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The curl of a chameleon's tail, the spiral of a pinecone's scales and the ripples created by wind moving grains of sand all have the power to catch the eye and intrigue the mind. When Charles Darwin first proposed the theory of evolution by natural selection in 1859, it encouraged science enthusiasts to find reasons for the natural patterns seen in beasts of the land, birds of the air and creatures of the sea. The peacock's plumage, the spots of a shark must all serve some adaptive purpose, they eagerly surmised.

Yet one person saw all this as "runaway enthusiasm," writes English scientist and writer Philip Ball in his new book, Patterns in Nature: Why the Natural World Looks the Way it Does. Scottish zoologist D'Arcy Wentworth Thompson was pushed to publish his own treatise in 1917 explaining that even nature's creativity is constrained by laws generated by physical and chemical forces. Thompson's ideas didn't clash with Darwin's theory, but they did point out that other factors were at play. Whereas natural selection might explain the why of a tiger's stripes-a strategy to blend in with shadows in grasslands and forest- the way that chemicals diffuse through developing tissue can explain how pigment ends up in bands of dark and light, as well as why similar patterns can crop up on a sea anemone.

In Patterns in Nature, Ball brings his own background as a physicist and chemist to bear as well as more than 20 years of experience as an editor for the scientific journal Nature. His first book, published in 1999 (The Self-Made Tapestry), and a trilogy, published in 2009 ( Nature's Patterns: Shapes, Flow, Branches), explore the subject of natural patterns, but neither has visuals as rich as his latest.

The vivid photographs in the book are vital, Ball explains, because some of the patterns can only be fully appreciated through repetition. "It's when you see several of them side by side in glorious detail that you start to get a sense of how nature takes a theme and runs with it," he says.

The explanations Ball offers are simple and graceful, as when he explains how a soaked patch of ground can dry into a cracked landscape. "The dry layer at the surface tries to shrink relative to the still-moist layer below, and the ground becomes laced with tension throughout," he writes.

Yet he also offers enough detail to intrigue scientists and artists alike. The stunning photographs were curated by the designers at Marshall Editions, a publisher at the Quarto Group in London, which licensed the book to the University of Chicago Press.

Ball spoke to Smithsonian.com about his book and inspirations.
What exactly is a pattern?
I left it slightly ambiguous in the book, on purpose, because it feels like we know it when we see it. Traditionally, we think of patterns as something that just repeats again and again throughout space in an identical way, sort of like a wallpaper pattern. But many patterns that we see in nature aren't quite like that. We sense that there is something regular or at least not random about them, but that doesn't mean that all the elements are identical. I think a very familiar example of that would be the zebra's stripes. Everyone can recognize that as a pattern, but no stripe is like any other stripe.

I think we can make a case for saying that anything that isn't purely random has a kind of pattern in it. There must be something in that system that has pulled it away from that pure randomness or at the other extreme, from pure uniformity.
Why did you decide to write a book about natural patterns?
At first, it was a result of having been an editor at Nature. There, I started to see a lot of work come through the journal-and through scientific literature more broadly-about this topic. What struck me was that it's a topic that doesn't have any kind of natural disciplinary boundaries. People that are interested in these types of questions might be biologists, might be mathematicians, they might be physicists or chemists. That appealed to me. I always liked subjects that don't respect those traditional boundaries.

But I think also it was the visuals. The patterns are just so striking, beautiful and remarkable.

Then, underpinning that aspect is the question: How does nature without any kind of blueprint or design put together patterns like this? When we make patterns, it is because we planned it that way, putting the elements into place. In nature, there is no planner, but somehow natural forces conspire to bring about something that looks quite beautiful.
Do you have a favorite example of a pattern found in nature?
Perhaps one of the most familiar but really one of the most remarkable is the pattern of the snowflake. They all have the same theme-this six-fold, hexagonal symmetry and yet there just seems to be infinite variety within these snowflakes. It is such a simple process that goes into their formation. It is water vapor freezing out of humid air. There's nothing more to it than that but somehow it creates this incredibly intricate, detailed, beautiful pattern.

Another system we find cropping up again and again in different places, both in the living and the nonliving world, is a pattern that we call Turing structures. They are named after Alan Turing, the mathematician who laid the foundation for the theory of computation. He was very interested in how patterns form. In particular, he was interested in how that happens in a fertilized egg, which is basically a spherical cell that somehow gets patterned into something as complicated as a human as it grows and divides.

Turing came up with a theory that was basically an explanation for how a whole bunch of chemicals that are just kind of floating around in space can interact as to create differences from one bit of space to the next. In this way, the seeds of a pattern will emerge. He expressed that process in very abstract mathematical terms.

Now, it seems that something like this might be responsible for the patterns that form upon animal skins and some patterns we see in insects as well. But it also appears in some quite different systems, in sand dunes and sand ripples forming after wind has blown sand.
In your book, you mention the fact that science and math hasn't fully explained some of these patterns yet. Can you give an example?
We've only really understood how snowflakes get these branched formations since the 1980s even though people have studied and thought about that question for several hundred years. Yet even now it is a bit of a mystery why every arm of the snowflake can be pretty much identical. It is almost as though one arm can communicate with the others to make sure they grow in a special way. That is still surprising.

New forms of patterns are being discovered almost as fast as we can find explanations. There are strange vegetation patterns in semi-arid regions of the world where there are patches of vegetation separated by patches of bare ground. They too seem to have a Turing-like mechanism behind them but that understanding is very recent too.
What do you hope readers will find in the book?
When I started looking into this subject, I started to see patterns everywhere. I remember when I was halfway through writing my first book in 1999 and I was on a beach in Wales, I suddenly realized that everywhere there were patterns. In the clouds and the sky there were different patterns, there were wave patterns and so on in the sea. In the water running down through the sand, there was a different kind of pattern. Even the cliffs themselves weren't purely random.

So, you start to see patterns all around you. I hope that people will find this happening to them that they'll appreciate how much structure surrounding us is patterned. There's just splendor and joy in that.

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A new book explores the physical and chemical reasons behind incredible visual structures in the living and non-living world

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Introduction to CCC1: Patterns

Introduction to CCC1: Patterns
from NGSS Appendix G - Crosscutting Concepts
"Patterns exist everywhere-in regularly occurring shapes or structures and in repeating events and relationships. For example, patterns are discernible in the symmetry of flowers and snowflakes, the cycling of the seasons, and the repeated base pairs of DNA." (p. 85)

While there are many patterns in nature, they are not the norm since there is a tendency for disorder to increase (e.g. it is far more likely for a broken glass to scatter than for scattered bits to assemble themselves into a whole glass). In some cases, order seems to emerge from chaos, as when a plant sprouts, or a tornado appears amidst scattered storm clouds. It is in such examples that patterns exist and the beauty of nature is found. "Noticing patterns is often a first step to organizing phenomena and asking scientific questions about why and how the patterns occur." (p. 85)

"Once patterns and variations have been noted, they lead to questions; scientists seek explanations for observed patterns and for the similarity and diversity within them. Engineers often look for and analyze patterns, too. For example, they may diagnose patterns of failure of a designed system under test in order to improve the design, or they may analyze patterns of daily and seasonal use of power to design a system that can meet the fluctuating needs." (page 85-86)

Patterns figure prominently in the science and engineering practice of "Analyzing and Interpreting Data." Recognizing patterns is a large part of working with data. Students might look at geographical patterns on a map, plot data values on a chart or graph, or visually inspect the appearance of an organism or mineral. The crosscutting concept of patterns is also strongly associated with the practice of "Using Mathematics and Computational Thinking." It is often the case that patterns are identified best using mathematical concepts. As Richard Feynman said,

"To those who do not know mathematics it is difficult to get across a real feeling as to the beauty, the deepest beauty, of nature. If you want to learn about nature, to appreciate nature, it is necessary to understand the language that she speaks in."

The human brain is remarkably adept at identifying patterns, and students progressively build upon this innate ability throughout their school experiences. The following table lists the guidelines used by the writing team for how this progression plays out across K-12, with examples of performance expectations drawn from the NGSS.

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from NGSS Appendix G - Crosscutting Concepts "Patterns exist everywhere-in regularly occurring shapes or structures and in repeating events and relationships. For example, patterns are discernible in the symmetry of flowers and snowflakes, the cycling of the seasons, and the repeated base pairs of DNA." (p.

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Sadler Science - Transforming Science Education

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Patterns in Science: A Guide to the Crosscutting Concept - Sadler Science

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Patterns in science are easy to spot. But, are you able to make connections to the CCC in the appropriate grade level? Even though Patterns is a commonly used Crosscutting Concept, its depth is commonly misunderstood.

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The STEM movement remains one of the fastest growing initiatives in education. If you're a STEM teacher, chances are you've searched for good instructional strategies and for help in locating and designing STEM lessons. Now comes the big question: How are you going to assess your students' progress during and following your STEM lessons? And what, exactly, do you need to assess?

Since STEM is a relatively new way of teaching science, math, and technology, the most useful and instructive assessments often occur during the STEM lesson itself, or shortly after the lesson. I'll give you some of my thoughts on some things you need to consider to gauge the success of STEM lessons in your classes.

The guiding questions for my assessments are fundamental: What are students learning, how are they thinking, and what understandings and skills are they gaining as a result of this STEM lesson? You may choose different things to scrutinize from lesson to lesson, but here are five areas-in no particular order-that you may want to check during all lessons.

1. Examine the quality of your STEM lessons. Are your lessons on target? What did those lessons, taken collectively, accomplish for your students? At a minimum, your lessons should help students improve their abilities to do the core STEM tasks listed here:

Focus attention on identifying and solving real problems.

Apply specific grade-level science and math concepts.

Use an engineering-design process to guide their thinking and problem-solving.

Create and test prototypes (technologies) as solutions.

Check out my article "Six Characteristics of Great STEM lessons" for additional help in thinking about your STEM lesson design.

2. Gauge students' understanding of the science and math needed to solve the problem. Be intentional about helping students make specific math and science connections during the lesson. (That will generally not happen automatically.) As they work on their STEM challenge, observe whether they understand how to apply science and mathematics to solve a problem.

Before and after class, consider giving bell ringers (entrance questions) or exit questions to get a quick idea of whether students understand a particular aspect of the content.

Another thing you'll want to confirm is that kids actually understand how math and science work together to create solutions for problems. Sometimes you and your students might simply talk about it. At other times this might be an exit question, or even a discussion question for a student engineering notebook or test. Since STEM lessons should take students deeper into grade-level science and math objectives, their success should also be reflected in scores on summative assessments and tests.

3. Look at student teamwork progress. Next, consider students' progress in working as productive team members. You might keep good teamwork behaviors on students' radar by asking them to do a brief 60-second self-assessment, individually or as teams, before each class begins. Questions might include:
What behaviors did our team do well during our last lesson?
Did all team members feel included and valued?

What teamwork behaviors do we need to improve today?

You might also check to see if team members do these things:

Set norms for productive teamwork behaviors they all value.

Respond positively and successfully to guidance when needed

Regularly self-assess their team behaviors.

4. Assess STEM skill development. Today's fast-paced culture demands citizens and workers who understand how to tackle emerging problems as well as longstanding issues. STEM lessons help students build these skills. Have you seen evidence that your students are growing in their abilities to do these things?

Come up with several different possible solutions for a problem.

Combine materials and ideas in clever and imaginative ways to create a solution.

Design a prototype and test it to see if this device solves the problem.

Successfully evaluate their testing results, and analyze and interpret their data.

Recognize things they can do to change and improve the design of the prototype.

Communicate ideas in new and innovative ways.

Probably one of best indicators your STEM lesson is having an impact on students is an increase in student enjoyment and interest in learning. Hopefully they no longer feel disconnected from the real world when studying science and math. Increasingly positive responses to their subject matter, plus an increase in student engagement and understanding, are real testaments to your teaching.

5. Examine student attitudes and confidence growth. A primary goal of STEM lessons includes developing specific attitudes that will help kids be more successful students, citizens, and members of the workforce. Think about how your students react during and following their STEM lessons. Look for indicators that your students are beginning to:

Feel "safe" in expressing out-of-the-box imaginative ideas.

Believe that it's safe to fail, and then use failure as an opportunity to improve

Suggest increasingly creative ideas for solving a problem.

Show increased persistence in sticking with finding solutions for a problem.

Take ownership of their projects and learning.

Express increasing curiosity and ask more questions.

Transfer STEM practices to other subject areas.

Instructional Indicators of Strong STEM Learning and Growth

STEM classes should involve students in hands-on exploration and critical thinking. If you've successfully taught project-based learning (PBL) in the past, then chances are you made this transition with ease. The PBL teaching approach is STEM friendly and contains the necessary ingredients for STEM instructional success.

If you had not been using PBL, you may have abandoned some old familiar practices as you taught STEM lessons; then you dove into new open-ended strategies to encourage student interaction, invention, and creativity. If so, that can't have been comfortable. Kudos for doing that!

As you look back on your year so far, identify the areas in which you and your students are already successful. Shore up areas that need strengthening, but continue to focus on areas of success. Focusing on the strong points encourages students, creates positive attitudes, and prepares them to take on areas where they need to change and improve.

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Designing Useful STEM Classroom Assessments (Opinion)

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Anne Jolly presents strategies that she believes could improve the quality of STEM lessons and ensure successful learning, while offering guidelines for assessments.

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This list includes some of the most needed STEM careers.

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Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education

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Agricultural, Biological, and Biosystems Engineers

Agricultural, biological, and biosystems engineering is among the smallest STEM occupations we track, with only about 2,600 in the U.S. workforce in 2018. According to the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers,
"Agricultural and Biological Engineering is the discipline of engineering that applies engineering principles and the fundamental concepts of biology to agricultural and biological systems and tools, ranging in scale from molecular to ecosystem level, for the safe, efficient and environmentally sensitive production, processing, and management of agricultural, biological, food, and natural resources systems."
Among their areas of focus is the production of a safe and plentiful food supply and clean energy while protecting the water supply, the environment, and animals.

Many biological, agricultural, and biosystems engineers work in either farming, aquaculture, forestry, and food processing. Others work to develop climate control systems to increase the comfort and productivity of livestock whereas some work to increase the storage capacity and efficiency of refrigeration. Additionally, many work to improve efficiency in fertilizer application and the automation of harvesting systems by integrating artificial intelligence and geospatial systems into agriculture. These engineers are also often involved in activities such as developing and producing alternative bioenergy sources and biofuels (including ethanol, biodiesel, and bio-butanol), developing and implementing precision and automated farming technologies for irrigation and harvesting, and experimenting with growing crops in space.

Most jobs in biological, agricultural, and biosystems engineering require at least a bachelor's degree. Most academic programs encourage students to gain experience through projects designing equipment and solving real-world problems utilizing biology, math, and engineering principles.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there is an increasing need to improve the efficiency of agricultural production systems while minimizing environmental damage, driven heavily by population growth and stronger global competition. The BLS projects employment of biological, agricultural, and biosystems engineers to grow by 5 percent over the 2018 to 2028 period.

The annual median wage for biological, agricultural, and biosystems engineers was $80,720 in May 2019, which is higher than the annual median wage for all occupations in general of $39,810. Wages were higher for those biological and agricultural engineers working in engineering services ($85,040) and the federal government ($88,050).

Atmospheric Scientists

There were about 10,000 atmospheric scientists in the U.S. workforce in 2018. According to information from NASA's Langley Research Center:
"Atmospheric science is the study of the physics and chemistry of clouds, gases, and airborne particles that surround the planetary bodies of the solar system. Most atmospheric scientists study the atmosphere of the Earth, while others study the atmospheres of the planets and moons in our solar system."
Atmospheric sciences include fields such as:

Climatology-the study of long-term weather and temperature trends

Climate science-involves determining the theoretical foundations and modeling of climate change

Cloud physics-the study of the formation of clouds and precipitation

Dynamic meteorology-the study of the motions of the atmosphere

Aeronomy-the study of the upper atmosphere

Atmospheric chemistry-the study of the chemical composition of the atmosphere

Atmospheric physics-the study of processes such as heating and cooling of the atmosphere.

Broadcast meteorology and weather forecasting-the study and presentation of weather reports and short-term and long-term forecasts

Most jobs in the atmospheric sciences require at least a bachelor's degree in atmospheric science or a related field that studies the interaction of the atmosphere with other scientific realms such as physics, chemistry, or geology. Additionally, courses in remote sensing by radar and satellite are useful when pursuing this career path.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), computer models have greatly improved the accuracy of forecasts and resulted in highly customized forecasts for specific purposes. The need for atmospheric scientists working in private industry is predicted to increase as businesses demand more specialized weather information for time-sensitive delivery logistics and ascertaining the impact of severe weather patterns on industrial operations. The demand for atmospheric scientists working for the federal government will be subject to future federal budget constraints. The BLS projects employment of atmospheric scientists to grow by 8 percent over the 2018 to 2028 period. The largest employers of atmospheric scientists and meteorologists are the federal government, research and development organizations in the physical, engineering, and life sciences, state colleges and universities, and television broadcasting services.

The annual median wage for atmospheric scientists was $95,380 in May 2019, which is higher than the annual median wage for all physical scientists of $81,270 and significantly higher than all occupations in general ($39,810). Wages were higher for atmospheric scientists working for the federal government ($103,300) and working for research and development organizations in the physical, engineering, and life sciences ($113,130). Atmospheric science heavily relates to various other science and engineering sectors, including environmental science, engineering, geoscience, physics, and astronomy.

Sources: Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 2020; Choosing a Career in Atmospheric Science, Langley Research Center, NASA, accessed Feb. 20th, 2019.

Automation and Robotics Professions

The effects of automation on employment have long been debated. But today, there is little doubt that automation and the increasing penetration of robotics in more economic sectors will alter the demand for labor and its occupational composition. As far back as 1984, a study sponsored by the National Science Foundation and conducted by Wassily Leontief and Faye Duchin projected that over time the use of automation would make it possible to use less labor than would normally be required to produce the same amount in the absence of automation. Leontief and Duchin also found one of the significant impacts of automation would be to cause a significant increase in professionals as a proportion of the labor force and a steep decline in the relative number of clerical workers.

Erik Brynjolfsson and Andrew McAfee (2014) in The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies noted that technologies like big data and analytics, high-speed communications, and rapid prototyping are increasing the value of people with the right engineering, creative, or designing skills. The net effect has been to decrease demand for less skilled labor while increasing the demand for skilled labor. Skill-biased technical change results in different hiring patterns that increase the demand for highly educated workers. One of their fundamental recommendations is that students "...acquire skills and abilities that will be needed in the second machine age."
Automation and Robotics Career Outlook
One occupation projected to be one of the professions needed in the 'second machine age' of automation and advanced robotics technology is mechanical engineering.

Mechanical engineering, one of the broadest engineering disciplines, applies to a wide variety of industries, ranging from planning and designing engines to overseeing the installation of heating and cooling systems. In addition to the engineering services industry, mechanical engineers work in the scientific research and development services industry as well as several manufacturing industries such as aerospace product and parts manufacturing, motor vehicles parts manufacturing, navigation, measuring, electro-medical, and control instruments manufacturing, and other machinery manufacturing.

As a group, employment of mechanical engineers are projected by the BLS to grow about as fast as the average for all engineering and as fast as the average for all occupations. However, according to the BLS's Occupational Outlook Handbook, job prospects may be best for those who have knowledge of the most recent advances in technology and those with training in the latest software tools (such as computational design and simulation) and experience with three-dimensional printing. As a result, the employment of mechanical engineers is projected to experience faster growth in engineering services because of the increased emphasis on automation and software.

Mechanical engineering requires a bachelor's degree and internships are highly recommended for preparing students to work in the industry.
Projected Employment Growth, Mechanical Engineers, 2019-2029
Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. economy.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, September 2020.

Biochemists and Biophysicists

Biochemistry and biophysics are relatively small sectors, with only about 30,400 biochemists and biophysicists working in the U.S. workforce in 2018. According to the Biophysical Society and the Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics at Oregon State University, biochemistry and biophysics are areas of study focused on the chemistry and physics of life processes that integrates chemistry, physics, engineering, mathematics, genetics, pharmacology, materials sciences, and computer science.

Biochemists study the chemical structure of living matter and the chemical reactions occurring in living cells. Biophysicists use physical science to study the structure and functions of macromolecules and solve problems at the intersection of biological and physical sciences. Both occupations are able to investigate a variety of topics, ranging from how plant cells capture light and transform it into energy to how changes in the DNA of cells can trigger their transformation into cancer cells.

Biological systems are very complex and consist of layers made up of molecules, cells, organisms, and ecosystems. The experiments and research that biochemists and biophysicists conduct produces large amounts of data, and the use of computer software to mine these datasets for correlations about biological phenomena is often referred to as bioinformatics.

Employment is projected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) to grow faster than for all occupations in general. The BLS projects employment of biochemists and biophysicists to grow by 6 percent over the 2018 to 2028 period. This is on par with other life science occupations and slightly higher than all occupations in general.

Aging populations will likely drive demand for biochemists and biophysicists involved in biomedical research. They will be needed to conduct genetic research and to develop new medicines and treatments to fight genetic disorders and cancers. Also, research and development in biotechnology outside of health and medicine are expected to provide employment growth for biochemists and biophysicists, according to the BLS. They will be needed to advance our capabilities in creating clean energy, producing food efficiently, and preventing environmental damage. In agriculture, biochemists and biophysicists are needed to develop ways to genetically engineer crops that are resistant to such things as drought, disease, and insects, and they are also needed to help develop plant-based biofuels, such as ethanol, methanol, biodiesel, and bio-butanol.

Since much of the basic research in biochemistry and biophysics depends on federal government funding, changes in future federal funding will affect employment prospects. According to the BLS, those who gain laboratory experience during their undergraduate and graduate studies will have the best prospects of being employed.

The annual median wage for biochemists and biophysicists was $94,490 in May 2019, which is about the same as for all engineers in general ($94,500) and significantly higher than for all occupations in general ($39,810). Biochemists and biophysicists working in wholesale trade earn $120,240.

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 2020

Biomedical Engineers

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are approximately 19,800 biomedical engineers in the U.S. workforce. Workers in this small engineering occupation, however, are unique among engineers in that they incorporate the biological sciences with engineering principles when designing and creating equipment, computer systems, software, and medical devices used in health care ( source ). These engineers can work on projects spanning many professional fields, and biomedical engineers can be seen working in hospitals, universities, research facilities, and in other industries. They work with life scientists, chemists, and medical scientists when conducting research involving the biological systems of both humans and animals. They also help design biomedical equipment and devices such as artificial organs, joint replacements, and machines used for diagnosing medical conditions. According to the BLS, biomedical engineers frequently work in research and development or quality assurance.

The number of jobs for biomedical engineers is projected by the BLS to grow slightly slower (4%) than the average for all engineering occupations in general (5%) but faster than some other engineering occupations such as electrical and electronics engineers (2%) and nuclear engineers (-1%). However, since biomedical engineering is a small occupation, 4% growth in employment is projected to result in fewer than 700 new jobs over the 2018-2028 period. The largest employers of biomedical engineers are medical equipment and supplies manufacturing firms; organizations involved in research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences; navigational, measuring, electro-medical, and control systems manufacturers; and healthcare and social assistance organizations. With these firms, biomedical engineers can specialize in areas such as bioinstrumentation, biomaterials, biomechanics, and systems physiology.

The BLS indicates that the field of biomedical engineering will likely see employment growth "because of increasing possibilities brought by new technologies and increasing applications to medical equipment and devices. Smartphone technology and three-dimensional printing are examples of technology being applied to biomedical advances" ( source ). Also noteworthy is the likely increase of biomedical solutions to health problems in response to an aging population and the resulting demand for biomedical devices and procedures.

According to the BLS, the annual median wage for biomedical engineers was $91,410 in May 2019, which is lower than for all engineering occupations on average ($94,500) but significantly higher than for all occupations in general ($39,810). The median annual wages are higher for biomedical engineers working in navigational, measuring, electro-medical, and control instruments manufacturing ($105,730) and research & development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences ($92,230). Internships and educational research participation programs can provide students with training and experience in biomedical engineering design. Examples of such programs can be found at www.zintellect.com .

Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, April 2020

Chemical Engineers

As of 2018, there were approximately 33,900 individuals working as chemical engineers in the U.S. workforce. According to the American Chemical Society, chemical engineers use math, chemistry, biology, and physics to design and create processes for the production of chemicals, fuels, foods, pharmaceuticals, and numerous other goods. A sector of chemical engineers, known as process engineers, specialize in analyzing how oxygen reacts with other chemicals to make new substances, particularly though polymerization, which includes the making of plastics and resins. Chemical engineers often make critical contributions to a range of diverse fields, from energy, electronics, clothing, and paper, to nanomaterials and biological engineering.

Most careers in the chemical engineering sector require at least a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering or a related field. Employers also look for practical experience, which often come through the means of internships and research opportunities.

Currently, the top three areas of employment for chemical engineers are in the research and development surrounding physical, engineering, and life sciences, the petroleum and coal production and manufacturing sectors, and general engineering services.

Employment demand for chemical engineers is projected to grow six percent from 2018 to 2028, and this growth is largely contingent on the rise in demand for products of various manufacturing industries. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the ability to stay on the forefront of emerging technologies will sustain employment growth for chemical engineers. In particular, the increased availability of domestic natural gas is predicted to result in a demand spike for chemical engineers in the fossil-fuels industries, while paradoxically the rising need for cleaner, more renewable energy sources is also resulting in a widespread hiring of chemical engineers. Chemical engineers with a background in biology are also expected to see an increase in career opportunities, especially in emerging fields such as biotechnology, which integrates both the biological and chemical sciences for use in the medical and pharmaceutical sectors.

As of May 2019, the annual median wage for a chemical engineer was $108,770, which is over 15% higher than the annual median wage for all engineers ($94,500) and significantly higher than all occupations in general ($39,810). Wages were highest for chemical engineers working in the energy industries ($119,010) and for research and development organizations in the physical, engineering, and life sciences ($116,250).
Projected Employment Growth, Chemical Engineers, 2018-2028

Computer and Information Research Scientists

The 27,900 computer and information research scientists in the U.S. workforce represent a small fraction of the 2.6 million workers working in the computer and mathematical sciences. However, they are likely to experience excellent job prospects, because many organizations report difficulties finding these workers. Computer and information research scientists study and solve complex problems in computing for business, health, and science. Most jobs in this field require a graduate degree (often a Ph.D.), although a bachelor's may be sufficient for some jobs. These scientists work with other scientists and engineers to solve complex computing and computational problems and are often involved in research and development projects in the physical, engineering, and life sciences. Computer and information research scientists must have knowledge of advanced math and other technical topics such as robotics, automation, and artificial intelligence. If they work in a specialized field, they may need knowledge of that field. For example, those working on biomedical applications may have to take some biology classes. They are employed by the federal government (primarily the Department of Defense), by research and development organizations, computer systems design firms, and colleges and universities.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for computer and information research scientists was $111,840 in May 2016 and for those employed in research and development activities in the physical, engineering, and life sciences, the median wage was $123,180. By comparison, the median pay in May 2016 for all occupations was $37,040. Jobs for computer and information research scientists are projected by the BLS to grow significantly faster than for all occupations, all engineering occupations, and all physical science occupations.
Projected Employment Growth, Computer and Information Research Scientists, 2016-2026

Computer and Information Systems Managers

The 368,000 computer and information systems managers in the U.S. workforce plan and direct the work of Information Technology (IT) professionals, including systems analysts, software developers, and information security analysts. They often go by several titles including Chief Information Officer, Chief Technology Officer, and IT security manager. Almost all jobs in this field require a bachelor's degree in a computer or related field and most are required to have a graduate degree as well. Employment of computer and information systems managers is projected to grow by 44,000 from 2016 to 2026, and demand for computer and information systems managers will continue to grow because these workers are helping organizations become more competitive by implementing digital platforms, overseeing network and data security, helping determine the business requirements for computer systems, as well as, the technology and information goals of their organizations. Most jobs in this field require several years of experience in a related job. A chief technology officer my need more than 15 years of experience in the IT field before overseeing the technology plan for a large organization.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for computer and information research scientists was $139,220 in May 2017. By comparison, the median pay in May 2017 for all occupations was $37,690. Jobs for computer and information systems managers are projected by the BLS to grow significantly faster than for all occupations, all engineering occupations, and all life science occupations.
Projected Employment Growth, Computer and Information Systems Managers, 2017-2026

Data Science and Data Analysts

Technological advances have made it faster and easier for organizations to acquire data. Coupled with improvements in analytical software, companies are requiring data in more ways and higher quantities than ever before, and this creates many important questions for them, including "Who do we hire to work with this data"?

The answer is likely a Data Scientist.

When trying to answer the question "what is data science," Investopedia defines it as providing "meaningful information based on large amounts of complex data or big data. Data science, or data-driven science, combines different fields of work in statistics and computation to interpret data for decision-making purposes."
Data Scientists Career Outlook
Data science, or what is also sometimes referred to as data analytics, includes such occupations as:

1. Data engineers

2. Operations research analysts

3. Statisticians

4. Data analysts

5. Mathematicians

Though the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Outlook Handbook does not presently include the occupations of data engineer and data scientist among their occupational categories, many careers in overlapping and similar fields are exhibiting some of the highest projected growth rates of all sectors.

The BLS projects the employment of statisticians and mathematicians to grow 30% from 2018-2028, which is much faster than the average for all occupations. According to the source, organizations will increasingly need statisticians to organize and analyze data in order to help improve business processes, design and develop new products, and advertise products to potential customers. In addition, the large increase in available data from global internet use has created new areas for analysis such as examining internet search information and tracking the use of social media and smartphones. In the medical and pharmaceutical industries, biostatisticians will be needed to conduct the research and clinical trials necessary for companies to obtain approval for their products from the Food and Drug Administration.

Along with that of statistician, the employment of operations research analysts is projected by the BLS to grow by 26% from 2018-2028, again much faster than the average for all occupations. The BLS notes several reasons why this rapid growth is occurring. As organizations across all economic sectors look for efficiency and cost savings, they seek out operations research analysts to help them analyze and evaluate their current business practices, supply chains, and marketing strategies in order to improve their ability to make wise decisions moving forward. Operations research analysts are also frequently employed by the U.S. Armed Forces and other governmental groups for similar purposes.

Electrical and Electronics Engineers

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are approximately 324,600 electrical and electronics engineers in the U.S. workforce. Workers in this large engineering occupation can be grouped into two large components-electrical engineers and electronics engineers. About 188,300 electrical engineers design, develop, test, or supervise the manufacturing of electrical equipment, such as power generation equipment, electrical motors, radar and navigation systems, communications, systems and the electrical systems of aircraft and automobiles. They also design new ways to use electricity to develop or improve products. Approximately 136,300 electronics engineers design and develop electronic equipment such as broadcast and communications equipment, portable music players, and Global Positioning System devices, as well as working in areas closely related to computer hardware. Engineers whose work is devoted exclusively to computer hardware are considered computer hardware engineers. Electrical and electronics engineers must have a bachelor's degree, and internships and co-op experiences are a plus.

The number of jobs for electrical engineers is projected by BLS to grow slightly faster (9%) than the average for all engineering occupations in general (8%) and faster than for electronics engineers (4%) as well. However, since electrical and electronics engineering is a larger STEM occupation, growth in employment is projected to result in over 21,000 new jobs over the 2016-2026 period. The largest employers of electrical engineers are engineering services firms; telecommunications firms; the federal government; electric power generation, transmission, and distribution organizations such as public and private utilities; semiconductor and other electronic component manufacturers; organizations specializing in research and development (R&D) in the physical, engineering, and life sciences; and navigational, measuring, electro-medical, and control systems manufacturers.

BLS notes three major factors influencing the demand for electrical and electronic engineers. One, the need for technological innovation will increase the number of jobs in R&D, where their engineering expertise will be needed to design power distribution systems related to new technologies. They will also play important roles in developing solar arrays, semiconductors, and communications technologies, such as 5G. Two, the need to upgrade the nation's power grids and transmission components will drive the demand for electrical engineers. Finally, a third driver of demand for electrical and electronic engineers is the design and development of ways to automate production processes, such as Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems and Distributed Control Systems (DCS).

According to the BLS, the annual median wage for electrical and electronics engineers was $97,970 in May 2017, which is higher than for all engineering occupations on average ($92,220) and significantly higher than for all occupations in general ($37,690). The median annual wages for electrical and electronics engineers in the top industries where they worked are navigational, measuring, electro-medical, and control instruments manufacturing ($110,650), the federal government ($110,200), R&D ($110,150), and engineering services ($99,290).
Projected Employment Growth, Electrical and Electronics Engineers, 2016-2026

Geographic Information Systems Researchers

Here's the thing about research careers that require geographic information systems (GIS) skills-they are everywhere. Increasingly, researchers and practitioners are gathering and working with data sets based on location. Sometimes also referred to as geospatial information systems, GIS technology enables researchers to collect data based on that location and then manipulate and analyze the information on a three-dimensional scale. As more sophisticated technologies and reliable data about location become available, scientists are mining them for discovery. Consequently, the ability to work with GIS technology and data science analytics becomes essential to a broad array of research careers.

Jeff Kelly, Ph.D, program director of the National Science Foundation's Trainee Program in Aeroecology at the University of Oklahoma, recognizes the impact of GIS on research. "The rapid growth of geographical big data has had significant impact on the design of ecological research and the skills required carrying out experiments and analysis. Today, most studies in this area require expertise in GIS. Gathering, managing and utilizing these large, complex data sets requires extensive academic and technical preparation."
Geographic Information Systems Career Outlook
In general, geospatial sciences can be thought of as either comprised of or aligned with five core areas:

1. Geodesy and geophysics

2. Photogrammetry

3. Remote sensing

4. Cartographic science

5. Geographic information systems and geospatial analysis

One occupation that combines three of areas above-photogrammetry, cartographic science, and GIS-is classified as cartographers and photogrammetrists by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). According to the BLS' 2016-2017 Occupational Outlook Handbook, a cartographer who uses GIS technology to create maps is also known as a geographic information specialist. Geographic information specialists use GIS technology to assemble, integrate, analyze and present spatial information in a digital format.

The occupation of cartographers and photogrammetrists is a relatively small occupation, with only 12,300 workers in 2014. Other occupations noted by BLS to have a GIS component in an occupation title include GIS mapping technicians (which are a subset of the broader BLS occupation called surveying and mapping technicians) and GIS geographers (which are a subset of the larger occupation geographers). In addition to these occupations, BLS lists civil engineers, environmental scientists and specialists, forest and conservation workers, landscape architects, surveyors, and urban and regional planners as occupations similar to cartographers and photogrammetrists. These occupations tend to have more jobs, many of which may consist of more functions beyond the use of GIS.

The career outlook for workers in GIS-related occupations appears bright. In Table 1, the most recent BLS employment projections for several occupations for comparison purposes are shown. Note that the fastest growing occupational growth rate is projected for cartographers and photogrammaterists. In fact, among all STEM occupations requiring a bachelor's degree for entry, cartographers and photogrammaterists is projected to be the third fastest growing from 2014-2024. While the number of engineers is projected to increase at a lower rate than all occupations, civil engineers is projected to increase at a faster rate than all engineers on average. Even in the case of geographers, which show a decrease in employment projected over the 2014-2024 period, the BLS notes that job prospects are the brightest for those with experience working with geographic technologies such as GIS.

Table 1. Percent Change in Employment, projected 2014-2024

All Occupations

7%

Computer

13%

Engineers

4%

Civil Engineers

8%

Social Scientists

12%

Geographers

-2%

Architects, surveyors, and cartographers

6%

Cartographers and Photogammaterists

29%

Geoscience is an example of a physical science occupation directly benefiting from the rise of GIS technology. This group includes engineering geologists, geologists, geochemists, geophysicists, oceanographers, petroleum geologists and several others. According to BLS, geoscientists use a wide variety of tools that range from the simple to the complex. Among those tools are remote sensing equipment to collect data and GIS and modeling software to analyze the data collected. As noted in BLS' 2016-2017 Occupational Outlook Handbook, "Computer knowledge is essential for geoscientists. Students who have experience with computer modeling, data analysis, and digital mapping will be the most prepared to enter the job market." The number of geoscientists employed from 2014 to 2024 is projected to grow by 10 percent, faster than the average for all occupations.

Information Security Analysts

There are currently 100,000 information security analyst jobs in the U.S. economy. Employment of information security analysts is projected to grow by over 28,000 from 2016 to 2026, or by 28 percent, much faster than the average for all occupations. Demand for information security analysts is expected be very high, as these analysts will be needed to create innovative solutions to prevent loss of critical information and keep hackers from causing problems for computer networks. Information security analysts must stay up to date on cyber security and the latest methods attackers are using to invade and compromise computer systems. These analysts have to be knowledgeable of new security technology to decide what will most effectively project their organizations. Information security analysts usually need at least a bachelor's degree in computer science or computer related field. Some positions require master's level degrees in information systems. Also, some employers prefer candidates to have certifications such as the Certified Information Systems Security Professional certificate.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for information security analysts was $95,510 in May 2017. By comparison, the median pay in May 2017 for all occupations was $37,690. Jobs for information security analysts are projected by the BLS to grow four times faster than for all occupations, and 3.5 times faster than engineers as a group.
Projected Employment Growth, Information Security Analysts, 2016-2026

Materials Engineers

Materials Scientists

Mining and Geological Engineers

Petroleum Engineers

Physicists

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), there are approximately 20,500 physicists in the U.S. workforce, of which about 2,300 work as astronomers. Workers in this small, but vital STEM occupation explore the fundamental properties and laws that govern space, time, energy, and matter. While a Ph.D. in physics or related field is often needed for jobs in research or academia, a master's degree in physics may provide a pathway for jobs in applied R&D for manufacturing and healthcare companies. According to the American Institute of Physics, new physics bachelor's degree recipients entering the workforce receive some of the highest starting salaries of any undergraduate major. They often work in related fields such as engineering or computer science.

There are several types of physicists including astrophysicists and astronomers, atomic and molecular physicists, condensed matter and materials physicists, medical physicists, particle and nuclear physicists, and plasma physicists. Physicists can also work in interdisciplinary fields such as biophysics and geophysics. For example, medical physicists work in healthcare-related industries to help develop new medical technologies and radiation-based treatments, such as better and safer treatments for cancer patients. Other medical physicists may develop more accurate imaging technologies that use various forms of radiant energy, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound imaging.

The number of jobs for physicists is projected by BLS to grow nearly twice as fast (7%) than the average for all occupations in general (4%). However, since it is a small occupation, growth in employment is projected to result in about 1,400 new jobs over the 2019-2029 period. The largest employers of physicists are scientific R&D services, colleges and universities, and the federal government. NASA, the U.S. Department of Defense, and the U.S. Department of Energy and their contractors have traditionally been large employers of physicists at national laboratories and facilities such as the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the Goddard Space Flight Center. Many physicists and astronomers begin their careers as temporary postdoctoral researchers where they continue to learn specialized knowledge and skills and develop a broader understanding of related areas of research.

According to the BLS, the annual median wage for physicists was $122,850 in May 2019, which is higher than for all physical scientist occupations on average ($81,270) and significantly higher than for all occupations in general ($39,810). The median annual wages for physicists in the top industries where they worked are ambulatory healthcare services ($178,690) and scientific R&D services ($131,870). Working as a physicist is related to several other occupations, including computer science, engineering (such as nuclear engineering and health physics), and chemistry, which is discussed in a separate article.
Projected Employment Growth, Physicists and Astronomers, 2019-2029
Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, September 2020.

Software Developers

There are over 1,469,000 software developers in the U.S. workforce either employed as systems software developers or employed as applications software developers. Together, employment for software developers is projected to grow 22 percent from 2019 to 2029, much faster than the average for all occupations.

Software developers will be needed to respond to an increased demand for computer software because of an increase in the number of products that use software. The need for new applications on smart phones and tablets will also increase the demand for software developers. Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device. Others develop the underlying systems that run the devices or that control networks. Most jobs in this field require a degree in computer science, software engineering, or a related field and strong computer programming skills.

Software developers are in charge of the entire development process for a software program from identifying the core functionality that users need from software programs to determining requirements that are unrelated to the functions of the software, such as the level of security and performance. Software developers design each piece of an application or system and plan how the pieces will work together. This often requires collaboration with other computer specialists to create optimum software.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the median annual wage for applications software developments was $107,510 in May 2019. By comparison, the median pay in May 2019 for all occupations was $39,810. According to the BLS, the median annual wages for software developers working for software publishers in May 2019 was $122,110 and $116,080 for software developers working in manufacturing.
Projected Employment Growth, Software Developers, 2019-2029
Source: Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bureau of Labor Statistics, September 2020.

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What STEM Careers are in High Demand? - ORISE

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Agricultural, biological, and biosystems engineering is among the smallest STEM occupations we track, with only about 2,600 in the U.S. workforce in 2018.

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Throughout history there have been many women who have greatly contributed to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). While names like Marie Curie and Florence Nightingale are familiar to most, there are so many ingenious others who may not be as familiar; women who were leaders in their fields, who made major discoveries, and whose work led to critical social and political change. Below is a list of just some of the women who have made significant contributions to the fields of STEM. You can discover their stories through historical newspapers.

was an American educator, social reformer, and humanitarian whose devotion to the welfare of the mentally ill led to widespread reforms in the U.S. and abroad. She lobbied state legislatures and the U.S. Congress to create the first generation of Dorothea Dix (1802-1887) American mental asylums. During the Civil War, she served as Superintendent of Army Nurses.

was the first recognized, professional woman astronomer in the United States. In 1847, she discovered a new comet, which bears her name, calculated its orbit, and added several new nebulae to sky maps. In 1865, she was one of the first professors hired at the and was later elected president of the Maria Mitchell (1818-1889) newly founded Vassar College, where she became a strong advocate for women's rights American Association for the Advancement of Women.

was an Anglo-American physician who is considered the Elizabeth Blackwell (1821-1910) first woman doctor of medicine in modern times. She was the first woman in America to receive a medical degree. Throughout her career, she championed the participation of women in the medical profession and ultimately opened her own medical college for women.

(1863-1941) was an American astronomer who specialized in the Annie Jump Cannon classification of stellar spectra. Among her many accolades: she was the first woman to be awarded an honorary doctorate from the University of Oxford (1925) and the Henry Draper Medal of the National Academy of Sciences (1931). She was also the first woman to become an officer in the American Astronomical Society.

was an Austrian-born physicist who was a Lise Meitner (1878-1968) pioneer of atomic research. She collaborated closely with chemist Otto Hahn, studying radioactivity for over 30 years. Their joint research led to the discovery of uranium fission in 1938, which would revolutionize nuclear physics and lead to the atomic bomb. Hahn was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1944 for the joint discovery, but Meitner was not recognized for her role in the finding.

was an American electrical engineer with Edith Clarke (1883-1959) expertise in power systems and was influential in the design of dams across the American West, including Hoover Dam. She was a leading figure in her field and a woman of many firsts: the first woman elected a Fellow of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers (AIEE) in 1948 and the first woman to present a (prize-winning) paper at an AIEE meeting; the first woman to earn an electrical engineering graduate degree from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and the first woman to teach in the engineering department at the University of Texas-Austin.

was born into a wealthy family and pursued a life of philanthropy, politics, and social reform. She was a lifelong advocate of education, healthcare, and civil rights for African Americans. She is most noted for her contributions to the field of nursing and Frances P. Bolton (1885-1977) her work in the U.S. House of Representatives. In 1943 she sponsored the Bolton Act, which set up the U.S. Cadet Nurse Corps to train nurses for military and civilian roles in wartime. In total, the Act provided $5 million of federal funding to enable women to become nurses and was open to all qualified students regardless of the color of their skin. As a result, the number of qualified nurses increased more quickly, which enabled the U.S. to sustain the war effort at home and abroad.

was a journalist and environmentalist who helped defend the Florida Everglades. As a young woman, she was a writer and editor at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas (1890-1998)Miami Herald, the newspaper that her father had helped establish in 1910. She became known for her work in nature conservation after her book Everglades: River of Grass was published in 1947. Years later, at the age of 79, she founded the Friends of the Everglades. She not only advocated for the environment, but also for women's rights and racial equality. She received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1993 from President Bill Clinton.

was a Chinese-born American women's rights activist and minister. At the age of sixteen, she became a recognized suffragist and activist when she, on horseback, helped to lead nearly 10,000 people in the Dr. Mabel Ping-Hua Lee (1896-1966) New York suffrage parade (1912). She went on to become the first Chinese woman to earn a Ph.D. in economics at Columbia University. She published her book, The Economic History of China, in 1921.

was an American obstetrician and civil rights activist. She founded the Dorothy Boulding Ferebee (1898-1980) Mississippi Health Project and the Southeast Neighborhood House, which provided healthcare to the most vulnerable members of the African American community. She was a dedicated advocate for public health, civil rights, and women's rights, particularly in her roles as president of the National Council of Negro Women and as an international delegate for the U.S. government.

was an American mathematician and rear admiral in the U.S. Navy. She was a pioneer in Grace Hopper (1906-1992) developing computer technology, helping to devise the first commercial electronic computer, and designed a standardized system of computer languages for the U.S. Navy.

was an American biologist well Rachel Carson (1907-1964) known for her writings on environmental pollution and the natural history of the sea. Her prophetic book Silent Spring (1962) was first serialized in The New Yorker and then became a bestseller, creating worldwide awareness of the dangers of environmental pollution.

(1912-1997) was a Chinese-born American physicist who provided the first experimental proof that the principle of parity conservation does not hold in weak subtonic interactions. After receiving her Ph.D. in 1940, and throughout her career, she worked as a professor at Smith College, Princeton University, and Dr. Chien-Shiung Wu Columbia University. Wu received the National Medal of Science in 1975, served as president of the American Physical Society that year, and is considered one of the premier experimental physicists in history.

Hedy Lamarr (1914-2000) was an Austrian-born American film star who was often typecast as a provocative femme fatale. Years after her screen career ended, she achieved recognition as a noted inventor of a radio communications device. During WWII, in collaboration with avant-garde composer George Antheil , she invented an electronic device that minimized the jamming of radio signals. Though it was never used during wartime, the device is a component of present-day satellite and cellular phone technology.

Leona Woods Marshall Libby (1919-1986) was an American physicist and one of the women who helped to create the atomic weapon. She worked on the team that constructed the first nuclear chain reaction leading to the development of the bomb as part of a nationwide atomic research program known as the Manhattan Project.

June Almeida (1930-2007) was a Scottish-born, internationally renowned virologist who pioneered new methods for viral imaging and diagnosis. She was the person who identified the first human coronavirus.

Antonia Novello (1944- ) is a Puerto Rican-born physician and public official, the first woman and the first Hispanic to serve as surgeon general of the United States (1990-93).

Mae Jemison (1956- ) is an American physician and the first African American woman to become an astronaut. In 1992, she spent more than a week orbiting Earth in the space shuttle .

Ellen Ochoa (1958- ) is an American astronaut and administrator who was the first Hispanic woman to travel into space (1993). She later served as director of NASA's Johnson Space Center (2013-18).

There are so many women in history who have greatly contributed to the fields of STEM, a number well beyond this list. Please share in the comments some of the names and stories of other women in STEM that we missed.
Discover more:
*The Chronicling America historic newspapers online collection is a product of the National Digital Newspaper Program and jointly sponsored by the Library and the National Endowment for the Humanities.

Follow Chronicling America on Twitter @ChronAmLOC

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Historical Women in STEM | Headlines & Heroes

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Throughout history there have been many women who have greatly contributed to science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM). While names like Marie Curie and Florence Nightingale are familiar to most, there are so many ingenious others who may not be as familiar; women who were leaders in their fields, who made major discoveries, and whose work led to critical social and political change.

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By Amy Cowen on September 13, 2023 3:34 PM
Celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month by learning more about some of the many Hispanic and Latinx scientists and engineers who have made important contributions to science history.
Update! This post has been updated for 2023 to include additional scientists and engineers.

Learn More about these Hispanic and Latinx Scientists and Engineers

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept 15-Oct 15), we highlight a few of the Hispanic and Latinx scientists and engineers who made (and are making) important contributions to science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). The list below is only a sampling of noted scientists through history and working in STEM fields today.

To encourage students to learn more about these scientists and to explore related science projects and careers for scientists they find interesting, for each scientist, we have included a short biographical summary, links to 1-2 hands-on science projects related to the scientist's area of study, links to relevant science career profiles, and a link to a biography.

Note: Educators can use this career worksheet to guide student exploration and reflection about STEM careers.

1. 3. Helia Bravo Hollis, biologist and botanist

Helia Bravo Hollis was a biologist and botanist whose research focused on the collection and classification of cacti in Mexico. ( Biography)

Learn more about related careers: Plant Scientist

2. 4. Franklin Chang-Díaz, astronaut

Franklin Chang-Díaz is a mechanical engineer and astronaut. As the first Hispanic NASA astronaut, he was involved in seven space shuttle missions, including Columbia and Endeavor. ( Biography)

Interested in mechanical engineering and space science? Learn more with science projects like: Bottle Rocket Blast Off! and Catching Stardust

Learn more about related careers: Mechanical Engineer, Aerospace Engineer

3. 6. France Córdova, astrophysicist

France Córdova was the 14th director of the National Science Foundation. As an astrophysicist, Córdova conducted multi-spectral research on x-ray and gamma ray sources and instruments used in space. She also served as NASA's chief scientist and, later, president of Purdue University. ( Biography)

Interested in astrophysics and space science? Learn more with a science project like: X-Ray Vision: Seeing Into Space

Learn more about related careers: Physicist and Astronomer

9. 26. Evangelina Villegas, chemist

Evangelina Villegas was a chemist whose work centered on cereal grains and the genetic engineering of wheat and maize with improved nutritional content to help fight malnutrition in areas around the world. ( Biography)

Interested in agricultural technology and genetic engineering? Learn more with science projects like: Genetically Modified Foods and A Sweet Sequence: The Cacao Genome

STEM Career Worksheet

To encourage students to learn more about these scientists and to explore related careers in science, technology, engineering, and math, use our free STEM Career Worksheet along with this post.

If you use the "Get Inspired by these Hispanic Scientists and Engineers" post and career worksheet with students, we would love to hear your feedback. Email us at scibuddy@sciencebuddies.org with your comments or story.

Diversity in STEM

To help students see themselves with a future in STEM and to broaden understanding of science history, it is important for students to learn about a diverse range of scientists and engineers. This includes celebrating the stories of women, African American, Asian American Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, Hispanic, and Native American scientists and engineers, scientists with disabilities, and other scientists from around the world.

Note: Individual scientist photos used in this post are in the public domain with exception of:
Albert Baez (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory)
Helia Bravo Hollis ( Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Nicole Hernandez Hammer ( Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Mario Molina ( Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0)
Sabrina Gonzalez Pasterski ( Wikimedia, CC BY-SA 4.0)
Lydia Villa-Komaroff ( Amy Poehler's Smart Girls)
Paul A. Sanchez ( John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation)
Evangelina Villegas ( CIMMYT, CC BY-SA 4.0)

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Hispanic Scientists and Engineers - Hispanic Heritage Month | Science Buddies Blog

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Learn more about these Hispanic and Latinx scientists and engineers as part of Hispanic Heritage Month.

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Excellent book for Oceanography study about Eugenie Clark. Students could design floatation devices and conduct buoyancy experiments.

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Annie's workshop - Books Read Aloud for Kids

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Shark Lady by Jess Keating I Read aloud I Biography books for kids

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Great book ideas for STEM lessons.

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Heather Alexander

Penguin Young Readers / Penguin Workshop

Based on a true story of two young ladies who pursued their dream through the entrepreneurship process and founded Chirps. This company creates sustainable food products from cricket flour.

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Heather Alexander Penguin Young Readers / Penguin Workshop Based on a true story of two young ladies who pursued their dream through the entrepreneurship process and founded Chirps. This company creates sustainable food products from cricket flour.

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Excellent story to introduce STEM activities with wind and perseverance.

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The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

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The How to Catch books can all be used to create traps and contraptions for Stem. Encourage students to use simple machines in their design process.

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Teachers can use the site to build lessons around natural disasters and the data collected.

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Coding can be used in all subjects to allow students creativity and thinking critically.

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Learn computer science. Change the world.

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Every student in every school deserves the opportunity to study computer science.

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Over 5,000 Award-Winning Lessons

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We're living during a high-tech revolution, witnessing life-changing advancements in medicine, environmental conservation, and much more. At the core of all these amazing projects and discoveries is CODE. Code can be the thing that differentiates your child from peers and allows them to stand out as an asset for companies when they are looking for employment. The children who learn to code today will become the creators of the technology tomorrow. Learning how to code can help children make a major contribution to the world that they live in and make a lasting impact.

As kids and teens learn to code, they also build essential skills like critical thinking, logic, and problem-solving. They learn to logically sequence events, create playable games, tell good stories, and model real situations. They also learn computational thinking by developing algorithmic and design thinking abilities. Coding for kids has become an essential element of a child's education and an excellent way to express their creativity and imagination.

How do I start my child coding?

Coding, otherwise known as programming, is a creative activity for all children. Your child might not care about writing data processing algorithms, but they might enjoy creating games, programming music, designing websites, or just playing with code. Learning to code is for everyone; you don't have to be good at math or a "techie" to learn how to code. Kids as young as five can learn to code and pick it up faster than most adults.

When your kids are starting, pick a program like MIT's Scratch or Tynker Junior app. The visual style of these programs makes it easy for young children to learn to code. Scratch and Tynker have a graphical interface that works. Drag-and-drop code blocks snap together. Pieces of code that don\'t make computational sense won't fit together, making syntax errors impossible.

Older children can learn to code with Python by building games, art, music, and more. Some programs like Tynker offer a placement test to set your child on the right track for their age and experience level.

What age is best to introduce coding to kids?

Every child learns at their own pace. They can learn different subjects at varying rates and ways. Experts believe that children should learn coding at an early age. According to MIT, the best age for kids to start learning coding languages such as Scratch Jr or Tynker Jr is from 5 to 7. Many programs allow your children to progress at their own pace or hire an instructor to help them move along.

With Tynker, a placement test will place your child on the correct path based on age and skill level, and Tynker supports children up to age 18 with real-world text languages like Python and JavaScript. Children progress to more difficult coding courses with the support of interactive tutorials and video instructions at their own pace.

Which is the best coding for kids program?

With so many great services available, learning to code has never been easier! For example, Scratch and Tynker provide innovative visual coding languages that make coding fun. Coding is a great way to broaden your child's worldview and develop their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. Here are a few coding for kids options to review:

Game-based learning -Game-based platforms such as Tynker and the challenges on Code.org motivate kids to use code to complete game levels.

Independent learning with Scratch -Scratch from MIT is a great way of getting started with code. Although they don't have courses, there's a vibrant community to learn from.

Online courses-Enroll in a Python or JavaScript course on Codecademy or Tynker or learn to code with Processing on Khan Academy. Tynker offers advanced courses like Processing 1, using p5.js to introduce the foundational concepts of art and computer science.

Build an app-Learn to build your own iOS app using Swift. Install the Swift Playgrounds app by Apple.

Use a book-Learn by following along with books like Mission Python, Super Scratch Programming Adventure, or Coding with Minecraft. Tynker has a series of super-informative coding activity books, including Code These Games, Code These Minecraft Mods, and Code This Art.

Why is coding needed?

Coding is the method of giving a computer instructions to perform a specific task. You may also hear coding referred to as software programming or computer programming. These instructions are communicated using a language that computers can understand, like visual blocks, JavaScript and Python.

Coding for kids lays the groundwork for our world's technology, from microprocessors in everyday items like refrigerators and water heaters to sophisticated programs that run our cars and buildings. Learning to code is a great opportunity for children of all ages to develop their problem-solving and critical thinking skills, while building the necessary focus and organization to see projects through to completion.

Coding usually begins with drag-and-drop visual programming in which children connect blocks together to make programs. Visual programming teaches the fundamental concepts without typing or syntax by placing the focus on the logic behind the code. Once they've learned the basics, children can transition to real-world programming languages like Python, JavaScript, and C.

From online coding courses and games to offline learning, from in-person coding instruction to live online tutoring, there are endless coding resources available. The best coding platforms and programs like Scratch, Code.org and Tynker give children of all ages and experience levels the ability to code while making the process fun and engaging.

Why should we use Tynker coding for kids?

Tynker is the world's number one coding platform for children ages 5 to 18 for a reason-it works! Tynker powers the creativity of over 100 million students and serves thousands of schools and educators worldwide.

Tynker's award-winning, gamified courses and coding for kids activities encourage kids to complete projects as they have fun, allowing them to progress from novices to experts using languages like Python. Tynker's interactive lessons have built-in tutorials for all ages and skill levels. Our highly-rated mobile app (4.7 stars) lets students take Tynker on the go. Learning how to code with Tynker unlocks and empowers children's creativity, teaching them life-long skills they can use today and into the future.

How do I teach my 7 year old code?

Learning to code is for everyone; you don't have to be good at math or a "techie" to learn how to code. Kids as young as five can learn to code and pick it up faster than most adults. Tynker Junior is a fun, interactive way to spark your kid's interest in coding. Kids (ages 5-7) learn coding basics by connecting picture blocks to move their characters. Tynker's immersive game-like coding courses and interactive lessons with built-in tutorials are perfect for beginners 5+ through experts 18+.

What options are there for coding for teens?

Code.org has a year-long course in Computer Science Principles that introduces students to the foundational concepts of computer science and challenges them to explore how computing and technology can impact the world.

Tynker has coding for kids courses that align with subject standards like CCSS-ELA, CCSS-Math, NGSS and CS standards such as CSTA, ISTE, CA CS, UK National Curriculum, and several state-level standards like TEKS.

Tynker is recognized by College Board as an endorsed curriculum provider for AP Computer Science Principles and AP Computer Science A.

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Coding For Kids, Kids Online Coding Classes & Games | Tynker

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Tynker makes it fun and easy to learn computer programming. Get started today with Tynker's easy-to-learn, visual programming course designed for young learners in 4th through 8th grades.

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​​​ Georgia Standards for Computer Science - Elementary School​

GaDOE is using a new technical specification by the IMS Global Learning Consortium (IMS Global) called the Competency and Academic Standards Exchange (CASE) to enable a machine-readable, linked data versions of state standards.​ With CASE, open-educational resources can be more easily tagged and discovered. Districts and individual educators can build crosswalks to their local learning targets, organize assessment results, and discover content through these crosswalks. The CASE format enables teaching, learning, and assessment software systems to access or consume competency frameworks and crosswalks.

Grade Band Pages

K-5 Grade Level Standards

Teacher Resources​

Teacher Notes

Sample Units

Professional Learning Videos

For more videos from the 2020 Virtual Computer Science Workshop Click Below:

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Computer Science Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) K-5

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​​​ Georgia Standards for Computer Science - Elementary School​ GaDOE is using a new technical specification by the IMS Global Learning Consortium (IMS Global) called the Competency and Academic Standards Exchange (CASE) to enable a machine-readable, linked data versions of state standards.​ With CASE, open-educational resources can be more easily tagged and discovered.

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The Gold standard for teaching Project based learning. It explains why it is important and how it can benefit all students.

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Project Based Learning (PBL) is a teaching method in which students learn by actively engaging in real-world and personally meaningful projects.

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Welcome to the IM Resource Hub, where you can explore a variety of useful documents, on-demand videos, and presentations that are useful to the IM Community.

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Browse Key Resources

Search Multiple Earth Education Websites

Teach the Earth is a portal to thousands of resources from dozens of Earth Education websites.

Explore Themes

Course Topics

Incorporating Societal Issues

Strengthening Your Department

Career Development

Diversity

Strengthening Departments

Student Recruitment

Teacher Preparation

Teaching Topics

Teaching Environments

Two-Year Colleges

Intro Geoscience

K12

Urban Students

Enhancing your Teaching

Featured: from Across the Portal

News & Events

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Teach the Earth is a portal to thousands of resources from dozens of Earth Education websites. Course Topics Career Development Diversity Strengthening Departments Student Recruitment Teacher Preparation Two-Year Colleges Intro Geoscience K12 Urban Students Enhancing your Teaching Featured: from Across the Portal News & Events

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Check out the guidance for the steps to designing a coherent NGSS aligned storyline. Explore unpacking, identifying phenomena, and sequencing investigations to help students build science ideas, step by step.

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Information for teachers as they plan lessons and review standards.

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Education Week - K-12 education news and information

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At Education Week, we believe that all children deserve a high-quality education.

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Students use the website to fill their aquariums.

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LiveAquaria® - Quality Aquatic Life Direct to Your Door

LiveAquaria is committed to offering sustainably raised aquatic life that is either aquacultured or responsibly harvested, which includes careful attention to both the animals and the habitat.

LiveAquaria is your single destination for all things aquatic. Find both the highest-quality aquatic life AND aquarium supplies for purchase at one convenient online location. LiveAquaria offers aquarium hobbyists the best shopping experience possible, with a trusted selection of freshwater and marine fish, corals, reef rock, invertebrates, live plants, AND quality aquarium supplies. . . all at great prices!

Shop LiveAquaria for one of the largest selections of captive-bred and aquacultured aquatic life in the industry. LiveAquaria seeks out the best fish, corals, and invertebrates from the most responsible suppliers, aquaculture facilities, breeders, and hatcheries in the United States, Asia, and Europe to provide aquarium hobbyists a viable alternative to wild-harvested fish whenever possible.

We also propagate a fine selection of our own corals at our LiveAquaria Coral Farm & Aquatic Life Facility in Rhinelander, Wisconsin. This cutting-edge facility is also home to our popular Diver's Den® WYSIWYG (What-You-See-Is-What-You-Get) Store where you can shop online for one-of-a-kind Marine and Freshwater Fish; Aquacultured Corals; Clams, LPS Corals; SPS Corals, Maricultured Corals; Polyp, Mushroom, and Soft Corals; Nonphotosynthetic (NPS) Corals; and Invertebrates you are unlikely to see anywhere else.

You'll find extensive information on every species available at LiveAquaria to make the process of researching and purchasing aquarium inhabitants informative and convenient. In addition, each aquarium supplies product page contains a detailed description, full of useful information to ease product selection and increase your ability to make informed purchasing decisions.

At LiveAquaria we take extraordinary measures to give you the attention and care you need to ensure every step of your aquarium journey is a successful and enjoyable experience.

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LiveAquaria | Quality Aquarium Fish, Supplies & Equipment

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LiveAquaria is the largest online shop for all of your aquarium needs. From live sustainably raised freshwater and saltwater fish, plants, invertebrates, corals, and reef rock to premium aquarium supplies, food, and equipment. Shop today and get free shipping on qualifying orders!

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Citizen Science — Captain Planet Foundation

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Citizen Science refers to the involvement of the public in scientific research, often through contribution of observations into large data sets. Citizen science projects offer students a real-world context and opportunity to apply the observations they make as part of their classwork. Many CPF lesso…

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Citizen Scientist allows everyone to contribute to science through games.

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Free mobile game that uses the collective force of players to analyze real genetic data

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Earth Science Lessons

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So, the ground below a structure can be as important a safety consideration as its construction. Bedrock absorbs more wave energy than sandy soils or landfill, so buildings on solid rock will be much less affected than those built on softer soils.

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OCEARCH is a data-centric organization built to help scientists collect previously unattainable data in the ocean.

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Resources for teachers as they plan lessons.

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Environmental Education Alliance of Georgia

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EEA has been serving environmental educators throughout Georgia since 1992. EEA supports environmental educators throughout Georgia to achieve our vision of a statewide culture of environmental literacy and stewardship. We believe environmental education (EE) encourages inquiry,

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Student use simulations to learn about electricity, water and many other concepts.

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By converting our sims to HTML5, we make them seamlessly available across platforms and devices. Whether you have laptops, iPads, chromebooks, or BYOD, your favorite PhET sims are always right at your fingertips.Become part of our mission today, and transform the learning experiences of students everywhere!

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The Monarch Project's mission is to be an advocate for the monarch butterfly, its habitat and the incredible, endangered migration phenomenon that only these insect make.

Through entertaining events, like our gardening workshops or life cycle lectures, we teach others about the monarch and focus on ways we can work at restoring their habitat.

And we also look to benefit the community through our 'Changing Lives' programs, which provide related activities and art therapy projects that not only educate others on these issues, but can also build confidence and empower those in who can use it most.

We realize there are all sorts of hard core scientific websites are out there, so if you develop a fervor for the monarch butterfly as we have, by all means, please indulge. Our goal to bring the information in an amusing and fun way. This does not mean we are not serious about what we are doing. We are very serious about what is going on with the monarch. But we have found that if you make education a little more humorous and little less daunting, it seems to stick better.

So please, explore our site and let's see what we can do together...

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The Monarch Project's mission is to be an advocate for the monarch butterfly, its habitat and the incredible, endangered migration phenomenon that only these insect make. Through entertaining events, like our gardening workshops or life cycle lectures, we teach others about the monarch and focus on ways we can work at restoring their habitat.

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Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide 2.0

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The Project WET Curriculum and Activity Guide 2.0 continues Project WET's dedication to 21st-century, cutting-edge water education. Now in full color, Guide 2.0 offers new activities on topics such as National Parks and storm water, fully revised and updated activities from the original Guide and the very best activities gathered from all of Project WET's publications.

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Grand Challenges - Grand Challenges for Engineering

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Great video to discuss engineering.

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Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor once said, "Until we get equality in education, we won't have an
equal society." Though aimed at society as a whole, her words also apply to our scientific society.

Until the scientific community makes dedicated efforts to include minority scholars, science will never be an equal society. While the Supreme Court recently ruled to block attempts to end the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, the fight against systemic racism is a long journey that extends far beyond this case. We must all work to ensure scientists from all walks of life are supported and welcomed into the scientific community in order to build a landscape that more accurately represents the makeup of society.

In honor of National Hispanic Heritage Month, we're showcasing 100 of the most inspiring Hispanic/Latinx scientists working in the United States. This list-selected based on scholarly achievements, mentoring excellence, and commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion-represents only a subset of the scientific role models in the community. Our aim in assembling these names is to put an end to the harmful myth that there are not enough diverse scientists to give seminars, serve as panelists, or fill scientific positions. We highlight scientists encompassing careers within academia, government, and biotech and showcase individuals committed to serving diverse student populations at Hispanic-serving institutions. Although we understand this list is not fully representative of the Hispanic/Latinx scientific community, we hope it will help to change the perception of what a scientist looks like and makes our collective image more representative of society at large.

I would like to thank the collaborative team of scholars that helped generate our list. Specifically, thank
you to Dr. Antentor O. Hinton Jr. (lead author of 100 inspiring black scientists in America), Dr. Melanie R McReynolds, and Amara Pang as well as the funding sources that supported our efforts: the Damon Runyon Cancer Foundation, the Burroughs Wellcome Fund, the University of California President's Postdoctoral Fellowship, the Ford Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Hanna H. Gray Fellowship, and the E. E. Just Postdoctoral Fellowship.

Established Investigators

Renato J. Aguilera, PhD
Professor of Biological Sciences, Director of the RISE Scholars Program, Research Deputy Director of the Border Biomedical Research Center (BBRC), Biology Graduate Program Director, and Cellular Characterization and Biorepository Facility Director; The University of Texas at El Paso

Lead Investigator, Pain and Integrative Neuroscience Branch, National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health

Assistant Professor of Neuroscience, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis

Chair and Professor, University of California, Davis School of Medicine

Michelle Juarez, PhD
HHMI Science Education Fellow, Howard Hughes Medical Institute

Assistant Professor, Northern New Mexico College

Santiago Lozano Calderon, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery; Harvard Medical School, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard University

Rising Stars

Yadira Soto-Feliciano, PhD
Damon Runyon Postdoctoral Fellow, The Rockefeller University

Jacqueline A. De Lora, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow, Max Planck Institute for Medical Research

Elsy Buitrago-Delgado, PhD
HHMI Hanna Gray Fellow, California Institute of Technology

Research Lead of Biodiversity and Environmental Data Science, University of California, Berkeley

HHMI Hanna Gray Fellow, Harvard University

Scientific Program Manager, PathAI

Robert W. Fernandez, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow and Co-Founder of Cientifico Latino, Columbia University

Senior Consultant, EmpowerSci Solutions
and Hinton and Garza-Lopez Consulting

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100 inspiring Hispanic/Latinx scientists in America

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Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor once said, "Until we get equality in education, we won't have anequal society." Though aimed at society as a whole, her words also apply to our scientific society. Until the scientific community makes dedicated efforts to include minority scholars, science will never be an equal society.

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Explore the paths of 44 inspiring women in diverse STEM fields, and learn what it takes to be a STEM Gem! Buy Now! Scientists featured include: Archaeologist Atmospheric Scientist Computational Biologist and Geneticist Entomologist Forensic Scientist Global Health Scientist

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This material is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under grant #1621210. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.

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Professional learning for teachers.

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Paul has provided training for students, teachers, administrators, and professors around the world. Paul's specialties include the Next Generation Science Standards, educational technology, the flipped classroom, and effective classroom design. In addition to his work as a trainer Paul is an accomplished keynote speaker.

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Paul has provided training for students, teachers, administrators, and professors around the world. Paul's specialties include the Next Generation Science Standards, educational technology, the flipped classroom, and effective classroom design. In addition to his work as a trainer Paul is an accomplished keynote speaker.

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Includes links to many resources for Phenomena.

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Georgia Science Teachers Association - Phenomenal Resources

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Climate Change MEL
The Climate Change MEL asks students to weigh the connections between evidence and alternative explanations about the causes of current climate change.

Below are links to a series of activities that will help students use the Climate Change MEL and learn more about fundamental scientific principles related to climate and weather.
Fracking MEL
The Fracking MEL asks students to weigh the connections between evidence and alternative explanations about the impact of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) on moderate-strength earthquakes.

Below are links to a series of activities that will help students use the Fracking MEL and learn more about fundamental scientific principles related to earthquakes.
Moon MEL
The Moon MEL asks students to weigh the connections between evidence and alternative explanations about the formation of the Moon.

Below are links to a series of activities that will help students use the Moon MEL and learn more about fundamental scientific principles related to the Moon and its formation.
Wetlands MEL

The Wetlands MEL asks students to weigh the connections between evidence and alternative explanations about wetlands as a natural resources.

Below are links to a series of activities that will help students use the Wetlands MEL and learn more about fundamental scientific principles related to the role of wetlands.
Supplements to the MEL
The Explanation Task is part of each MEL Activity. In this task, students provide written explanations for the arrows they drew on the diagram. The following rubric may be used to score students' written explanations.

This Plausibility Ranking Task (PRT), which may be completed prior to using any MELs, helps students to understand the role of evidence in supporting or refuting models.

The Critical Evaluation Task (CET) asks students to consider the flaws in arguments presented in favor of and in opposition to recycling. It may be completed done prior to and after use of any and all MELs in order to assess students' ability to be critically evaluative.

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Climate Change MEL The Climate Change MEL asks students to weigh the connections between evidence and alternative explanations about the causes of current climate change. Below are links to a series of activities that will help students use the Climate Change MEL and learn more about fundamental scientific principles related to climate and weather.

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Great resource to find Phenomena for science lessons.

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Impact on Science Education | College of Education

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This tool contains over 200 (and growing!) examples of scientific phenomena for K-12 teachers.

Help us develop the Phenomena Finder! Use the links at the bottom of the page to give feedback or suggest additional phenomena.

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The Phenomena Finder is a tool that helps K-12 teachers find scientific phenomena through which to engage students in STEM learning. It contains over 200 phenomena related to engineering, technology, and sciences including life sciences (biology, ecology), physical sciences (chemistry, physics), and Earth and space sciences (geology, astronomy).

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Explore a wealth of engaging STEM activities and resources that will spark your curiosity and inspire your love for science. Our hands-on activities are designed to be done from the comfort of your own home, so you can learn and explore at your own pace. With easy-to-follow instructions and accessible materials, you can dive right in and start exploring the wonders of science.

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Explore a wealth of engaging STEM activities and resources that will spark your curiosity and inspire your love for science. Our hands-on activities are designed to be done from the comfort of your own home, so you can learn and explore at your own pace.

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Welcome! How many of the 20th century's greatest engineering achievements will you use today? A car? Computer? Telephone? Explore our list of the top 20 achievements and learn how engineering shaped a century and changed the world.

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Greatest Engineering Achievements of the Twentieth Century

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Welcome!How many of the 20th century’s greatest engineering achievements will you use today? A car? Computer? Telephone? Explore our list of the top 20 achievements and learn how engineering shaped a century and changed the world.

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Teaching the Engineering and Design process to students.

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The engineering design process encompasses a mindset that emphasizes open-ended problem solving and encourages students to learn from failure. Experiencing the engineering design process nurtures students' abilities to create innovative solutions to challenges in any subject!

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Generation Genius offers engaging lessons and videos to help students understand science concepts.

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Video lessons made in partnership with the National Science Teachers Association that engage, educate & inspire kids in science. Generation Genius videos are 12-minutes long and include lesson plans, teacher guides, DIY activities and stopping points for class discussion.

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Next Generation Science Standards

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Opportunities for teachers to conduct research.

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This is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government, administered by IREX.

Join a global community of educators and prepare your students for the world.

The Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Research Program provides an opportunity for K-12 educators from the United States to conduct research and engage in other professional learning experiences abroad for three to six months. Participants work on individual inquiry projects on a topic relevant to education in the United States and the host country, take courses at a host university, and collaborate with colleagues on educational practices to improve student learning.

Program Description

Distinguished educators who are selected to participate in the program will:

1. Design and implement an Inquiry Project related to education in the United States and their host country.

2. Build global networks of researchers, practitioners, and policy makers.

3. Exchange ideas and best educational practices.

4. Develop resources and tools that can be used long after the project ends.

Upon returning home, educators will be expected to share the knowledge and experience gained during the program with educators and students in their home schools and communities.

Learn more about what participants do and explore the participating host countries and territories for 2022 - 2023: Brazil, Colombia, Finland, Greece, India, Mexico, Morocco, Singapore, Taiwan, United Kingdom, and Vietnam.

Is this program right for you?

Are you an elementary, middle, or high school educator from the United States looking to grow your leadership skills; expand your access to global networks; inform research, policy, and practice; and promote mutual understanding?

Are you a curious, flexible, and independent learner? Do you have a demonstrated record of professional learning activities and leadership? Learn more about the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Research Program and how to apply!
See all requirements for this program

How to apply

The Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Research Program is open to full-time elementary, middle, and high school educators who are employed at a public, private (secular or faith-based), or charter school in the United States, or within the Department of Defense Education Activity at the elementary, middle, or high school level (K-12).
Ready to apply?

How we select participants

Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Research Program participants are selected through an open competition. Applications are reviewed by an independent panel of experts according to a number of evaluation criteria.

In an effort to reflect the diversity of the United States and global society, the Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs programs, funding, and other activities encourage the involvement of U.S. and international participants from traditionally underrepresented groups, including women, racial and ethnic minorities, and people with disabilities. Opportunities are open to people regardless of their race, color, national origin, sex, age, religion, geographic location, socioeconomic status, disability, sexual orientation, or gender identity. The Bureau is committed to fairness, equity, and inclusion.
Learn more about the selection process

I've always had a global view, but I wanted to push myself. It's about having a more global perspectrive and being able to bring that back to your students and your community. Thinking big is important, even if you're in a small town like me. One highlight of the Fulbright program was experiencing Chinese New Year celebrations with students and staff at Zhenghua Secondary School in Singapore.

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Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Research Program

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This is a program of the U.S. Department of State with funding provided by the U.S. Government, administered by IREX. Join a global community of educators and prepare your students for the world. The Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Research Program provides an opportunity for K-12 educators from the United States to conduct research and engage in other professional learning experiences abroad for three to six months.

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Lessons on Energy with activities.

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Quick Look

Grade Level: 4 (3-5)

Time Required: 45 minutes

Expendable Cost/Group: US $3.00

Group Size: 28

Activity Dependency: None

Subject Areas: Physical Science, Science and Technology

NGSS Performance Expectations:

Summary Three short, hands-on, in-class demos expand students' understanding of energy. First, using peanuts and heat, students see how the human body uses food to make energy. Then, students create paper snake mobiles to explore how heat energy can cause motion. Finally, students determine the effect that heat energy from the sun (or a lamp) has on temperature by placing pans of water in different locations.
This engineering curriculum aligns to Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Engineering Connection

Chemical engineers apply their understanding of how the human body gets energy and what foods give the most energy to create energy bars and drinks that maximize the energy athletes get from food. When designing heating and cooling systems, mechanical engineers study thermal energy and how it creates air movement. They know rising hot air mixes with the existing room air, preventing "cold" spots and making the space more comfortable; this is why they locate heating vents low on the floor. Civil and mechanical engineers have designed ways to harness renewable energy. Two such inventions are solar panels, which produce electricity from the sun, and solar hot water heaters, which absorb energy from the sun and transfer it to water for hot showers or laundry.

Learning Objectives

After this activity, students should be able to:

Explain that a light bulb generates heat.

Explain that energy is produced in a reaction that takes place in the body.

Describe how heat energy or solar energy is released, for example, by raising the temperature of the water in a pan that was exposed to this type of energy.

Provide examples of how energy is used in our everyday lives.

Educational Standards

Each TeachEngineering lesson or activity is correlated to one or more K-12 science, technology, engineering or math (STEM) educational standards.

All 100,000+ K-12 STEM standards covered in TeachEngineering are collected, maintained and packaged by the Achievement Standards Network (ASN), a project of D2L (www.achievementstandards.org).

In the ASN, standards are hierarchically structured: first by source; e.g., by state; within source by type; e.g., science or mathematics; within type by subtype, then by grade, etc.

NGSS Performance Expectation

Click to view other curriculum aligned to this Performance Expectation

This activity focuses on the following Three Dimensional Learning aspects of NGSS:

Science & Engineering Practices

Disciplinary Core Ideas

Crosscutting Concepts

Make observations to produce data to serve as the basis for evidence for an explanation of a phenomenon or test a design solution.

Energy can be moved from place to place by moving objects or through sound, light, or electric currents. Energy is present whenever there are moving objects, sound, light, or heat. When objects collide, energy can be transferred from one object to another, thereby changing their motion. In such collisions, some energy is typically also transferred to the surrounding air; as a result, the air gets heated and sound is produced. Light also transfers energy from place to place. Energy can also be transferred from place to place by electric currents, which can then be used locally to produce motion, sound, heat, or light. The currents may have been produced to begin with by transforming the energy of motion into electrical energy.

Energy can be transferred in various ways and between objects.

Suggest an alignment not listed above

Materials List

Peanut Calorie Demo:

5 peanuts (out of the shell)

metal tongs

Bunsen burner (or candle and matches)

Coiling Snake Demo:

Each group needs:

Coiling Snake Template (also available in Microsoft Word; see Attachments section for all Word files)

red construction paper (for snake tongue)

string (or thread) (~30 cm or 1 foot per group)

scissors

For the entire class to share:

candle and matches, or light bulb (a light bulb is less of a fire hazard)

glue

hole punch

Evidence of Solar Energy Demo:

4 aluminum pans

tap water

thermometer

(alternative energy source if no sunshine) desk lamp

Worksheets and Attachments
Visit [www.teachengineering.org/activities/view/cub_energy2_lesson01_activity1] to print or download.

Introduction/Motivation

Brainstorm with students to identify different ways we use energy. Create a Know / Want to Know/ Learn (KWL) chart on the classroom board (or use the provided KWL Chart). (Possible ideas: Stoves for cooking, heating our homes, powering light bulbs.)

All the ideas you just named are inventions that use energy and benefit people. Before engineers could create any of these inventions, they first learned about the properties or characteristics of energy.

Have you ever felt really tired after a lot of exercise? What are some things you do to help? (Possible ideas: Take a nap, eat a snack, rest.) What are some of the snacks you like best? When we exercise, our bodies burn up the chemical energy available in food. Some foods have more energy than others. Chemical engineers have created high-energy bars for athletes to help them load up on energy when they need it.

Have you ever seen a hot air balloon? What happens to steam from boiling water? In both of cases, the heated air rises. This is because hot air is less dense (or weighs less) than cold air. In the snake demo, you will see how rising hot air can cause motion. This is a natural motion that engineers take advantage of when designing heating systems. Did you ever notice that most heat vents and radiators are located low, near the floor? This is because engineers know that heated air rises and provides better mixing with the cool air in the room if the hot air rises from below, near the floor.

Have you ever stood in the sun and felt really warm on a sunny day? What if you are wearing a dark-colored shirt? Does the shirt get warm to the touch? Well, the sun is a huge energy source. Can you name two types of energy that the sun produces? Light and heat! Engineers study the energy from the sun and develop ways to capture that energy for people to use. Engineers have invented devices such as solar panels and solar water heaters that capture the sun's energy for electricity and heat. Engineers also design buildings to take advantage of the sun's heat to warm up specific rooms all year long.

Today, we are going to look at some different types of energy and think about how engineers would use what we learn.

Procedure

Before the Activity

With the Students
Peanut Calorie Demo (conduct as a class; 5 minutes)

1. Have students sit in a circle a few feet away from this demo.

2. Hold your hand over the flame of a Bunsen burner (not too close!) (or use a candle and matches). Can you feel the heat?

What can holding peanuts over a flame tell us about burning energy and calories?

1. Hold an unshelled peanut with tongs and light it using a Bunsen burner (or a candle or a match).

2. Hold the peanut until the flame has burned it.

3. Have students count the number of seconds it takes the peanut flame to go out. Explain to them that the peanut is burning fat calories.

4. You may want to use the peanut to heat a small test tube of water, or try burning a different type of nut. (With a different type of nut, the time changes due to the change in amount of fat calories.)

5. Class discussion. As we take in food, our bodies work as furnaces to burn and release energy. When designing sports foods and beverages, engineers study how much energy food items have and how much time it takes a body to burn those calories.

Coiling Snake Demo (students conduct; 20 minutes)

1. Divide the class into teams of two or three students each.

2. Have students in each team cut their Coiling Snake Templates, making sure to cut along all the lines.

3. Draw and cut a forked tongue from red construction paper.

4. Glue the tongue onto the snake.

5. Poke a hole in the snake's head or tail; using a hole punch works best.

1. Cut a piece of string (or thread) about 30 cm (1 foot) long.

2. Tie the string to the snake's head or tail, and knot it.

3. Hold the snake by the string over a candle or light bulb.

4. As the light bulb heats up, the snake should spin.

5. Explanation: When the candle burns, two forms of energy are released, heat and light energy. The heat causes the air to rise up, which in turn makes the snake spin around. (The snake does not move up because the coiled shape of the snake allows the heat to rise through the middle and spin the snake.)

6. Class discussion: The energy we need comes from the food we eat. The energy required to turn the pedals of a bicycle comes from the person riding the bicycle. Cars and trucks get their energy from gasoline. Some homes are heated using oil or natural gas or firewood. When designing heating and cooling systems, engineers study thermal energy and how it creates air movement. They place heat vents and radiators low, near the floor because they know that hot air rises. As hot air rises it mixes with the existing room air, preventing "cold" spots and making the space more comfortable. The same is true for cool air vents that are placed high, near the ceiling. The cool air sinks, evenly mixing with the existing room air.

Evidence of Solar Energy Demo (conduct as a class; 20 minutes)

1. Fill two aluminum pans with equal amounts of water.

2. Have students take and record the temperatures of the water in both pans.

3. Place one pan of water in a sunny location outside.

1. Place the other pan of water in a shady location outside.

2. Alternative (if no sunshine): After measuring and recording the water temperatures in the two pans of water, place a desk lamp above one pan and set the second pan away from the lamp.

3. After 10 minutes (or more, as needed) check the temperature of the water in each pan.

4. Class discussion: What do you do if you are standing outside on a sunny day and get too hot? (Possible answers: Get out of the direct rays of the sun by moving to the shade of a tree or going inside.) Where do you want to stand on a cold day? (Possible answer: In the sun, to warm up.) The sun produces solar energy, which comes in the form of light and heat. We observed this as we watched the sun warm up the water in the pan outside. Engineers use solar energy to design heating systems for buildings and water. They also harness solar energy with solar panels that convert the sun's energy into electricity.

Assessment

Pre-Activity Assessment

Know / Want to Know / Learn (KWL) Chart: Before the activity, ask students to write down in the top left corner of the KWL Chart (or as a group, on the board) under the title, Know, all the things they know about energy. Next, in the top right corner under the title, Want to Know, ask students to write down anything they want to know about energy. After the activity, ask students to list in the bottom half of the page under the title, Learned, all of the things that they have learned about energy.

Activity Embedded Assessment

Class Discussions: As a class, discuss each short demo as described in the Procedure section.

Questions: Which pan is warmer? Why is one pan warmer than the other? Discuss why the sun and heat affect the temperature of water and how this affects the energy given off by the water. The sun is the greatest form of natural energy and is used everyday by people in a variety of ways for a variety of purposes.

Diagramming: Have students draw diagrams of what happened during the coiling snake demonstration. Make sure they label the types of energy present (heat and light) as well as writing one or two sentences about what happened to the snake.

Post-Activity Assessment

KWL Chart (Conclusion): After the short demos, ask students to list in the bottom half of the KWL Chart under the title, Learned (or on the board), all of the things that they have learned about energy.

Class Discussion: Ask students and discuss as a class:

Can you feel, see and hear energy? (Answer: Yes, through musical instruments, the sun, when you eat food and go for a walk, when you turn on the light in your house or turn the heat on in the winter or air conditioning in the summer.)

Discuss kinetic and potential energy. Which of the demos showed us kinetic energy? (Answer: Coiling snake, solar energy.) Potential energy? (Answer: Peanut demo.) What is the difference between the two types of energy? (Answer: Potential energy is stored energy while kinetic energy is the energy of motion or moving energy.)

Have students identify and write down items in the classroom that use electricity. Also, have them identify which type of energy the electricity is transformed into. (Heat? light? sound? movement?) Examples may include items such as a radio, projector, ceiling fan and a heater.

Safety Issues

The Bunsen burner is a fire hazard so exercise caution. Also, you may want to use a lightbulb for heat, instead of the candle.

Remind students of scissor and fire safety rules.

If you are using glass thermometers, remind students that they are breakable.

Troubleshooting Tips

Peanut Calorie Demo: If it is unsafe or not permitted to use fire in your classroom, use a stove burner and some popcorn kernels in a pan to demonstrate a similar idea.

Coiling Snake Demo: For this demonstration, it may help to show students how the apparatus should work before they begin the activity; make a snake of your own and test it. If neither a candle nor a light bulb is available, boil water on a stove burner and use the heat from the steam.

Evidence of Solar Energy Demo: If conducting this demo on a rainy day, adjust the activity by placing one pan next to a bright lamp, heater, overhead projector or a stove, and the other pan in the middle of the classroom. The source of energy represents the sun, and the middle of the room represents the shady location.

Activity Extensions

Explain to students that a human body needs energy, even if it is lying in bed all day, to run its internal processes such as breathing, digestion and thinking. Advanced or older students can learn about the Krebs cycle, calories and how they relate to human metabolism. For example, a 173 cm (5 ft, 8 in) tall, sedentary person may have a body energy expenditure requirement of 1,400 calories per day, while a very active person of the same size may need double that amount of calories to maintain the same body weight.

Ask students to experiment with different materials to make the snake coil, such as tracing paper, cardboard, wool cloth, etc. Have students hypothesize with which material the coil will turn the most during a given amount of time.

Have students explore the responses of different media to the solar heat. For example, compare the change in temperature of water, dark-colored Kool-Aid©, juice and milk. The expected result should support the idea that dark-colored objects retain more heat than light-colored ones. In the climate where you live, what color would be best for your house? Your car? Your dog's house?

Activity Scaling

For more advanced students, have them graph the temperature results of the two pans placed outside in the sun and shade at the beginning of the day. Measure and record the temperature of the water at equal intervals (every 10+ minutes) throughout the day. Prepare a graph with temperature vs. time, with data from both pans of water in the same graph. In addition, have students find the slope of a best-fit line and develop an equation for the line.

For more advanced students, have them evaluate other sources of energy for the coiling snake. They could use the sun and wind. For each energy source, measure the amount of times that the coil turns in given amount of time. By comparing these results, have them determine which energy source was more efficient.

Copyright © 2005 by Regents of the University of Colorado

Contributors Sharon D. Perez-Suarez; Natalie Mach; Malinda Schaefer Zarske; Denise W. Carlson

Supporting Program Integrated Teaching and Learning Program, College of Engineering, University of Colorado Boulder

Acknowledgements

The contents of this digital library curriculum were developed under grants from the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE), U.S. Department of Education and the National Science Foundation (GK-12 grant no. 0338326). However, these contents do not necessarily represent the policies of the DOE or NSF, and you should not assume endorsement by the federal government.

Last modified: June 20, 2019

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Three short, hands-on, in-class demos expand students' understanding of energy. First, using peanuts and heat, students see how the human body uses food to make energy. Then, students create paper snake mobiles to explore how heat energy can cause motion.

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Many lessons on the Solar System.

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Summary An introduction to our solar system-the planets, our Sun and Moon. To begin, students learn about the history and engineering of space travel. They make simple rockets to acquire a basic understanding of Newton's third law of motion. They explore energy transfer concepts and use renewable solar energy for cooking. They see how engineers design tools, equipment and spacecraft to go where it is too far and too dangerous for humans. They explore the Earth's water cycle, and gravity as applied to orbiting bodies. They learn the steps of the design process as they create their own models of planetary rovers made of edible parts. Students conduct experiments to examine soil for signs of life, and explore orbit transfers. While studying about the International Space Station, they investigate the realities of living in space. Activities explore low gravity on human muscles, eating in microgravity, and satellite tracking. Finally, students learn about the context of our solar system-the universe-as they learn about the Hubble Space Telescope, celestial navigation and spectroscopy.
This engineering curriculum meets Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS).

Engineering Connection

Engineers apply their understanding of science (laws of motion, energy transfer, solar energy, water cycle, moon phases, gravity, spectroscopy, materials science, human body, chemical analysis) and math (geometry, data collection, velocity calculations, navigation, satellite tracking, fuel efficiency, calculating spacecraft maneuvers) to creating the spacecraft vehicles, equipment, tools and methods to explore our solar system.

If students are interested in astronauts, space walks, rockets, rockets and images of the distant universe, they might want to pursue their dreams and become engineers. More than just aerospace engineers work in the space industry. Biomedical, chemical, mechanical, electrical and computer (and other) engineers work together to make spacesuits, design life support systems, create new materials for spacecraft, and design control systems, cameras, communications, etc. The space industry provides endless opportunities-requiring a wide range and depth of study and expertise. Teams of engineers follow the steps of the engineering design process to create telescopes, deep space antennas, spacecraft, planetary rovers and even how to eat in microgravity, as well as conduct research and cultivate international cooperation.

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An introduction to our solar system-the planets, our Sun and Moon. To begin, students learn about the history and engineering of space travel. They make simple rockets to acquire a basic understanding of Newton's third law of motion. They explore energy transfer concepts and use renewable solar energy for cooking.

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This is a FREE site with many resources for teachers to teach STEM lessons. I have used many of the lessons this year. They also provide a world wide STEM competition each year. This year was the Ping Pong Challenge. My classes 3rd through 5th competed in the competition. We built the mini lasers, Mars Rover (Budget analysis sheet) and many other hand on projects using this resource. I highly recommend this website.

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Science Fair Project Ideas, Answers, & Tools

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Free Topic Selection Wizard, science fair project ideas, step by step how to do a science fair project, Ask an Expert discussion board, and science fair tips for success.

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FREE resources to bring data into the classroom.

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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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Fantastic resource for teaching Engineering lessons! This is one of my favorite sites. It provides lesson plans, standards, materials and assessments to help teachers plan excellent lessons. I used several of the lesson plans to plan my PBL unit on Waste management. The site also provides worksheets and connects math to the lessons.

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April 2024 Editor's Pick

Students reinforce their knowledge that DNA is the genetic material for all living things by modeling it using toothpicks and gumdrops that represent the four biochemicals (adenine, thiamine, guanine, and cytosine) that pair with each other in a specific pattern, making ...

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Ignite STEM learning in K-12 - TeachEngineering

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Free, K-12, NGSS standards-aligned STEM lessons and hands-on activities for teaching elementary, middle and high school science, engineering design and math. Search by concepts or specific Next Generation Science Standards (NGSS) to Ignite STEM learning in K-12.

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Excellent resource for teachers to find phenomena to introduce  STEM lessons.

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Georgia Science Teachers Association - Authorization required

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Georgia Science Teachers Association is a 501(c)6 non-profit organization.

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This site helps teachers develop SMART goals for students and plan lessons.

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If you're seeking teacher SMART goal examples, you've landed in the right place.

As teachers, we have so much on our never-ending to-do list, and it seems as though drafting SMART goals is yet one more overwhelming thing to add to that list.

You have to meet a deadline but don't know where to start because you've run out of SMART goal ideas.

Well, look no further because here you will find a healthy collection of teacher SMART goal examples that you can modify and use today.

These teacher SMART goal examples are going to save you so much time and frustration.

Teacher SMART Goal Examples

SMART goals help provide teachers with direction to achieve their goals.

All of the professional development SMART goal examples for teachers found here meet the following criteria:

S for Specific - Each SMART goal example relates to a specific objective: lesson planning, instructional strategies, classroom management, classroom environment, parent rapport, and professional standards.

M for Measurable - These teacher professional goal examples may either be measured with a checklist, template, communication log, or some type of classroom chart.

A for Achievable - These teacher SMART goal examples were selected because educators are highly likely to have success with them.

R for Relevant - These examples were derived from current teacher state standards for education.

T for Time-Bound - All of these SMART goal examples may be either completed daily, monthly, quarterly, by semester, or a few times per school year.

No matter the grade or subject you teach, you're sure to find a SMART goal example here to modify and fit your needs.

Now you'll have one less thing to worry about.

Plan Effective Lessons.
The following professional smart goal examples for teachers center around lesson planning.
1. Every week this semester, I will utilize a simple lesson plan template that organizes lessons into a beginning, middle, and end so that my lessons are well-organized.

2. For the next six weeks, I will integrate writing into math lessons by using math writing prompts daily.

3. Twice a week during this quarter, I will use online teaching tools to review concepts with students in order to prepare them for state testing. These will be noted in my lesson plans.

4. By the end of the semester, I will vertically plan with the grade levels above and below me at least twice. I will document our meeting days and times.

5. Each week, I will integrate technology into my lessons using digital exit tickets. I will keep an electronic log of digital exit ticket submissions from students.

education smart goal example

6. Three times per week, I will utilize exit tickets at the end of lessons in order to measure student progress and inform future instruction.

7. Once a week during this quarter, I will provide feedback on student assignments using positive writing comments.

8. This semester, I will ensure that I include a mixture of multiple intelligence activities in each lesson unit so that I address diverse learning styles.

9. Between now and the end of the school year, I will provide a menu of at least five different early finisher activities so that fast-finishers stay focused on learning.

10. Once per quarter, I will devote a class period to guiding students on writing and revising their SMART goals using a SMART goals template.

Utilize Student-Centered Instructional Strategies.
These teacher professional goal examples focus on teaching practices.
11. Daily at the beginning of class, I will use a bell work question to transition students into learning mode. Students will record their responses in their reader's or writer's notebooks.

12. Once per quarter, I will guide students in monitoring their academic progress using data tracking tools.

13. Each week, I will devote at least one hour to reviewing concepts that the class is having trouble mastering according to informal data. This time will be scheduled into my lesson plans.

14. From now until the end of the school year, before beginning any unit, I will assess students' prior knowledge using KWL charts or other pre-reading strategies.

15. When asking questions during discussions this semester, I will incorporate "wait time" in order to give students a chance to process the information before answering. I will already have a list of questions to ask for this purpose.

16. Throughout the semester, I will meet at least twice with each student one-on-one or in small groups in order to address learning gaps. Each conference will be documented.

17. Every day this quarter, I will read to students one read-aloud book during the mini-lesson of writer's workshop in order to show examples of a particular reading skill.

18. To deepen students' knowledge of a topic, I will incorporate Think-Pair-Share for at least two lessons each week. After orally sharing, students will record and submit the "share" portion of the activity.

19. Every week this quarter, I will teach students one of the Seven Thinking Strategies in order to boost their reading comprehension. Students will summarize what they are learning in their reader response journals.

20. At least once a quarter this school year, I will incorporate a project-based learning activity in order to make learning more engaging and authentic.

21. Once per week, I will utilize a rotation of four to five learning stations that each involve a different learning style such as video, art, reading, writing, or listening. This will be noted in my lesson plan.

22. Each quarter, I will survey students soliciting their feedback about which instructional strategies are most helpful and engaging as it relates to reaching their SMART goals.

23. Within a week of collecting an essay or major exam from students, I will grade and return it with written notes of observed strengths and a solution for improving upon one weakness.

Establish a Healthy Learning Environment.
Classroom management topics make great education smart goal examples. Here you will find some good ones.
24. Four times per semester, I will administer a whole class reward of students' choice in response to consistent appropriate behavior. The marble jar reward system will be used in determining how students gain or lose points towards the goal.

25. Every week from now until the end of the school year, I will utilize "glow" and "grow" statements when grading to provide helpful feedback to students.

26. At the beginning of the school year and then once per month, I will model and review with students expected classroom routines and procedures. I will use a checklist to mark which items have been discussed.

27. Once per quarter, I will showcase an updated bulletin board display that highlights student work.

28. Until the end of the school year, when transitioning from one activity or class to the next, I will use attention getters to focus students fast. I will have a list of attention-getters posted as a reminder to them.

29. From now until the end of the school year, I will use brain breaks to provide students with a pause from learning so that they recharge. I will note this in my lesson plan.

30. Once every two weeks for the entire school year, I will perform with students one or two classroom cheers and claps in recognition of individual and/or whole group student achievements. I will have a chart on the classroom wall that shows when these dates occur.

31. By the end of the first quarter, every student will be assigned a classroom helper job that builds community. Their chosen jobs will be posted.

32. From now until the end of the school year, a daily positive affirmation will be written on the board to motivate students and positive affirmation posters will be posted around the classroom walls.

33. Once a week from now until the end of the school year, students will use T.A.G during Author's Chair to share respectful constructive feedback to classmates regarding their writing.

34. Twice per quarter, I will incorporate character education lessons by reading and discussing books about empathy, kindness, honesty, respect, etc. Students will summarize and submit what they learn.

Nurture Parent Rapport.
These teacher smart goal examples deal with building good communication between parents and educators.
35. Until the end of the school year, when contacting parents with less-than-positive news about their child, I will also lead with a positive remark. Phone and/or email communications will be documented in a log.

36. Every Monday until the end of the school year, I will email parents a newsletter that summarizes what is being taught each week.

37. By the end of the first month of school, I will send out to parents via email (Google Docs) a classroom events volunteer form, encouraging them to sign up for at least one event.

38. From now until the end of the school year, I will respond to parent emails within 48 hours excluding the weekend.

39. Once each semester, I will contact parents by phone or email to give a positive comment about their child. I will document this communication using a phone or email log.

40. Every semester, I will meet with parents in-person to discuss their child's academic progress. These conference dates and times will be documented.

41. Twice a semester, I will survey parents to solicit feedback regarding their child's learning experiences and academic progress.

42. This month, I will attend two school events to demonstrate support for students and parents of the school community.

Maintain Professional Standards.
Here are more good teacher professional goal examples.
43. Once per quarter, I will attend at least one online professional development workshop. I will document hours in a log.

44. By the end of the nine weeks, I will have initiated contact with counselors and/or administrators, seeking additional support and resources for students who are showing signs of struggling academically.

45. During this school year, I will participate in two voluntary school events in order to cultivate a sense of school community.

46. During Back-to-School Night or Open House, I will share with parents the vision and goals of the classroom and school communities using a Google Presentation. This creates a collaborative atmosphere well-suited to maximizing student success.

teacher smart goal example

47. From now until the end of the school year, I will not check my school email or phone texts during instructional time. I will check these things before and after school plus during breaks.

48. Every Friday this semester, I will complete a self-reflection sheet about my week, thinking about what lessons went well and which I need to improve upon.

49. Once per week from now until the end of the school year, I will collaborate with my team or department, analyzing student data and discussing how to support student goals. I will document meeting dates and times.

50. By the end of the school year, I will have attained and documented 30 continuing education hours in my area of expertise.

Final Thoughts On Teacher Professional Goals Examples

Save time and frustration by utilizing these helpful education smart goal examples for teachers.

Using these professional development smart goal examples for teachers, you'll be one step closer to improving your teaching and learning practices.

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50 Excellent Teacher Smart Goal Examples

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If you're seeking teacher SMART goal examples, you've landed in the right place. As teachers, we have so much on our never-ending to-do list, and it seems as though drafting SMART goals is yet one more overwhelming thing to add to that list.

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On June 9, 2016, the State Board of Education approved the K-12 Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) for Science. The K-12 Science GSE were​ implemented during the 2017-2018 school year following a full year of teacher training.

On July 18, 2019, the State Board of Education approved the Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) for the following high school science courses: Astronomy, Botany, Ecology, Entomology, Epidemiology, Forensic Science, Geology, Human Anatomy & Physiology, Meteorology, Microbiology, Oceanography, and Zoology. These Science GSE courses were implemented during the 2020-2021 school year.

*New: Science Instructional Resources

​​​​​​GaConnects is a new one-stop-shop site for Georgia educators built to provide quick access to GaDOE educational resources, Georgia Standards, data dashboards, professional learning, and GaDOE applications. GaDOE SuitCASE and GaDOE Inspire are two featured applications to support classroom Instruction. Click on "GaConnects Preview" in the SLDS for access, or go to Inspire (gadoe.org)​.

Georgia Standards of Excellence

K-5

6-8

9-12

​Communication

To join a science email list to receive updates and newsletters from the science program, please send a blank email to one or more of the following email addresses below:
Science K-5: join-science-k-5@list.doe.​k12.ga.us Science 6-8: join-science-6-8@list.doe.k12.ga.us Science 9-12:
join-science-9-12@list.doe.k12.ga.us​

Professional Learning

Visit the GaDOE science website for professional learning opportunities, resources, and other information.

GaDOE has launched a new platform to provide the opportunity for science teachers, leaders, and GaDOE staff to share thoughts and resources. Meet the wonderful virtual specialists from around the state that we are working with to lead​ groups. To get started, visit the GaDOE community website, select Create an Account and follow the prompts. Navigate to the Groups section and join the groups you are most interested in. We look forward to connecting!​

​ PLC Science in 3D​

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Science Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE)

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On June 9, 2016, the State Board of Education approved the K-12 Georgia Standards of Excellence (GSE) for Science. The K-12 Science GSE were​ implemented during the 2017-2018 school year following a full year of teacher training.

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This site list the 17 goals for sustainability. Students and teachers should be aware of these goals.

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This group provides free lessons to teachers and resources are available on their website.

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GYSTC's unique profile and proven track record in addressing the critical and underserved areas of STEM education are our greatest strengths. However, we are challenged by the need to maintain and increase our revenue in a time of more needed virtual learning. One obvious solution is to work harder, smarter and more creatively to devise innovative programs that will compel support; we are doing that! This year, GYSTC served 31,358 students and teachers in 245 schools from 89 school districts. GYSTC provided nearly $1 million for supplemental STEM education for Georgia teachers and students in FY 2021! Empowering students for STEM careers is what we do!

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2023 Georgia STEM Scholar Award Do you know an educator that demonstrates a passion and determination to provide students with innovative and challenging STEM experiences? If so, encourage them to apply for the Georgia STEM Scholar Award. Applications now available. Click here to learn more and apply Free Simple Science Activities Below, you will find...

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Resources for teachers on STEM/STEAM instruction in Georgia.

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The Georgia Department of Education is dedicated to preparing students for 21st Century workplace careers by providing high quality educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics fields. In Georgia, STEM and STEAM education is an integrated curriculum that is driven by exploratory project-based learning and student-centered development of ideas and solutions.

Through the Carl D. Perkins Perkinsplus Reserve Fund Grants, Georgia Local Education Agencies (LEA's) and the local CTAE Director may submit a grant request to supplement the resources of local school systems in rural areas; areas with high percentages of career and technology education students. Local school systems may apply for these grant funds to support the implementation of a Georgia CTAE STEM/ STEAM initiative infusing the integration of authentic application, project-based learning into cross-curricular standards.

​​

​​Instructional Resources for STEM/ STEAM

STEM/ STEAM Certification Information and Documents

STEM / STEAM Virtual Training Guides

​Field Guides

​

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The Georgia Department of Education is dedicated to preparing students for 21st Century workplace careers by providing high quality educational opportunities in science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics fields. In Georgia, STEM and STEAM education is an integrated curriculum that is driven by exploratory project-based learning and student-centered development of ideas and solutions.

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STEAM Resource Guide - Arts Education Partnership

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What is STEAM Education? AEP defines STEAM education as an approach to teaching and learning in which students demonstrate critical thinking and creative problem-solving at the intersection of science, technology, engineering, arts and math. [...]

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The Farm Bureau will come to school and teach free lessons on soil conservation. They will also provide resources to other community members that come into the schools and teach lessons.

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Membership has its benefits

Georgia Farm Bureau works earnestly to serve our more than 250,000 member families. Being a member makes you a part of our charge, to be a voice for Georgia agriculture. Together we support farm families, locally grown food and faithful stewardship of the land.

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Third Wave Digital - www.thirdwavedigital.com

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Georgia Farm Bureau is Georgia's largest and strongest voluntary agricultural organization with almost 300,000 member families. It is an independent, non-governmental organization, composed of farm families in rural communities and of people who want Georgia to be agriculturally successful, progressive and prosperous. Support Georgia Farmers with a membership.

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www.youtube.com/watch?v=OV4bAI45eA4

A Cool Drink of Water tells about one child's journey to get water.

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A Long Walk To Water teaches about water conditions in South Sudan, Africa. The story is told from two perspectives, a girl named Nya and a boy named Salva. The reader follows the story of Salva and Nya's journey through Sudan with little water, and little family.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5Y_xGfDZb0

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This book describes the unique light phenomena of the Alaskan Arctic and the way animals adapt to the temperature and daylight changes each month of the year.

RI.4.5. Describe the overall structure (e.g., chronology, comparison, cause/effect, problem/solution) of events, ideas, concepts, or information in a text or part of a text.

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Novel Engineering shows how your students can work through engineering design challenges inspired by a broad range of literature—novels and short stories, biographies and histories, or even picture books. By way of introduction, the book offers clear conceptual background and practical advice on how the approach works: Your students pull information from literature to identify a problem. Then, using details from the story or text, they go through an engineering design process to develop functional solutions for their “clients”—the book’s characters. (National Science Teaching Association, 2020)

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New in 2020!
Download and read a sample chapter from this book to learn more.
With the Novel Engineering approach, "students become excited about what they are reading, writing, designing, and building! This excitement in turn helps them make strides in engineering and literacy, as well as in their abilities to work together, think creatively and analytically, and communicate their ideas."
-from Chapter 1 of Novel Engineering

This book will both introduce your students to an exciting integrated curriculum and support you as you use it in your own elementary or middle school classroom.

Novel Engineering shows how your students can work through engineering design challenges inspired by a broad range of literature-novels and short stories, biographies and histories, or even picture books. By way of introduction, the book offers clear conceptual background and practical advice on how the approach works: Your students pull information from literature to identify a problem. Then, using details from the story or text, they go through an engineering design process to develop functional solutions for their "clients"-the book's characters.

To support your efforts and bring the concept to life, the book gives you five in-depth case studies featuring the use of novels, a biography, and a nonfiction historical text. In addition to demonstrating what a Novel Engineering project looks like in an actual classroom, the case studies give you practice in thinking about what your students' work might look like and how you would respond. One case describes a class in which students help the shipwrecked Swiss Family Robinson build a shelter to keep them cool under the hot sun. Another tells of students who design a hearing aid for the main character in El Deafo -and then style it as a fashion accessory.

You'll see that the books used in the case studies are just suggestions. You don't have to adopt texts outside your existing English language arts or social studies curriculum. You also don't have to buy a specific building-materials kit. You just have to embrace the idea that literacy and engineering can support each other in your classroom-and then watch the excitement build.

NSTA Press produces classroom-ready activities, hands-on approaches to inquiry, relevant professional development, the latest scientific education news and research, assessment and standards-based instruction.
Learn More

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Novel Engineering, K-8: An Integrated Approach to Engineering and Literacy | National Science Teaching Association

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New in 2020! Download and read a sample chapter from this book to learn more. With the Novel Engineering approach, "students become excited about what they are reading, writing, designing, and building! This excitement in turn helps them make strides in engineering and literacy, as well as in their abilities to work together, think creatively and analytically, and communicate their ideas."

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The Wonder of Science website aggregates the work of Paul Andersen around the NGSS (Next Generation Science Standards)