamic Leadership Team and Champions Board, the TxGCP brings together advocates and leaders from non-profits, K-12 schools, higher education institutions, companies and organizations across the state of Texas.

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About NGCP
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).

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The TxGCP eNewsletter is distributed approximately once a month. Visit the TxGCP web site for additional updates on upcoming events, resources and mini-grant information.
Share Your Events and News 
Submit information or events to be included in future TxGCP eNewsletters. Remember TxGCP eNewsletters are typically sent at the beginning of each month. Send news and information to [email protected].
Million Women Mentors


 

We are part of the Million Women Mentors movement and with the Texas Girls Collaborative Project, we have made a 

20,000 mentor and role model pledge 

for Texas. Help us meet our 20,000 mentors and role models goal by sharing your story on FabFems or pledging to mentor with Million Women Mentors

 

Join the movement today!
FabFems - STEM Role Models
FabFem of the month:

Joey Key
Joey is the Director of Education and Outreach for the Center for Gravitational Wave Astronomy at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. She is trained in gravitational wave astronomy data analysis and works with the NSF Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory (LIGO) project.

Join the FabFems directory today!
STEM Program Highlight:
DCCCD STEM Institute
DCCCD STEM Institute is an integrated support program for community college students pursuing a non-clinical STEM discipline within the Dallas County Community College District. STEM Scholars work closely with faculty mentors called STEM Fellows, attend professional skill development workshops, have opportunities to visit STEM-related companies in the Dallas area, participate in a full-day STEM professional conference, and get tuition and book scholarship support to allow them to focus on their studies and STEM Institute activities.
 
Create an account on The Connectory to get added as an event coordinator...and then start entering your events!
K-12 STEM Outreach Google Groups
These groups are all about sharing resources, information, events, volunteers, needs, and more with others reaching out to K12 students aiming to excite them about science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

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.

STEM Opportunities

TxGCP is frequently asked for STEM program connections. Don't miss out on getting connected with possible collaborators and funders!

 

Gain access to mini-grants and have the first shot at opportunities such as the Water Works camp curriculum, role model training and other curriculum and resource dissemination across Texas!

 

Sign up your program, organization and/or event in The Connectory .  Join over 200 listings from across Texas and find collaborators and other STEM educators in your area.