STEM Advocacy

STEM is for Everyone! Read on for ways to be an advocate for STEM

 

•      In General

–     Support ALL students. Be inclusive. Give everyone a chance. Encourage curiosity, innovation, and going after STEM careers.

–     Support STEM activities in the workplace. Ask your manager for an hour to support a program, if you are a manager, encourage, allow, and participate if possible.

–     Utilize existing resources: attend career day at the local school or partner with existing organizations’ activities.

–     It is often as simple as a phone call or e-mail to connect with and support existing opportunities.

–     You can host your own STEM in the spotlight but you do not need to reinvent the wheel!

–     Find something you love! It can be working with kids, working with curriculum, working with community members, creating a website, etc.

–     Your talents benefit STEM! There are many ways to donate them to STEM

•      With One Hour

–     Call your local school and attend their career or science day.

•      Most counties have a central website that lists all their schools, locations, phone numbers, etc.

–     Local organizations will have an evening to showcase community members and their activities- this is a great way to spend an hour as well.

–     Spend around an hour talking to kids about STEM, yourself and your career.

–     You can also give them an activity that demonstrates STEM related concepts, such as a color vision test (or whatever is appropriate to your field).

–     You can go by yourself or with your colleagues as a team.

•      With One Day

–     If you have a day to spare, you can

•      Volunteer with a local organization’s science fair, career fair, youth day, or other day long activity aimed toward youth development. See the last chapter of this presentation for organizations.

–     You will typically spend several hours introducing and leading an activity that demonstrates STEM related concepts, (for example in my field) the basics of vision science, a color vision test experiment, and fun facts. You may also spend time talking about yourself and your career.

–     If you volunteer as a science fair, robotics, or science judge, you will spend the day evaluating projects, talking to kids, and possibly talking a little bit about yourself.

–     You can go by yourself or with your colleagues as a team.

•      With One Month

–     If you have more than a day’s worth of time available to you, you can:

•      Mentor kids (via public schools or existing organizations)

•      Develop STEM curriculum for non profits to use in their programs

•      Teach STEM, diversity, or advocacy

•      Participate as a leader in existing STEM organizations

•      Organize or host a career or science day

•      With One Year or more

•      Mentor kids (via public schools or existing organizations)

•      Develop STEM curriculum for non profits to use in their programs

•      Teach

•      Participate as a leader in existing STEM organizations

•      Organize or host a career or science day

•      Create your own STEM initiative

•      Become a voice for STEM in your local community