Happy New Year!

Hello World!

Happy new year! For this year I'd like to ask you what you would like this blog to resolve! More entries? Intetviews? Better format? Please respond with your suggestions and I will do my best! 

Look forward to hearing from you!

:)

Christmas cheer

Hello World!

Many are celebrating the holidays in different times and ways right now, but not everyone has that holiday spirit. Here is a fun article about the science of the Christmas spirit

http://www.msn.com/en-us/health/wellness/scientists-pinpoint-christmas-cheer-in-the-brain/ar-BBnUXv6?li=BBnb7Kz

And for anyone who is stressed, coloring is shown to reduce tension. So I wish you a peaceful day however you do or don't celebrate

:)

The first web page

Hello World!

I saw this article about the first web page to go live around this time 25 years ago... It made me think how much has changed and how far the web has come, how much farther will it go? There is much to be learned and developed but we can all be a part of it! From girls who code to the user experience, we are all a part of this revolution!

:)

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/the-first-website-went-online-25-years-ago-today/ar-BBnMfMr?li=BBnb7Kz

Love

Hello World!

My blog is about STEM, diversity, fashion, and other things that strike my fancy in daily life. I saw this the other day and had to share! 

With all the hate in the world, it is easy to want to give up or give in, but I thought this was a great and true reminder for the peace that we can all share with each other if we are committed to it. STEM can help us too, if we need that extra help being our best selves. Check out 

http://lovehasnolabels.com

And 

http://www.understandingprejudice.org

For things you can do to better yourself, others, and the world. Happy holidays!

:)

Be!

Hello World!

Here is a fun shirt I spotted the other day!

 

For those who wonder how to be an astronaut, check out the below link. As for me- I am happy to be in STEM and to work with some really cool astronauts :)

http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/postsecondary/features/F_Astronaut_Requirements.html

Fun with food

Hello World!

Saw this article and thought it was appropriate for this blog in many ways!

http://news.yahoo.com/the-best-doughnut-in-america-by-the-numbers-132014742.html?nf=1

It shows STEM, unique applications, and the power of a creative desire (as well as social applications of big data and big donuts). 

:)

Data flow

Hello World!

Here is a funny little picture on data flow- funny because it is sometimes true!

:)

These boots were made for space walkin'

Hello World!

I had the fun of going to NASA Armstrong the other day and they had a cool historical exhibit on flight and associated artifacts to include these fun pink space boots  :)

While they were meant as a prank before a test pilot outing, it seems they were pretty comfy and the joke was on the pranksters http://www.nasa.gov/centers/armstrong/features/remembering_armstrong.html

:)

Astronaut Hugs

Hello World!

This weekend I had a blast volunteering at the STEAM carnival. I gave myself the role of taking pictures of attendees with Steve Smith, astronaut. 

It was fun to hear all the advice he gave kids (young and old alike) that dreams come true when you work hard enough. He was a child when he drew this picture, and he showed it to everyone who stopped by- pretty cool right?

He also had the younger kids practice a firm handshake and looking people in the eyes when you first meet, great advice for everyone to remember. 

At the end of the day he gave me a big hug. I'd like to think that some of the right stuff and star stuff has rubbed off on me :) I also think that myself and the many people he interacted with rubbed off on him. After all, we are all made of star stuff!

:)

Pumpkins!

Hello World!

It is my personal tradition to celebrate all things pumpkin so I thought I'd share this super cool website I found!

http://www.worldsciencefestival.com/2014/11/science-perfect-pumpkin-pies/

Enjoy!

The joy of fashion

Hello World!

I come with a treat for this All Hallows' eve, I wanted to share with you one of my favorite blogs. While STEM is a passion, I also love diversity and fashion and art and so many other things... I like this blog in particular because it is also in Spanish. It is cheerful fun and shows the joy in playing around with style and fashion.

http://www.thejoyoffashionblog.com/?m=1

I hope you will check it out. And For the science of scary check out these old posts! 

Have a hauntingly good day! 

:)

Hartnell College HerScript and more

Hello World!

Yesterday I was So excited to have been a guest speaker at Hartnell College http://www.hartnell.edu for two of their STEM programs, MESA and HerScript. It was so fun to share my life lessons in STEM, talk about problems to be solved and learn about the amazing things these students are doing. I was truly in awe! 

One example of the student efforts is HerScript, a computer science organization they founded.

http://www.herscript.org

https://m.facebook.com/herScriptCS

I also learned about a LinkedIn equivalent for women in tech, which was neat. Check out  https://tenxlist.com

And while my reward comes from giving back and the inspiration I get from students, I was gifted all this cool swag as a thank you, I just love STEM swag :)

I also encourage you to check out a MESA program near you, I know I would not be a STEM professional today if it were not for programs like these! 

It was interesting to hear the diverse student stories and know that whether you love art or math, the path may wander but it will take you to the place you are meant to be. I am grateful to share my journey with you and hope to be part of yours!

:)

Back to the future day!

Hello World!

Today the White House is sponsoring a super cool collection of activities related to going back to the future! Check it out!

The White House is marking "Back to the Future Day" with a series of conversations with innovators across the country. Follow along here.
https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/10/20/back-future-day-test

You can also be stylishly STEM with this shirt :)

Going back to the future reminds me of a quote I saw once that "some say movies should be more like real life, I say real life should be more like the movies". As we progress from science fiction to science fact, what movie like elements would you want incorporated in your life? It is an exciting future and I am glad to be part of it! Which reminds me that "The best way to predict the future is to create it" more quotes for consideration can be found here http://barnraisersllc.com/2013/12/12-reasons-predict-future-create/

Time to create my future now! 

:)

(Takes me back to my time at the White House earlier this year, you never know where STEM will take you! But more on that later) 

Conflict & Cooperation

Hello World!

Today I went to a lecture given by a really cool woman, Dr. Casey Lucias. 

She spoke about conflict and cooperation in the maritime environment and different approaches for obtaining peace in the world. What I found most inspiring was that she had a diverse background personally and professionally, and she is currently moving into the realm of politics to make a difference and put her academic theories in practice!  International relations is one of my areas of study and it is exciting to see other women leading the way in it. If you like the science of politics, enjoy thinking internationally, or think this may be an area for you- check out these links! 

https://www.ipsa.org

A free course

https://www.udemy.com/draft/22991/ 

Even if political science or international relations is not your thing, it provides valuable skills and tools that everyone can use no matter their field, such as can be found here 

http://www.usip.org

To learn more about the speaker I saw, check out http://faculty.nps.edu/vitae/cgi-bin/vita.cgi?p=display_vita&id=1224793519

Well, back to my systems engineering studies (more on that later). 

:)

I'm back!

Hello World!

I know I have been awful at blog keeping but I've fixed a few technical difficulties, received some new inspiration, and have tons of fun STEM, diversity, fashion and other materials to share :) stay tuned!

In the mean time here is a fun pic showing that science and style do go together :)

The most important thing

Hello World!

I have been in acquisitions training this week and of all the things I learned, I found this lesson to be the most valuable and applicable to every part of life, not just obtaining parts or programs. For a funny take on acquisitions check out http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=269766

The 4 most important factors in successful acquisition 

1. Have a common goal

This is a shared purpose, vision, objective and need. What do you wish to obtain, do, or accomplish with your team? From the big picture to the small part, knowing what and why will help you with the how.

2. Know your role, and that of others.

It is crucial to understand your part in contributing to the common goal. What are you responsible for? What are your team members responsible for? Knowing who engages in what actions is necessary for success.

3. Have a common code of conduct.

While it may seem obvious it is important to discuss the shared norms and ways of being as you and your team engage in your defined roles to accomplish your shared goals. For example you may assume a person would share issues while another assumes issues are not shared. Not having the common framework for how to address these and other issues will hinder progress. Conversely, the sky is just the beginning when you have an explicitly shared understanding.

4. Share the reward of your efforts.

This one is fun, shared celebration! As the program manager responsible for the next Mars mission, You might want to reward an engineer for her clever design that gets you to the far reaches of the galaxy for example but the project manager, budget analyst, and all other team members are critical to the implementation of the clever design. When everyone is tied to success and celebrates together, more is accomplished and acquired. 

If you are interested in learning more about project management check out http://www.pmi.org no matter your field, STEM or otherwise this is a path and set of skills to be aware of. Where do your dreams take you? Do you have the tools to get there? I am grateful to have added to my tool box and to see what else I need to work on. Happy STEM projects to you! 

:)

STEM style!

Hello World!

Here are some great shirts from the Intel science fair :) Yes, I did have fun shopping & showing my science funny side :)

Do you have a favorite? Please feel free to share!

The tech

Hello World,

Some time ago I went to the tech museum of innovation.

(That's me saying hi)

Here are two of many inspirational people featured in the exhibits:

What I love about Dr. Jemison is the diversity of her passions and pursuits and the belief (& demonstration!) that space is for everyone. I think no matter ones career, we are all tied to the skies, the seas, and beyond. It is exciting to know there is a place for me in these subjects!

What I love about Caryn Johnson is the connection of both art And science. I personally feel both are needed and important and it is inspiring to me to see someone achieve both so seamlessly. 

Both these women remind me not to forget my other interests and to pursuit my passions. One of those is advocacy, and so I continue this blog in hopes you find it inspiring too.

:)

Never underestimate!

Hello World!

One of my colleagues was wearing this shirt and I thought it was fantastic! 

It is a great reminder that we can do anything and that we should not underestimate anyone, most of all ourselves!

:)

Ocean voyages moon colonization and more!

Hello World!

Well I must apologize for my limited blogging... My life in STEM has been busy! And fun! And amazing! So much to share and finally some time to share it, so I will try to catch up on all the STEM stuff that has been going on. I am currently on my way to Pittsburg to judge the Intel science fair which is pretty exciting 

https://student.societyforscience.org/intel-isef

I am excited to see what the youth of our world is doing, making, creating, studying, and exploring. I have no doubts that these students will be positively changing the world with their creativity and hard work. I will try much harder to keep you posted more frequently and look forward to sharing my experience and catching up! For now it is time to immerse myself in aerodynamics and catch my plane.

:) 

Space puppy love

Hello World! 

I love this pic found on http://www.msn.com/en-us/video/watch/dog-loving-astronaut-wins-best-photo-of-2015/vi-AA8MuMl

Of course it as adorable and a great picture, but what I love most is how human and relatable the picture is. It is neat to see the reality of this astronaut's life and interests. I know my pets are not confined to perfect poses or scripted perfection, but I love them anyway and it is clear there is puppy love in this picture :) it also reminds me that this gentlemen and I have more in common then I knew! I think it is easy to idolize astronauts and tech geniuses and find (myself anyway) as not measuring up, but in reality, we are all capable of amazing accomplishments and leading lives of positive influence, on each other, on our universe, and in our immediate surroundings. I am reminded of the hard work it takes to get there, and the sense of humor I need to keep along the way :)

Dreams and determination

Hello World!

Today I had the privalage to hear Dr. Harris Jr. speak in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. day. Why was this a privalage and what did he speak about? Dr. Harris is the first African American to walk in space and he spoke of his experiences, the need to continue working hard for equity, equality, diversity, and inclusion, and more. It was very inspirational and I was excited to meet such an amazing person who has completed many terrestrial missions as well, helping millions of kids go into STEM through his foundation

 http://www.theharrisfoundation.org 

He shared that for many, dreams are deferred but through determination and perseverance, they can be achieved. It is important to create an environment where people can dream and dare. What happens when you can't reach for the stars literally or figuratively is that all people suffer- where would we be without Individuals like Martin Luther King or Dr Harris? We would be missing out on the richness of life and enrichment of life, I believe. 

I am very grateful for people like him who pave the way and for the opportunity to share my dream of showing how cool STEM, diversity, and arts are. Dr. Harris noted that we are all capable of supporting one another in many different ways. I hope you are encouraged and in turn encourage others! 

:)

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!

:)