Join us for a special networking event Tuesday, August 14, 7:30-11:30 a.m. at the Rochester Arts Center and a chance to visit the Smithsonian Institution’s Human Genome Project exhibit.  The Human Genome exhibit is a perfect focal point for discussions on STEM education, workforce development, and how science is leading to new jobs and new cures.  Come mingle with others in STEM industries and education, share ideas, and consider what the future could be for Southeast Minnesota and beyond. Our partners in STEM Forward are co-hosting the event. A light breakfast and refreshments will be provided. Thank you to the Mayo Clinic Center for Individualized Medicine for sponsoring the event.  Let us know you’re coming!

Do you have a family-friendly STEM-related demonstration or performance that you would want to present on the biggest stage of the summer, STEM Day at the Minnesota State Fair?  We are now accepting applications for the Dan Patch Park stage on Thursday, August 23, 2018.  STEM Day attracts thousands of fair-goers on the State Fairs opening day.  It’s a great opportunity to wow the crowd with your performance, excite them in STEM concepts, and sneak in some education in an entertaining way.  Apply by May 1 here.

The 9th annual SciMathMN STEM Day at the State Fair, Minnesota’s annual celebration of all things STEM will again open the Great Minnesota Get Together, Thursday,  August 23, 2018.  Last year over 13,000 fair goers visited Dan Patch park to enjoy a broad variety of hands-on activities in robotics, aeronautics and aerospace, programming, modern manufacturing, health care, and other STEM fields.  The event attracts a wide variety of fair goers with a growing number of families coming the first day of the fair specifically to attend STEM Day.  Groups wishing to apply to be an exhibitor can apply here.  In considering your organizations application please consider the following selection criteria.

First Priority will be given to organizations which meet the following criteria (listed in order of importance):
1. Organization’s mission and purpose pertain to and are based in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.
2. Organizations that are willing to collaborate and share exhibit space (if needed).
3. Organizations that provide a hands-on, STEM-based activity focused on children and youth.
4. Organizations from outside the Twin Cities metro area.
5. Organizations new to the STEM Day event.
6. Demonstrated goals to target audience.
7. Appropriateness of planned activity.
8. Organization’s ability to underwrite their activity.

Other factors that influence the committee’s decision:
1. Non-profits must be registered in the state of Minnesota.
2. For-profit companies and organizations are restricted from conducting commercial operations by State Fair policy.
3. Sponsorship of STEM Day.
4. Organizations have a mechanism for community engagement in STEM or a record of volunteer service to the community in STEM activities.
5. Date of submission of the application

Exhibitors are asked to have demonstrations and interactive events centering around one or more of these topics:
– Activities for children/parents outside of school (or perhaps school field trips)
– Promoting STEM activities in school – providing programs or support in advancing STEM
– Career, College and beyond – education and employment opportunities in STEM fields.

The deadline for application submissions is Tuesday, May 1, 2018.  Exhibitors selected will be notified in early June.

The 2nd Biennial Joint Conference of SciMathMN and Ignite Afterschool was a great success.

Here is a recap of some of the conference highlights – 2017 Conference Summary.

University of Washington Professor Deb Morrison will keynote Capturing Imaginations Building Skills, the second biennial joint conference of Ignite Afterschool and ScimathMN. Morrison will focus on closing equity gaps in STEM education.  Improving equity within STEM teaching and learning is a central goal of recent policy conversations and reform. Both K-12 and informal STEM educators in Minnesota and nationally have long worked towards closing the STEM learning experience opportunity gaps that exist between students with varied lived experiences. In this presentation, Dr. Morrison will define the inequities found in our current terrain and explore research on practical solutions both informal and formal educators can use to disrupt cycles of inequity. A central focus of her work at the Institute of Science and Math Education is the way in which STEM instruction integrates students’ interests and supports expansions of identity development. Dr. Morrison will address generalized approaches used across science, technology, engineering, and mathematics as well as highlight some specific to science learning.  You can learn more about Morrison’s work here.

Registration for the November 29-30, 2017 conference is still open.  Register at this link.

STEM Day 2017 was another great success.  Over 13,000 Fair goers came through Dan Patch Park throughout the day.  There they experimented with building design, learned to code, played with robots, explored energy from citrus fruit, and marveled at just what can be done with science, engineering, technology, and math.  Governor Dayton proclaimed the day STEM Day at the Fair day in Minnesota, and Senator Franken stopped by to meet exhibitors and Fair goers.

WCCO brought turned many young people into meteorologist with their green screen, while the Raptor Center brought their magnificent birds.  We honored the states Presidential Award for Math and Science Teaching nominees, watched the University of Minnesota’s Physics Force do amazing things with 55 gallon drums, and laughed at Real Sciences jokes.

Many thanks to our sponsors for making STEM Day at the Fair happen.  Platinum: 3M, Boston Scientific, and Smiths Medical.  Silver: Seagate Technology and Orbital ATK.  T-shirt sponsor: MTS Systems, tote bags sponsored by MnDOT.  Planning for next years STEM Day at the Fair will begin after the new year.