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Math: Winona State professor develops a predictive model for relapses in substance addiction.

Wildlife Biology: Program at Duluth's Natural Resources Research Institute uses artificial den boxes to study declining Fisher populations.

Kinesiology: University of Minnesota professor studies the connection between exercise and postpartum depression.

On November 12, our  FORSE mentoring and enrichment program launched for the school year with a brainstorming session between students and mentors at Bdote Learning Center. "The ideas were really flowing," reported Sara Gomez, FORSE program director, "I'm so impressed with the Bdote students and also impressed and grateful for the amazing staff at Bdote and our phenomenal volunteer mentors!"

Now in its third year, FORSE pairs middle school students from populations traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields with STEM graduate students and professionals. Students and mentors work collaboratively to conduct research and prepare a science project. We are seeing students in our ground-breaking mentoring program:

Mentor opportunities are still available at Bdote Learning Center.

Mentor opportunities are still available for the 2019-2020 school year. MAS seeks mentors with STEM experience to work with middle schoolers at Bdote Learning Center, a K-8 Dakota/Ojibwe language immersion school in Minneapolis. Mentors need to be available Tuesdays and Thursdays from 11 - 11:45 and/or 12:05 - 12:50. The program started last week and lasts 8-9 weeks. MAS provides mentors with materials and curriculum needed to help young scientists master the skills of research and experimentation.

Interested? Contact Ally Milenkovic (Assistant Program Director) Please share this opportunity!

In our 2019 Minnesota State Science and Engineering Fair (MSSEF), girls won two of the four spots for projects to advance to ISEF: Gabriela Queiroz Miranda (Engineering Weighted 3D Printed Vests for Sea Turtles with Bubble Butt Syndrome) and Nitya Thakkar (Sulforaphane Improves Oxidative Stress Response in Caenorhabditis elegans via SKN-1).

However, there is room for improvement in female representation at the Science Fair. In the ISEF competition, girls made up less than a third of the entrants in the Mathematics and Engineering Mechanics categories. Girls were underrepresented in several categories in the 2019 MSSEF competition, including Mathematics and Embedded Systems.