Happy New Year!

Hello World!

Happy new year! How time flies! Or as my dad likes to say, time flies like an arrow and fruit flies like a banana :) I have been busy with STEM, testing apps that design satellites, learning about quantum sensing, and finding new and amazing resources to further diversity in STEM. I apologize I have not shared as often as I would have liked but I will try to be better about that this year (I wrote about resolution STEM last year and will employ those tips! http://stylishstem.blogspot.com/2014/01/stem-resolutions.html and http://stylishstem.blogspot.com/2014/01/happy-new-year-resolve-to-have.html 

). Here are some nifty items from last year, better late than never.

This art is from a Latin artist and it is made out of glitter! I just love the combination of science and sparkle. Have you ever wondered what makes something sparkle? In short, it is the reflection of light from many angles, a matte surface is constructed such that light is absorbed while mirrors are highly reflective, but many surfaces enable light to scatter and sparkle. You might think of a disco ball, or fish :) check out http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29711463 interestingly, while searching for sparkle I came across "science with a sparkle" an opportunity for girls to learn about the science behind cosmetics and similar concepts. It was a controversial given the gender stereotypes employed, however arguments can be made for multiple perspectives, much like fish scales or disco balls, it is important to have multiple surfaces from which one can see the light. I think it is necessary to offer the science of engines and eye shadow to everyone. Science comes in all forms and appeals in different ways, even comic books, like this one!

In this series you learn about astrobiology, robots and more, you can check it out further at http://www.planetary.org

STEM in the Silicon Valley can be challenging and busy but I think this sticker is a great reminder for life in the fast lane or any lane you find yourself in.

For more on the international space station depicted check out http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/station/main/#.VLTYYYg76K0

Happy new year and fly on my STEM friends!

:)