ACEC/MA STEM Task Force Opportunities

ACEC/MA STEM Task Force: Short monthly zooms on opportunities to promote engineering & land surveying to K-12 Students with more about the leads below. Contact us to join the ACEC/MA STEM Task Force.

Upcoming 2024 Opportunities for your firm to promote STEM careers:

Geek is Glam STEM Event - the GIG - Sunday, October 13, 2024 at WPI, Worcester

Host:  Girl Scouts of Central and Western Massachusetts

Sunday, October 13, 2024, 9 AM - 5 PM @ Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)

For Girls in Grades 4-8 - a key time to reach these students with fun engineering projects and basic career info. The Girl Scouts are seeking adult volunteers to lead workshops, demos and more.  

Sign up google doc: https://forms.microsoft.com/r/RhzjWgS5Hn?origin=lprLink

More Info: https://www.gscwm.org/en/discover/activities/special-events/Geek-Is-Glam.html
 

MassHire Metro North Workforce Board - to Find High School and College Interns + other resources

On April 11, 2024, ACEC/MA's STEM Task Force hosted Kate Armstrong, Sr. Manager of STEM Programs, MassHire Metro North Workforce Board   who discussed how to contact local Workforce Boards and STEM Networks in each region of the state to find and host high school and certain college interns.  

Kate discussed internship programs in in the Boston - Metro North region as well as how to get involved in other regions throughout the state.

Below are some resources with information on how to contact local Workforce Boards and STEM Networks in each region. As a more in-depth example of what an employer's role might look like in a high school internship, she provided the Employer Host Handbook that has been adapted from the state. 

Action: Check out the resource materials, If any firms in the Metro North region are looking to get involved, they can connect Kate Armstrong about opportunities.

Career Center and Workforce Area Map
MassHire Workforce Boards are able to apply for a number of state grants focused on career and workforce development for local youth, and can be a good place to start when searching for local internship programs to take part in. Use this map to help determine what MassHire region you are located in. Note that this is just an image, and actual MassHire Workforce Board contacts are accessible under the next heading of this email.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/career-center-and-workforce-area-map

Connect With Your Local MassHire Workforce Board
Use this guide to contact your local Workforce Board. Be sure to double-check your region with the Workforce Area Map listed above!
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/connect-with-your-local-masshire-workforce-board

Regional STEM Networks
In many regions, STEM Networks work directly with local K-12 educators and have school contacts. If you are looking to get in contact with a specific local school, reaching out to your regional STEM Network Director is a great place to start.
https://www.mass.gov/info-details/regional-stem-networks

Applied Learning HUB - Industry- Applied Learning Student Showcase – May 10, 2024

May 10, 2024, 8:30 AM — 12:30 PM at The TRACK at New Balance, 91 Guest St, Boston, MA 02135

• Support and inspire the next generation of professionals
• Connect students’ learning with the problems you solve every day.
• Give students feedback on their Applied Learning projects.
• Increase motivation, persistence, and achievement for ALL students.
• Students from across Massachusetts (grades 5-12) will gather to share their Applied Learning projects with industry professionals like you. Here’s what you can expect from the experience:
• The day will kick off with a short briefing and grab-and-go breakfast so you can meet your fellow judges and be ready to confidently engage with students.
• You’ll interact with teams of students as they share their projects, offer suggestions, and share more about your own career.
• The Showcase will close with a celebration of winning teams, and of everyone’s achievements!

https://one8appliedlearninghub.org/events/industry-applied-learning-student-showcase/#

Massachusetts Science + Engineering Fair (MSEF)

Support and inspire local students! Student participants are thrilled to meet STEM professionals, often for the first time, to review and discuss their projects. Regardless of placement, students benefit from the invaluable experience of presenting their work.

What is the judging experience like?

• Over several hours, each judge reviews 4-6 projects which includes a student presentation and Q&A session. Each student is judged multiple times.
• Judges utilize a rubric (with point allocations) that guides their assessment
• Judges commit to providing a rigorous, yet encouraging, interview process for students

High School State Fair Judging - April 5, 2024

• Judges must hold a graduate degree and/or have 5+ years working experience in their selected subject category
• Subject Categories include but aren't limited to: Biology, Chemistry, Behavioral Sci, Earth/Space Sci, Engineering, Math, and CompSci.
• Judges are required to attend a virtual orientation session: 3/26 @ 12pm or 3/27 @ 7pm.

https://msefhs.zfairs.com/app/user/new/Judge/

Middle School State Fair - May 11, 2024

• Judges must be in a STEM field
• College students majoring in a STEM field are eligible to judge 
• Judges must watch an orientation video in advance

https://msefms.zfairs.com/app/user/new/Judge/

Girl Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts – STEM Fest (Waltham)

Its a STEM takeover at camp! Explore fun hands-on science, technology, engineering, and math challenges throughout Camp Cedar Hill. Local partners will be stationed all throughout the camp property, so you can use your map to choose your own adventure and decide what areas and topics to explore! Meet with STEM professionals while digging deeper into topics you love or discovering new ones that you may not have previously known about!

STEM Fest is GSEMAs premiere STEM event of the year, and is open to ALL Girl Scout levels with activities and experiments created and designated specifically for different ages. A patch and swag are included. Check back regularly for an updated list of partners and activities!

https://mygs.girlscouts.org/event-detail?id=117-301-20240427-KS001

Weston & Sampson (Hillary Lacirignola, Julie Carreiro) - High School Internship

• Weston & Sampson developing structured format for high school interns this summer.
• Format exposes interns to all different departments and fields within the company.
• Daily activities will be non-billable work, mostly shadowing staff on everyday tasks.
• Loaner laptops will be provided to all students.
• Interns will be compensated in the form of OSHA 10 Certification, Gift cards for gas, Weston & Sampson Gear.
• Additional compensation is available through the MetroNorth Workforce Board. Weston & Sampson offers to help with paperwork submission.

Older:

• Lesley Ellis School - Arlington, MA – Middle School Science Fair Judging

  Thursday, April 4,  8am-3:15pm (lunch and refreshments will be provided)

  Format: The judges would listen to student presentations (by grade level) in a gallery walk format and fill out a judging form for each student. At the end of each grade level, judges would meet to decide on awards to give to the top 3 students, as well as any honorable mentions.

  Sign Up: Fill out the Google Form (https://forms.gle/JYbWD3x8zqLRjkWj8) 

  Questions: Please email 7th/8^th grade science teacher Elizabeth Manser (emanser@lesleyellis.org) or Pascale Grossnickle (pgrossnickle@lesleyellis.org) for any questions!

• Engineer Your Future: BSCES Outreach Activities: Sign up to be a judge, mentor, or volunteer for these upcoming events at least 2 weeks before the dates shown below. Advance CORI checks required:
  • ​Future City on January 20, 2024
  • Model Bridge on February 2, 2024

• One8 Applied Learning Hub (formerly Mass STEM Hub) Volunteer Opportunities

• ACE Mentor Program: Founded in 1994, the ACE Mentor Program of America (ACE) is a free, award-winning, afterschool program designed to attract high school students into pursuing careers in the Architecture, Construction and Engineering industry, including skilled trades. ACE is a federation of more than 75 affiliates (chapters), operating in 38 states and Canada, and largely based in metropolitan areas. A national office supports the affiliate programs.

• Set Up a Virtual or In-Person Class Visit:  Engage a group of children in a rewarding engineering experience. More on Discover E >

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General Resources for your firm to promote STEM careers:

Engineer Classroom Visit Presentation Module to Promote #STEM Careers:  As your firm explores STEM activities to provide for K-12 classrooms in 2024, check out this resource from ACEC/MA's Leadership Education Committee: a Module you can use for classroom visits in your community: More >

- Check Out DiscoverE  for more resources and ideas.

For Land Surveyor Visits to Classrooms: MALSCE's PPT on the Land Surveying Profession - You can download this and adapt for school and college presentations. This is a large file that will take a minute to download.

- More about Land Surveying with Resources for Classrooms on Be a Surveyor

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Massachusetts Department of Education Resources

Massachusetts STEM Advisory Council
The STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Advisory Council is established by M.G.L. Chapter 6, Section 218 to expand access to high-quality STEM education for students across the Commonwealth.

Regional STEM Networks
Created in 2004, the state’s Regional STEM Networks serve as hubs for connecting educators, community leaders and industry partners to further excite and energize students about opportunities in STEM subjects.

Metro North Workforce Board Seeks STEM Employers for HS Interns: No employer cost, completely grant funded; interns work about 100 hours in Spring or Summer More >

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ACEC/MA STEM TASK Force: Short monthly zoom on opportunities to promote engineering & land surveying to K-12 Students. Contact us to join the ACEC/MA STEM Task Force.

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Older, just for reference on events that may be held in Academic Year 2023- 2024: 

• Cambridge Science Festival was held September 25-Sunday, October 1, 2023.

  • Cambridge Science Festival: September 25 - October 1, 2023 is looking for activities, lectures, workshops, exhibitions, trivia nights, tours, pop-ups, productions and any other science-themed or science-adjacent happenings taking place in Cambridge. If you have an idea for an event and would like to be part of CSF 2023, you’re in the right place! If your idea is all set and ready to go, that’s fantastic; if you’ve got a great idea but need a venue, sign up anyway and they’ll help you find one.

• Register an event for CSF 2023 by April 15, 2023:  Cambridge Science Festival is proud to promote events, activities, lectures, workshops, exhibitions, trivia nights, tours, pop-ups, productions and any other science-themed or science-adjacent happenings in Cambridge between September 25-October 1. If you’re planning an event and would like to be part of Cambridge Science Festival 2023, please sign up to get more information

• Cambridge Science Festival Carnival
  • Register to participate by April 15, 2023: Cambridge Science Festival Carnival returns Sunday, October 1, 2023, noon - 4 pm in the Kendall/MIT Open Space for another afternoon of madcap family-friendly fun! With thousands of visitors in attendance, this action-packed day of events and entertainment is a perfect opportunity to engage with the Cambridge community and spread the word about your work, your interests, or your organization. If you’re involved in science, technology, engineering, arts and math, or any area adjacent to these, the Cambridge Science Festival would love you to participate at the CSF Carnival.  

Seeking employers to attend STEM Careers Fair: Fri. March 3, 9-10:30am is the Revere High School STEM Careers Fair. (opens a twitter page) Much like job fairs, STEM careers fairs offer an opportunity for employers from across industries to speak to students about career pathways in STEM. Employers do not need to be recruiting, as the focus is on exposing students to a variety of STEM careers. Interested employers can reserve a table using this form (opens jotform). We hope to see you there!

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Burlington HS Career Exploration Fair Seeks Employers to Talk With Students 2/2, 9:15 - 10:45 AM  More >

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