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NSTA is a professional development resource created and utilized by science professionals who are dedicated to Science in the field of Education. This website has a variety of resources for science teachers who aim to become more effective educators. The resources include science books, videos, conferences, and professional learning opportunities.

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Congratulations to the National Winners!

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24/7 Science is beneficial for science teachers who aim to find news laboratory and experiment ideas. Additionally, it is has resources to help teachers habits that can benefits students academically and in extracurricular activity.

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The Lawrence Hall of Science - 247 Science

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This site offers a variety of resources for teachers and students. Resources such as videos, text, quizzes, blogs, news articles, etc. Science Chanel can be used as a learning supplement for students and a learning/teaching tool for educators. Additionally, the Science Chanel has live videos and recordings of scientific phenomena that can be utilized in the classroom.

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BJ's Resources provides a variety science resources that can be used to enhance teacher's or student's understanding of particular scientific subjects. Additionally, most resources include a quizzes/study guides/activities to enhance student learning.

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Ontario science curriculum. Has lesson plans, experiments and activities (Ont. 6 and 8) on light and optics, electricity, cells, tissues and organ systems, diversity of living things, air/flight, machines and mechanical efficiency.

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This site is for both teachers and students who want to broaden their scientific content knowledge. It offers articles and blogs related to a various amount of scientific topics.

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HowStuffWorks - Learn How Everything Works!

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HowStuffWorks has been explaining how things work to curious minds since 1998. Providing factual, unbiased content that's fun to read and makes difficult topics easy to understand.

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This sites provides interactive activities, web features and events for grades K-12. Additionally, this site provides summer and Saturday professional development workshops.

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NASA for educators includes lesson plans, classroom activities, videos, games and more for teachers and students to utilize.

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We Engage Students In NASA's Mission

K-12 students can dig deeper into STEM topics and experience the thrill of exploration and discovery.

NASA makes vital investments in a diverse portfolio of learning opportunities and activities designed to reach as many U.S. students as possible - from kindergarten through graduate school. NASA seeks to build the next generation STEM workforce and broaden student participation to increase diversity, equity and inclusion in STEM fields.

For Kids and Students

We Inspire An Interest In STEM

NASA offers a wide array of unique experiences designed to engage K-12 students nationwide in the agency's missions, people, and resources.

Educators are a significant part of students' lives and play a key role in connecting NASA to the Artemis Generation. NASA STEM fully supports formal educators in classrooms and informal educators in museums, science centers, afterschool programs, and similar organizations, all of whom bring the excitement of the agency's missions to students.

For Educators

Colleges, Universities, Technical and Vocational Institutions

NASA leverages its unique missions and programs to enhance and increase the capability, diversity, and size of the nation's future STEM workforce.

NASA has a portfolio of activities and opportunities dedicated to attracting, engaging and educating students in all institutional categories and levels across the nation. These range from internships and fellowships, research and development opportunities, challenges and competitions, pre-college and college STEM experiences, virtual learning, faculty support, as well as institutional support.

For Colleges and Universities

Latest STEM News and Features

get social with nasa stem engagement

Discover More STEM Topics From NASA

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We're launching learning to new heights with STEM resources that connect educators, students, parents and caregivers to the inspiring work at NASA. Find your place in space!

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This website promotes engineering education for students in grades K-12. Through this website students gain information about different types of engineers, information about the career and professionals in the field.

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Aerospace

Space is Infinite. So are the possibilities.

Did you know?

Aerospace engineers are experts in aerodynamics, so some of them put their skills to use in making race cars go faster or golf balls fly further.

Find out the latest aerospace news!

Make a Difference!

Many of the new aircrafts that aerospace engineers design make use of lightweight composite materials. Why? Lighter planes consume much less fuel, which reduces emissions of greenhouse gases.

Aerospace

Even the sky's not the limit for aerospace engineers, who design and build jet fighters, spaceships, rockets, planes, satellites - essentially any craft that soars through or above the atmosphere.

Where do they Work?

The aerospace industry, which includes companies like Boeing and Lockheed Martin, has an insatiable demand for engineers. So do airline companies (American Airlines, Federal Express). Automobile manufacturers, like Ford and Toyota, also hire aerospace engineers. NASA, of course, is a big source of jobs, as are other government agencies like the Departments of Defense and Energy. And a growing number of aerospace engineers are landing jobs with commercial space operations like Virgin Galactic.

Meet One!

Neal Saiki is founder of Zero Motorcycles, which produces the high-performance electric motorcycle Saiki invented -- a bike that's clean, quiet, and capable of hitting 60 m.p.h. in four seconds.
COOL FACT: Saiki honed his skills as an aerospace engineer at NASA, where he worked on future modes of transportation -- a job that got him thinking about building a better motorcycle.

Zero Motorcycles: Watch a video about aerospace engineer Neal Saiki's electric motorcycles!

NASA Puffin: See the NASA design for a personal flying vehicle, not unlike the jet packs that appear in many sci-fi and James Bond movies.

Agricultural

Thought for Food: This field is always growing.

Agricultural

Like to eat? Give thanks to agricultural engineers. They mix cutting-edge science with the art of farming to keep us well-fed with foods that are safe, nutritious and tasty.

Did you Know?

Where do they work?

Agricultural engineers will never be at a loss for career choices -- the number of industries that require their skills is vast. Here are just a few examples: farm equipment manufacturers (John Deere, International Harvester); seed companies (Pioneer Hi-Bred, Monsanto); food producers (Kraft, Kellogg's); environmental engineering firms (Mock Roos and Associates); forest product companies (Weyerhaeuser).

Cara Cowan Watts

Cara Cowan Watts is working on her doctorate in biosystems engineering at Oklahoma State's Stillwater campus. Her dissertation focuses on plant and wild-life issues in the lakes and rivers of her community.
COOL FACT: Watts also finds time to push for new and expanded science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education programs in Cherokee Nation schools. One current program is a STEM summer camp for Cherokee kids.

Make a Difference!

Architectural

Bigger. Better. Smarter? Help to build a greener world.

Make a Difference!

The biggest trend in the industry today is architecture that's sustainable, or green. It is the architectural engineers who come up with workable innovations so buildings use energy and water more efficiently, creating less waste and pollution.

Architectural Engineering

Great architecture is awe-inspiring. But architectural engineers are the folks who figure out how to put it all together. Without them, the world's coolest structures would remain on the drawing board.

Where do they work?

Architectural engineers typically work for engineering, (Crossey Engineering, Maffat & Nichol, Flour Corp.) construction, (Gardiner & Theobald) and architectural (LPA Inc. of California) firms.

Meet an Engineer!

Peter D'Antonio is an energy management expert who runs his own company, PCD Engineering Services, in Boulder, CO. His firm has won several renewable-energy design awards. He recently remodeled his own home to make it generate nearly as much energy as it uses.
COOL FACT: Before starting his company back in 2000, D'Antonio was a drummer for Boulder rock band, Moonshine Moses.
Read more about Peter D'Antonio

Did you know?

Architects are finding new way to challenge architectural engineers, especially when it comes to designing buildings that reach breathtaking heights. For instance, the current tallest building in the world is the Burj Tower, which when completed, will likely soar more than 2,650 feet into the air, or more than 160 stories.

Find out the latest architectural news!

Biomedical

Modern-day Miracle Workers. It must be in their genes.

Make a Difference!

From helping to conquer deadly diseases to possibly enabling the paralyzed to regain use of their limbs, biomedical engineers apply quantitative solutions to medical problems. Their work can range from diagnostic tools and therapies to artificial organs and prosthetics.

Did you Know?

Where do they Work?

Biomedical engineering is a fast-growing field, as well as a wide-ranging one. Firms that hire bioengineers include pharmaceutical companies (Boehringer Mannheim, Eli Lilly), medical equipment and instrument manufacturers (Siemens Medical Systems, Thermo Fisher Scientific) and biotechs (Genentech, Genzyme Corp.). Some grads remain in academia to do research. Schools with big bioengineering departments include the University of California-San Diego and Duke University. It's a very entrepreneurial field, so it's not unusual to find bioengineers founding or working for startup companies.

Meet One!

While he was still a freshman at Duke University, William Hwang created InnoWorks, a nonprofit program that uses volunteer college students to teach science and math in cool, fun ways at summer camps to middle-school students from underprivileged areas. InnoWorks now has nine chapters in three countries. He is also studying for a M.D./Ph.D at M.I.T./Harvard.
COOL FACT: As if he wasn't busy enough while at Duke, Hwang played first violin for the Duke Symphony Orchestra.
Watch a video of William Hwang

Biomedical

From helping to conquer deadly diseases to possibly enabling the paralyzed to regain use of their limbs, biomedical engineers apply quantitative solutions to medical problems. Their work can range from diagnostic tools and therapies to artificial organs and prosthetics.

Chemical

All the Right Elements. Engineers with real good chemistry.

Chemical

Everything in nature -- including us -- is composed of chemicals. So there's no shortage of raw materials with which chemical engineers can work to produce all manner of valuable products, including lifesaving drugs and green fuels.

Make a Difference

Chemical engineers are in the forefront of efforts to make Planet Earth a cleaner, healthier place to live, from finding better ways to clean up toxic spills to developing sustainable biofuels.

Did You Know?

Where Do They Work?

Chemical engineers are in great demand in many disparate industries: pharmaceuticals (Novartis, Pfizer), food (General Mills), chemicals (DuPont, Dow Chemical Co.), energy (Chevron, ConocoPhillips), and all sorts of manufacturing (3M, Procter & Gamble). State environmental health and safety agencies also employ many chemical engineers.

Michelle Gass

If you've ever enjoyed a Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino, then thank Michelle Gass -- she launched the drink. Gass is the president of Seattle's Best Coffee, a brand owned by Starbucks Corporation. She and her team come up with new coffee-based drinks by visiting Starbucks shops worldwide and interviewing customers.
COOL FACT: The Caramel Frappuccino began as a novelty drink; it's now a $2 billion brand. Other drinks she's launched include Pumpkin Spice Latte and the Tazo Tea beverage.
Read more about Michelle Gass

Civil

Adding Structure to the World. Bridges. Dams. Airports. Power plants. You name it!

Civil

Think big, think infrastructure, think civil engineering. Civil engineers design and build some of the world's biggest, most muscular structures, from interstate highways and bridges to dams and airports to water-treatment plants and power stations.

Make a Difference!

Clean water is essential to life, yet too often it is a precious and scarce commodity in developing countries, especially those hit by wars or natural disasters. Civil engineers are at the forefront of efforts to design inexpensive yet effective ways to ensure that people living in these regions have access to potable water.

Did you Know?

Civil engineers of the future will truly be on the move -- their skills will be needed to construct the rail beds for magnetic levitation trains, and to create the modular structures for planned human outposts on the moon and Mars.

Find out the latest civil engineering news!

Where do they work?

Civil engineers work in many areas essential to modern life. Industries or companies that typically employ them include the big engineering/construction/architectural firms (CH2M Hill, Bechtel Corp., Arup), environmental specialists (Meliora Environmental Design), rail and ground transportation groups (CSX Corp.), and power generators (Southern Co.). Many also work for state agencies, including public works and highway departments, or the federal government (Department of Transportation, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers).

Meet an Engineer!

Marc Edwards is a professor at Virginia Tech, and is considered a leading expert in urban water supplies. His highest-profile research was in 2003 in Washington, D.C., where he and his graduate students determined that the city's drinking water contained drastically high levels of lead -- a toxin linked to birth defects. The cause, Edwards determined, was a disinfectant added to the water that caused lead to leach from pipes.
COOL FACT: Edwards has received many awards and honors for his work. Time magazine in 2004 called him one of nation's top scientists. Better yet, in 2007 he was named one of that year's MacArthur Fellows. Also called the "genius awards," MacArthur grants provide honorees with a $500,000 stipend over five years.
Watch a video about Marc Edwards

Computer

All Systems Go. These guys are programmed to succeed.

Computer and Software Engineering

The information-technology revolution marches on. And at its vanguard are computer engineers who work with all aspects of computing: operating systems, networks, software and hardware.

Make a Difference!

Interested in healthcare? Computer and software engineers are part of multidisciplinary efforts to develop next-generation functional imaging technologies that will provide earlier detection -- and better treatment -- of a wide range of ailments, including heart disease, epilepsy, Parkinson's disease, and even drug and alcohol addictions.

Did you Know?

Where do they work?

Microchips are embedded in everything from toasters to telephones, so many industries need computer engineers, including computer and consumer electronics manufacturers (Apple Inc., Canon, Hitachi, Hewlett-Packard); telecoms (Verizon, Qualcomm) supercomputer makers (IBM, Cray); software giants (Microsoft, Oracle); solar energy providers (SunEdison), and computer-game companies (Electronic Arts). Of course, Google, the ubiquitous provider of web-based services, certainly hires them, too -- indeed, cofounders Larry Page and Sergey Brin are computer engineers.Read about them in the eGFI magazine.

Meet an Engineer!

Raynelle Callender attended the University of Virginia and now works for Rolls-Royce North America's civil aero-engine market, using her engineering background in a business setting. As part of her job, she gets to travel to many countries, including Brazil, China, and Germany.
COOL FACT: Callender is a member of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE). In 2006, she was recognized as a Modern Day Technology Leader at the annual Black Engineer of the Year Awards conference, which recognizes individuals who are helping to shape technology in the future.

Electrical

A Strong Signal. Stay current on the latest wireless technology.

Electrical Engineering

As an electrical engineer, you've got the power -- and you'll efficiently and safely channel it from turbines, fuel cells, or hydroelectric and solar plants to homes, factories, and businesses. Electrical engineers also develop wireless communication systems, develop the latest media displays like HDTV, design computer processors and other hardware, and work in robotics.

Make a Difference!

Small, inexpensive wireless sensors that detect chemical and biological pollutants are being developed by electrical engineers. The ability to observe, model, and predict pollution in the environment is key to combating it.

Did you know?

Meet an Engineer!

Guitarist Ben Verellen designs and builds customized, powerful amplifiers for bands. He started his business in his basement, while he was still an undergraduate at the University of Washington. His amps use vacuum tubes rather than circuitry. Tube-based amps, he says, offer a superior sound, and his customers agree.
COOL FACT: Verellen has been a gigging musician since he was 13, and was bass player with Harkonen, which was a popular Tacoma band. He now plays guitar with the band Helms Alee.Watch a video of Ben Verellen

Where do they Work?

Electricity provides the spark of modern life. Accordingly, there are wide-ranging opportunities in this field. The many industries that employ electrical engineers include: power companies (Pacific Gas & Electric Co., First Energy Corp.), microchip makers (Intel, AMD), defense contractors (General Dynamics, Raytheon), fuel-cell manufacturers (Ballard Power Systems, Delphi Corp.), computer-aided design software makers (Dassault Systemes, Autodesk), and consumer electronics companies (Sony, Samsung, Toshiba).

Environmental

Good, Clean Fun. Fighting pollution, reducing pesticides and more!

Environmental

From global warming to water shortages, the Earth's ecosystem is in crisis. Environmental engineers develop water distribution systems, sewage treatment plants, recycling methods, and other pollution prevention and control methods to solve current problems and prevent new ones.

Make a Difference!

Well, clearly, almost any work environmental engineers engage in helps make the planet a better place, whether they're helping to cut urban air pollution or reduce the use of pesticides on farms.

Did you Know?

Where do they Work?

Environmental engineering graduates have many career options at their disposal. Certainly many work for major environmental engineering/consulting firms (Groundwater and Environmental Services, Roux Associates, Greeley & Hansen, Veolia Environment), as well as construction companies (Clark Construction). Several federal agencies -- particularly the Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Interior -- are big sources of jobs, as are environmental advocacy groups (Sierra Club, National Wildlife Fund). States also have environmental protection and natural resources department.

Meet an Engineer!

Fawn Bergen attended the University of Florida and is now a senior consulting engineer at Koogler and Associates in Gainsville, Fla., where she specializes in air quality projects. She decided to major in environmental engineering because she loves math and science. Bergen also says her mother was somewhat of a hippie and taught her children the importance of being environmentally aware: "She was recycling before it was the cool thing to do."
COOL FACT: Bergen was awarded the 2009 Outstanding Young Professional Award from the Air and Waste Management Association, a group she's long been actively involved with. She helped establish the association's student program in Florida.

Manufacturing

Have It Made. Automation is sweeping the nation.

Industrial/
Manufacturing

Today's consumers expect high-quality, regardless of whether they're buying cars, food or sports gear, and industrial/manufacturing engineers are quality-control pros. They're involved with all aspects of manufacturing, including automation (that's right, robots!), production control and materials handling.

Make a Difference!

Industrial/Manufacturing engineers work to ensure that environmental and safety standards are met -- or exceeded -- during production.

Did you Know?

Where do they Work?

Industrial/Manufacturing engineers are found in just about every industry. Regardless of whether a company is a manufacturer of goods or a provider of services, it needs to do things better, cheaper, faster. Industries that hire manufacturing engineers include: defense contractors (ATK, General Dynamics); aerospace (Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman); automotive (Ford, Toyota); sports equipment (Adidas, Jaypro); high-tech (Hewlett-Packard, IBM); consulting (Rowland Group, Deloitte); components (Horst Engineering and Manufacturing); food (Kellogg, Kraft); and services (Federal Express, UPS).

Meet an Engineer!

Pablo Paster attended California Polytechnic State University and Presidio School of Management. He is now the vice president for greenhouse gas management innovations at ClimateCHECK, a California consulting firm that helps companies reduce their CO2 footprint.
COOL FACT: Paster writes the blog, Ask Pablo, where he answers readers' questions about sustainability. Typical topics: Do LED lights really save energy? and Which type of diapers are better for the environment, cloth or disposable? (Short answers: yes and cloth.)

Materials

100% Human Ingenuity. There's a lot that goes into making things better.

Materials

Well, clearly, there's a great demand for materials engineers in the composite materials industry (Material Sciences Corp., Materials Innovation Technologies). But the need for new and improved materials is widespread. Other sectors where their skills are needed include: office technologies (Xerox, 3M); pharmaceuticals (Johnson & Johnson, Merck); consumer goods (P&G, Unilever); paper products (Kimberly Clark); aerospace (GKN, Lockheed Martin); high-tech (Imra, Intel, Texas Instruments); and aluminum manufacturing and recycling (Novelis).
Watch a video about snowboard designers

Watch a video about materials that heal themselves!

Meet One!

Shirley Meng attended MIT, and is now an assistant professor at the University of Florida. She runs the school's Laboratory for Energy Storage and Conservation. Her area of expertise? Developing new materials to make lithium batteries -- the type used in laptops and cellphones -- robust enough to power hybrid electric cars. Development of longer-life batteries is key to making many green energy sources commercially viable.
COOL FACT: Meng can let you in on the secret of making your cellphone battery last longer -- don't let it run down too far before recharging it. If you do, she explains, it depletes the lithium and shortens its lifespan.

Material

Combine a bit of physics with a dash of chemistry and toss in equal amounts of mechanical, civil and electrical engineering, and voila! You'll produce materials engineers. These folks take plastics, glass, metals and other raw substances and turn them into new materials and useful products.

Did you Know?

Make a Difference!

Materials engineers are using nanotechnology -- the manipulation of molecules and atoms to create new composite materials -- to make flying safer. They're developing airplane skins imbued with tiny sensors that will detect weak spots long before dangerous cracks occur. Eventually, they'll likely devise materials that will repair themselves.

Mechanical

Wheels in Motion. From roller coasters to robotics, make your move.

Mechanical

Machines come in many sizes, from the massive to the nano-sized. And mechanical engineers are the folks who design, build and maintain them all.

Make a Difference!

Thermodynamics is about harnessing and putting energy to use, and it's something that mechanical engineers understand backwards and forwards. Not surprisingly then, they are central to efforts to find new, sustainable, and clean fuels.

Did you Know?

Where do they Work?

Mechanical engineering is highly multidisciplinary, and its practitioners are experts in areas ranging from robotics to air conditioning, so they're welcome in many industries, including: consumer electronics (Motorola, Siemens); automotive (General Motors, BMW, BorgWarner); appliances (Bosch, Westinghouse); energy (Duke Power, Shell Oil, Global Energy Innovations); aerospace (Rolls Royce); medical devices (Allergan, Masimo Corp.); amusement park rides (Walt Disney World, S & S Worldwide); toys (Fisher Price); and nanotechnology (Zyvex Corp.).

Helen Greiner

Within the gee-whiz world of robots, Helen Greiner is something of a legend. She and two MIT colleagues started iRobot in 1990 -- financing it on their credit cards. It is now a $300 million business and a leading maker of practical robots: from the Roomba autonomous vacuum cleaner to PackBot, a super-sturdy military robot designed to handle reconnaissance patrols, bomb-disposals, and other dangerous missions. Greiner left iRobot in 2008 and is now chief executive of The Droid Works, a research-based company that develops cutting-edge aircraft. Her current project is, what else, a type of flying robot.
COOL FACT: When Greiner was 11, her father took her to see the original Star Wars movie. She became besotted with the robot R2D2, and was later annoyed to learn it wasn't an actual robot. That's when she decided on her future career of making robots as cool as R2D2.
Watch a video about Helen Greiner

Meet mechanical engineer and daredevil, Nate Ball

Mining

Can You Dig It? The engineering behind our greatest natural resources.

Mining

Our Earth is a treasure trove of valuable, underground resources, and mining engineers help to locate them. They and petroleum engineers also design techniques and equipment that ensure that minerals, oil and gas are extracted as safely and cleanly as possible. Moreover, some petroleum engineers also work on developing alternative energy sources.

Make a Difference!

Natural gas is a fossil fuel, but it's a much cleaner producer of electricity than oil. Gas plants also start up quickly. As such, natural gas plants are the best back-ups to plants that run on intermittent sources of energy, like solar and wind. So gas is an important transition fuel for an eventual carbon-free power system. And mining and petroleum engineers are key to finding and developing new, domestic sources of gas.

Did you Know?

Where do they Work?

Mined materials are essential to modern life, so jobs are plentiful. Mining engineers work in many industries, including mining (BHP Billiton, Phelps Dodge Corp., Newmont); specialty machinery and equipment (Herrenknecht, Ingersoll-Rand, Joy Mining Machinery); building materials (Aggregate Industries); and construction/ engineering (Kiewit, Frontier-Kemper, Drummond Co., Granite Construction). Industries employing petroleum engineers include: major oil companies (Marathon Oil, Chevron, BP) as well as smaller ones (Apache Corp., Anadarko Petroleum Corp., Jetta Operating Co.); utilities (Duke Power); chemicals (Dow Chemical); and oil-and-gas services (Schlumberger, Halliburton, BJ Services).

Meet One!

Braden Lusk's day job is at the University of Kentucky; he's an assistant professor of mining engineering. Much of his research involves explosives and blast migration (unsurprisingly, some of his work is funded by the departments of Defense and Homeland Security). But he's got a great moonlighting gig, too. Lusk co-hosts the Discovery Channel's The Detonators, where he explains how to safely use explosives to demolish everything from skyscrapers to bridges. Lucky Lusk gets to jet to major demolition locations worldwide, from Liverpool, England, to the Bahamas.
COOL FACT: As a child, Lusk showed an early aptitude for things that go boom. He loved using Fourth of July firecrackers to blow up all manner of things, from toys to apples.
Watch Braden Lusk on The Detonators

Nuclear

The New Power Generation. Developing cleaner, safer energy for all.

Nuclear Engineering

Nuclear engineers work to safely harness one of the most powerful energy sources there is. Nuclear energy is used to operate power plants and to run some naval ships and submarines. Moreover, radioactive material also has many industrial and medical uses.

Make a Difference!

Nuclear power is the result of fission, the splitting of heavy atoms to release energy. But nuclear engineers are convinced they will eventually create much cleaner and safer energy from nuclear fusion, the melding of atomic nuclei. It would take 300 tons of coal to equal the energy derived from burning a mere ounce of fusion fuel.

Did you know?

Where do they work?

Given the security and defense issues involving nuclear energy, which include weaponry (and nonproliferation), power generation, and radioactive waste disposal, one of the biggest employers of nuclear engineers is the federal government. So they're in demand at national labs (including Argonne, Los Alamos and Sandia), and at many agencies (Nuclear Regulatory Commission, Departments of Energy and Homeland Security, NASA). They also work in these industries: nuclear power (Westinghouse Electric, Babcock & Wilcox, Areva, Constellation Energy), medical (IBA, Northstar), defense , and engineering (Bechtel). Also, many opt to remain in academia. Research schools with large nuclear engineering programs include the University of Michigan, M.I.T., and Columbia University.

Meet an Engineer!

Dwight Williams attended North Carolina State University and the University of Maryland, and is a principal nuclear physicist in the Weapons Intelligence Office of the Defense Intelligence Agency. His duties include working with the White House to craft national nuclear policy. Williams is also a visiting professor at M.I.T.
COOL FACT: Don't give up on science, even if your grades aren't the best, Williams says. He admits that that was his story until he took physics in high school. Then everything just clicked and he got an A. Because Williams was also drawn to Einstein's theories, a nuclear engineering career became pretty much inevitable.
Watch a video about Dwight Williams

Ocean

Where Knowledge Runs Deep. Come explore the great unknown.

Ocean

Earth's last great frontier is its oceans, which cover 70 percent of the globe, yet are largely unexplored and only marginally understood. Ocean engineers are helping to open up, protect and put this mystery world to use. They combine civil, mechanical and electrical engineering with oceanography, mathematics, physics and materials science.

Make a Difference!

We need to know where ocean pollution is -- where it's heading, and its source -- if we're going to clean it up. Ocean engineers design the sophisticated yet robust instruments need to track sea pollution. For example, British engineers recently developed a robotic fish -- it resembles a bass -- that will monitor pollution off the coast of Spain.

Did you know?

Where do they work?

Ocean engineers are involved in all things aquatic, from building on- and off-shore and underseas structures, to designing high-tech monitoring devices. The many industries that require their skills include: construction (Hatch Mott MacDonald, Schiavone Construction); dredging (Manson Construction); instrumentation (FarSounder, Ultra Electronics); robotic vehicles (Deep Ocean Engineering); coastal and environmental protection (Coastal Planning and Engineering Inc.), and fish farming (Marine Construction, Ocean Spar).

Meet an Engineer!

Hanumant Singh, who attended George Mason University and MIT, is a scientist at the Deep Submergence Laboratory at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, where he develops underwater robotic vehicles. He often goes to sea with his robots to study a variety of oceanographic phenomena, including ancient shipwrecks.
COOL FACT: One of Singh's hobbies is windsurfing. Not only is it fun, he says, but it is a good way of understanding the interactions at the water-sea interface.
Watch a video of Hanumant Singh

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Presented by ASEE and its partners, eGFI is the best resource available for students and teachers to learn about engineering.

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Almost 4,000 Science, technology, engineering and math resources are provided Pre K- 12 grade students and self paced modules for science teachers on a variety of science topics.

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PBS LearningMedia | Teaching Resources For Students And Teachers

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Inspire your students with thousands of free teaching resources including videos, lesson plans, and games aligned to state and national standards.

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NASA Electronic Professional Development Network is an initiative that was created to provide preparation for science teachers grades K-12 to engage their students in STEM centered curriculum. This program included NASA developed learning materials.

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NASA Electronic Professional Development Network Courses

Status Report From: NASA Education Office
Posted: Monday, January 10, 2011

NASA's Learning Environments and Research Network and the Georgia Institute of Technology have teamed up to create the ePDN, an initiative dedicated to preparing K-12 teachers to engage their students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) through the use of NASA-developed learning materials and resources.

If you are looking for a way to enhance your instructional skills, meet your professional development goals, or find new and exciting resources to use in your learning environments, apply to one of our free courses today!

Applications are now open for the following courses starting in February:

Using Robotics to Enhance STEM Learning -- Feb. 2 - March 15, 2011 Learn how to build and program LEGO Mindstorm robots and use them to promote student engagement and conceptual understanding of mathematics, science and engineering. Explore robotic manipulators and end effectors like the ones NASA uses on the International Space Station, and integrate multiple sensors into your robot to allow for systematic control. Join your colleagues in the Grand Challenge to design, build and program a robot to explore an environment and return with a sample for investigation.

Project-Based Inquiry Learning: Science Teaching and Learning for the 21st Century -- Feb. 23 - March 15, 2011 Develop your skills in designing and using project-based inquiry learning, or PBIL, to enhance conceptual understanding, critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and problem solving in standards-based classrooms. Experience and analyze two NASA-oriented PBIL projects firsthand; learn PBIL curriculum design strategies and methods; and design a PBIL unit for use in your classroom. Use e-PDN's suite of online tools to collaborate, connect and create with other course participants.

To learn more about these free courses and to apply online, visit http://www.nasaepdn.gatech.edu/nasaepdn_application.php.

For more information on the e-PDN and the resources it offers to K-12 teachers, visit www.nasaepdn.gatech.edu.

Questions about these courses should be directed to Fran Ruskin at fran.ruskin@dlpe.gatech.edu.

// end //

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NASA Electronic Professional Development Network Courses

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Status Report From: NASA Education Office Posted: Monday, January 10, 2011 NASA's Learning Environments and Research Network and the Georgia Institute of Technology have teamed up to create the ePDN, an initiative dedicated to preparing K-12 teachers to engage their students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) through the use of NASA-developed learning materials and resources.

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38 K-12 STEM programs are included in this report and include rigorous content/curriculum, assessment and inquiry based learning activities. Each report includes a program overview, target population, learning environments and highlights the results of each program.

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Data nuggets provides real scientific research from scientist for all grades.The activities guide students through analyzing, interpreting and drawing conclusions from data.

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Data Nuggets | Bringing authentic research and data into K-16 classrooms

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Free activities that bring real scientific data into the classroom, guiding students through the process of science while building their quantitative abilities.

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This site provides data driven tasks and activities for high school students in a variety of subjects. All activities teach data analysis and data exploration.

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What is the Earth Exploration Toolbook?

Developed by teams of scientists and educators, the Earth Exploration Toolbook (EET) is a collection of online Earth system science activities. Each activity, or chapter, introduces one or more scientific data sets and analysis tools that enables users to explore some aspect of the Earth system.

Within the context of a case study, each chapter guides users through a step-by-step process in which they access data and use analysis tools to explore real issues and questions in Earth system science. In the course of completing a chapter, users produce and analyze maps, graphs, images, or other data products. The ultimate goal of each activity is to build users' skills and confidence so they can use data to conduct their own investigations of the Earth system.

Who is it for?

Earth Exploration Toolbook chapters are written to the teacher, generally at the secondary and college level. However, chapters can be used by other educators, students, citizens, and policy makers to guide their own learning, adapt to their own purposes, and enable them to answer their own Earth system science questions based on valid scientific data.

How can I learn more?

Come on into the site! Learn more about the Earth Exploration Toolbook. Find out how you can use a chapter. Browse the collection. Link to related professional development opportunities. Start now...

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ready to use meets peer review standard anonymous peer review

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on the cutting edge cutting edge site review passed review

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The Earth Exploration Toolbook is a collection of computer-based Earth science activities. Each activity, or chapter, introduces one or more data sets and an analysis tool that enables users to explore some aspect of the Earth system.

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Published by Ohio University offers tips to STEM lesson planers who are interested in creating more rigorous and effective plans. The site also provides professional development opportunities.

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There's a bright future for students who are interested in careers in STEM, an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. According to an information note from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, science, technology, and innovation are crucial as countries work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, which include eradicating global hunger, providing every person with access to clean water, and ensuring equitable economic opportunity for all. For K-12 students, this means there is increased value in a strong STEM education, which can pave the way to jobs where they'll be active participants in solving these problems, from software developer to mechanical engineer, chemical technician to the science teacher.

But besides the rapid increase in STEM-related careers, there are also specific benefits that lessons and activities in STEM can provide now to students of all ages. STEM lessons can help introduce elementary students to "scientific linear thinking, creative problem solving, inventiveness, and instilling the importance of collaboration and teamwork," according to TODAY.com. For high schoolers, who have more freedom to choose specific electives and who are often beginning to think about their future careers, exposure to STEM can offer useful hands-on experience. TechCrunch describes how Ohio high school students who were enrolled in advanced biomedicine classes were given valuable exposure "to real-world science" while being pushed to solve "interdisciplinary problems that require problem identification, investigation, and analysis." These are all helpful skills for high schoolers as they enter college and, later, start their careers.

The benefits of lessons in STEM are clear, but school districts and officials don't always have the necessary funding or resources to provide effective education in these areas. According to the U.S. Department of Education, access to these types of courses differs among school types across the country, and even when they are offered, enrollment rates vary. The department notes that "80 percent of all eighth-graders attend a school that offers Algebra 1, but only 24 percent of these students are actually enrolled in the course." This lack of enrollment in Algebra 1 can often negatively impact enrollment in future STEM studies, as the course is a fundamental stepping-stone for future math and science courses.

However, teachers can still make a difference and provide strong STEM education in their classrooms, even if funding or resources for these subjects aren't strong within their school or district.

Chapter 1: Facts About STEM

Many people are aware of both the benefits of STEM lessons and the booming career opportunities within these fields, but not everyone is aware of specific educational or career troubles that may face students and professionals who are not properly prepared in these fields. Below are some facts and statistics about STEM.

A full-time STEM worker with some college education earns, on average, nearly $15,000 per year more than an individual not working in a STEM field. Additionally, STEM professionals who hold advanced degrees in their field, like a master's or doctoral degree, have been reported to earn $20,000 or more than counterparts who hold similar degrees in non-STEM fields. Even for workers not in a STEM field, college-educated workers who have completed some sort of STEM lessons and training often earn more than those who have not.

Over 95 percent of speech-language pathologists are women, and 75 percent of health-related jobs are held by women as well. But across other STEM fields, the percentage of positions held by women isn't as strong. In life science, math, physical science, computers, and engineering, women comprise less than 50 percent of the workforce.

The highest score that a student can receive on the ACT is 36. The STEM benchmark, comprised of both math and science scores, is 26. This benchmark is intended to evaluate the likelihood that a student will earn at least a B or C in introductory university STEM lessons and courses like calculus or chemistry, along with their level of preparedness for pursuing degrees in STEM majors.

Even if students are interested in and want to dedicate time to excelling in STEM subjects, schools may not have the resources to provide them. In 2015, "fewer than 50 percent of high-poverty high schools offered any physics courses," according to ACT. Additionally, just over a quarter of these high schools offered computer-related courses. While increased enrollment and participation in STEM classes tends to correlate with a higher percentage of students meeting the ACT benchmark, it also depends on whether schools have the ability to provide these courses in the first place.

In this survey of middle/high school math teachers for 2011-12, a school was designated as high-poverty if more than 50 percent of its students qualified for free/reduced-price lunch, while schools that had from zero to 10 percent of students receiving free/reduced-price lunch were designated as low-poverty. Less than 80 percent of teachers who responded to the survey believed students in high-poverty schools had the necessary education materials available. Additionally, teacher responses also indicated that parents of students in high-poverty schools were less supportive than those of students in low-poverty schools and that more teachers in high-poverty schools worried about job security due to test scores than those in low-poverty schools.

Chapter 2: Tips for Building STEM Lesson Plans

Even though the importance and benefits of STEM education are clear, there are still many difficulties and challenges when providing effective lessons in STEM. Teachers who wish to provide more enriching STEM lessons and activities will benefit from these helpful tips.

STEM fields and careers require deep knowledge in their specialties and often incorporate teamwork and an exploratory spirit. Education Week Teacher reports that a great STEM lesson "is open-ended, within constraints." Students can use their own creativity and teamwork skills to find solutions to specific problems. For example, if a teacher tasks students with building a tower using a certain amount of toothpicks, students are able to share ideas, collaborate, and find inventive solutions while staying within defined limits.

One of the challenges that teachers can face when building STEM learning activities is finding a way to keep students interested. Educators can help increase engagement within these lessons by using real-world examples. If a lesson is focused on engineering, a teacher could instruct students to build a replica of something that exists or operates outside the classroom. If an activity is scientific in nature, it could be based around a current scientific conflict or issue that is impacting the world at large. Christy Crawford, a writer for Scholastic, says that for teachers, "cross-curricular project-based learning will mean more planning on your part, but more meaningful, real-world connections for your students."

Students can be eager to participate in STEM lessons, but they may have trouble understanding directions or goals when completing an activity. Referring back to the toothpick tower example earlier, if a teacher doesn't clearly state that the tower must be built with as few toothpicks as possible or that it needs to reach a certain height, students might misunderstand the objectives and not perform to expectations. ASCD (formerly the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development) recommends teachers set clear learning goals, provide scales and rubrics, track student progress, and celebrate student success.

A goal of a STEM lesson is to try and spark a new interest in this field or subject among students. That's difficult to do if students feel as if they failed and didn't perform to expectations. Projects that include multiple right answers and that encourage students to make attempts at a resolution without requiring that they solve the problem will likely be more impactful. If students are trying to replicate how the gears of a watch work in an engineering STEM lesson, there may be multiple correct answers or students may not be able to find the correct answer, but that's an acceptable outcome. As Anne Jolly writes for Education Week Teacher, "They are expected to learn from what went wrong and try again. Failure is considered a positive step on the way to discovering and designing solutions."

Both adults and students who have some experience with STEM know the frustration of spending a long time in one setting trying to find a solution to a problem but not succeeding. Taking breaks in between STEM lessons and activities can help students recharge while staying excited about a particular subject. These breaks can take place for a few minutes or hours at a time in the classroom, or potentially with a lesson starting one day and then being revisited sometime later in the week. According to writer Christy Crawford of Scholastic, "When they return, it will be easier for most to debug or find solutions to errors quickly."

Chapter 3: STEM Resources for Teachers

STEM lessons can be enriching to students and children now and in their future lives, but for instructors, taking the time to effectively prepare and initiate these lessons can be difficult. These resources can help.

NASA has an extensive array of educational resources for both teachers and students within STEM. K-12 teachers can sign up for weekly education emails, enter students in specific educational challenges, access different publications and websites, and more. Students can participate in online activities, learn more about pioneers within STEM fields, and even sign up for the NASA Kids' Club.

CK-12.org provides students easy-to-access, personalized learning in various STEM subjects. Students can learn more about specific concepts in subjects such as chemistry or statistics and use simulations, games, practice tools, and study guides to enhance their learning.

On Biointeractive, all teachers have to do is type in a particular science subject or topic to find helpful animations, videos, and other digital resources that can help capture students' interest while explaining STEM lesson areas.

With extensive curriculum aides and resources as well as engaging content, the Smithsonian Science Education Center is an exemplary, robust resource that can help teachers better provide strong STEM education to students.

Teachers who visit National Geographic Education's intuitive website can select which type of educational resources or STEM lessons they want, what grade or grade range they want it for, and what subjects they are interested in. For example, searching biology lessons for grade nine yields eighteen helpful results that teachers can use.

Ohio University: Master of Science in Electrical Engineering

The importance of STEM subjects to the future success of K-12 students cannot be understated. These students benefit from instructors who hold an extensive knowledge base in a STEM subject and have achieved career success thanks to an advanced STEM education. Discover how you can increase your STEM expertise and become a leader of tomorrow with Ohio University's online Master of Science in Electrical Engineering.
Sources:
ACT, "STEM Education in the U.S.: Where We Are and What We Can Do"
ASCD (formerly Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development), "New Art and Science of Teaching"
BioInteractive
Bureau of Labor Statistics, "STEM 101: Intro to Tomorrow's Jobs"
CK-12.org
Education Week Teacher, "Six Characteristics of a Great STEM Lesson"
NASA STEM Engagement
National Geographic Education
National Science Board Science & Engineering Indicators 2016, "Teachers of Mathematics and Science"
Pew Research Center, "7 Facts About the STEM Workforce"
Scholastic, "5 Quick Tips for Successful STEM Lessons"
Smithsonian Science Education Center
TechCrunch, "Exposing Every Student to STEM"
TODAY.com, "Benefits of STEM Education for Elementary Kids"
U.S. Department of Education, "U.S. Department of Education Fulfills Administration Promise to Invest $200 Million in STEM Education"
United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, "UN Highlights Critical Role of Science, Technology, and Innovation in Achieving the SDGs"

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K-12 STEM Lesson Plan Guide | Ohio University

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There's a bright future for students who are interested in careers in STEM, an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. According to an information note from the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, science, technology, and innovation are crucial as countries work to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by 2030, which include eradicating global hunger, providing every person with access to clean water, and ensuring equitable economic opportunity for all.

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No matter the subject, Khan Academy takes complex topics and makes it understandable for students of all ages. Video founds on Khan Academy can be included in a lesson plan for further explanation or used by students as a study tool/guide.

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This site provides a wide range of lesson plans and activities for science teachers grades K-12. The resources include simulations, videos, labs etc to enhance the classroom experience.

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This site includes a searchable database that includes free lessons and resources for teachers. Additionally, journal articles, activities, labs and more can be found on this site.

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The mission of this site is to provide teachers with everything needed to assign, manage and evaluate science projects in the classroom. This site began as a resources for new science teacher, however it provides a variety of tools and tips to help all teachers, no matter the experience.

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Free teacher resources for hands-on science. Lesson plans, activity guides, grading rubrics, experimental design, science fair resources, and thousands of project ideas for K-12 science inquiry.

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There are 5 Ted Talks that can be shown in a professional development setting or to high school aged students. The focus of each video is on science related topics

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Some of the most entertaining, informative and mind-blowing science videos on the web come from TED - the Technology, Entertainment, Design conference. Challenged to give the "talk of their lives," the world's top scientists and science communicators have been dazzling audiences - many of whom are thought leaders, trend-setters and entertainers - for years now. Most of the best talks are now freely available on the internet, but sifting through hundreds of video clips to find the real gems can be hard going.

To make things easier, here are five of my favorite TED Talks on science. The selection rules were simple:

- Was I engaged within the first few seconds? - Was I entertained, inspired and challenged? - Would my kids understand the talk? and - Together, do they tell a story?

1. Crochet coral and complex math

What on earth do coral, complex mathematics and the craft of crochet have in common? Plenty, according to science writer Margaret Wertheim, who shows how crocheting a "coral reef" can help make sense of some really tricky math, while drawing attention to distressed coral reefs around the world. Stunningly inventive.

2. Beyond Evolution - Engineering Biology

Four billion years of evolution have led to organisms that can reproduce, survive the harshest environments, and convert simple chemicals into complex ones. Tapping into this "natural technology" is an engineer's dream - but is it possible? Genomics pioneer and science maverick Craig Venter says it is. Venter envisions a future where we program biology the way we program computers now.

3. Life On Mars?

Is there life on other planets? If there is, how would we find it? Controversial, eloquent, thoroughly engaging, Penelope Boston talks about the possibility of finding life on Mars and elsewhere in the Solar System.

4. Recreating the Universe's Beginnings

Why are scientists so excited about smashing subatomic particles together at near-light velocities? Physicist and ex rock-star Brian Cox explains why the Large Hadron Collider in Europe - part of the largest physics experiment in history - is far more than an extra in Dan Brown's Angels and Demons. Okay so I'm a fellow physicist, but I still found Brian's talk stunning.

5. Is this our last century?

Finally, the big picture. Sir Martin Reese - Astronomer Royal, President of the Royal Society and author of the book Our Final Hour - presents an expansive perspective on humanity's place in the universe, and asks what our future might hold.

These five TED talks on science tell a story about the complexity of the universe and our place in it. And they do it with panache - no boring science lectures here! What's more, there's plenty more where they came from. If you have other favorite TED science talks, please feel free to share them in the comments.

See also: 13 Twits Who Will Change Your Perspective on Reality
Image courtesy of iStockphoto, enot-poloskon

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5 TED Talks on Science That Will Blow Your Mind

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Some of the most entertaining, informative and mind-blowing science videos on the web come from TED - the Technology, Entertainment, Design conference. Challenged to give the "talk of their lives," the world's top scientists and science communicators have been dazzling audiences - many of whom are thought leaders, trend-setters and entertainers - for years now.

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Science Daily is a science news website that includes over 65,000 research articles, 15,000 images, 2,500 encyclopedia entries, 1,500 videos and hundreds of videos. This site provides resources that can be utilized by Teachers, students and parents.

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The resources that I feel are most important are Khan Academy and Teachers guide to Science projects. Working at North Star Academy, all teachers are given their lesson plans. However, it is up to teachers to internalize and deliver the content in an effective manner for students. One of the biggest challenges with that is knowing and understanding how to explain content in multiple ways as all students learn differently. Khan Academy does an amazing job at breaking down content areas and making it understandable. Watching videos on this site will enable all teachers, no matter the experience to find news ways to break down material to students. Additionally, labs and experiments are a major part of STEM curriculum as it gives students the opportunity to explore and understand phenomena on their own.Therefore, the Teachers guide to science projects is extremely important as it provides experiments that can be done in the classroom as well as resources and tips that can be used to enhance students' lab/experiment experiences.

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Each of the provided resources can be utilized in my school environment. The Science department at my school has a wide range of teaching experience and all of these resources can be utilized regardless of the experience. Teachers can use these sites as in class lesson plan supplements, additional resources for students are parents, links to online professional development, STEM activities for students to increase engagement, etc. In addition to the range of teachers that will be able to utilize these resources, students will be able to utilize them as well. Majority of the listed sites are for educators and students. Students can use these sites to study, receive additional explanations on topics learned in class, or as engagement tools to increase their interest in STEM. These resources will be a good addition to my school environment because they will increase student engagement, teacher knowledge and professional development and can be used by students.