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!

:)