Self-Paced Workshop: Computational Thinking for Elementary School 
Tue, Mar 1, 2022, 9:00 AM –Thu, Mar 31, 2022, 8:00 PM EDT 
Join the CYBER.ORG team in this free, asynchronous professional development for 3rd - 5th grade teachers to learn how to incorporate computational thinking skills into core subjects in this 90-minute, self-paced course. Participants will receive professional development credit upon completion of all modules.  Register Here  

Self-Paced Workshop: Computational Thinking for Middle School 
Tue, Mar 1, 2022, 9:00 AM –Thu, Mar 31, 2022, 8:00 PM EDT 
Join the CYBER.ORG team in this free, asynchronous professional development for 6th – 8th grade teachers to learn how to incorporate computational thinking skills into core subjects in this 90-minute, self-paced course. Participants will receive professional development credit upon completion of all modules.  Register Here 

Block-based Coding for Beginners with micro: bit 
Thu, March 31, 2022 from 7:00 PM – 8:30 PM EDT 
In this free 90-minute workshop from CYBER.ORG for elementary and middle school teachers, discover the basics of block-based coding with Microsoft MakeCode for micro: bit. Through a series of guided examples, participants will explore the many applications of the micro: bit device using the MakeCode online programming editor and virtual simulator. No prior experience is necessary!  Register Here 

CybHER®’s mission is to empower, motivate, educate, and change the perception of girls and women in cybersecurity. By providing resources for girls from middle school through collegiate programs and into professional careers, CybHER will allow women to foster positive and encouraging relationships within this industry through original and curated content that educates and motivates women. Ultimately, their goal is to increase diversity by introducing more girls to cybersecurity, who will then transition to women in collegiate programs, and finally highly trained professionals. While CybHER’s mission is to promote STEM and technology for females, CybHER is open to everyone.  Check out these lessons, clubs, resources, and career events: 

Lesson Plans 
Online Safety: Personal Data Vulnerabilities 
The Vulnerabilities CCL introduces AP Computer Science Principles (AP CSP) students to the concept that information and data may be susceptible to attack by an adversary. After an introductory exercise to discuss the meaning of the word vulnerability, students use the web application Spokeo to complete an activity to discover what data may be vulnerable. A discussion of Social Engineering leads students to complete the CCL with an activity exposing the metadata related to images on a smartphone. 

Digital Forensics: Securing Data 
This module stands to educate students on the differences between data at rest and data in motion, and how to protect each one. 

Resources 
This page contains a list of links for parents, teachers, and students to learn coding, cybersecurity concepts, and more! 

Check out the CybHER YouTube channel which contains the following playlists: 

• CybHER Activities 
• CybHER Podcasts 
• #CybHERTerms (learn what cybersecurity terms mean) 
• #BeCybHERAware (learn how to stay safe and secure online) 

CyberStart America (CSA) is a free program helping young people discover their talents for cybersecurity, advance their practical skills, and even win scholarships!  You and your students can have free access to CSA until April 27, 2022, but act now so they have time to qualify for scholarships.  Get your students registered and playing CyberStart for a fun and rewarding start to the year. 

• 200+ fun cybersecurity challenges 
• Perfect for every ability level 
• Students learn sought-after skills 
• Built by industry experts 
• Video tutorials, guides and walkthroughs 
• Track student progress 
• Win free scholarships and training

Cybersecurity touches just about everyone in some way or another – from adults in the workplace and banking to schoolchildren. For instance, cybercriminals have been launching cyberattacks against U.S. schools at a record pace – as many as two per school day in 2020. Hackers also target individuals who use public Wi-Fi. 

Cybersecurity professionals will likely be in demand for the foreseeable future. The federal government projects 33% growth in jobs in cybersecurity and related fields over the next decade or so. Yet women are highly underrepresented in the field. 

Part of the reason is that young girls often don’t see themselves going into a field like computer science. But research shows that the attitudes elementary school children have toward STEM careers like cybersecurity can be changed.  

CryptoComics is a culturally responsive cryptology and cybersecurity curriculum designed to bring cybersecurity learning and career awareness to third to fifth grade girls – particularly girls of color. CryptoComics is an innovative blend of a comic book, technology-based and unplugged activities that engage kids in making and breaking codes, symbolic systems awareness, and cryptology career exploration. 

CryptoComics is freely available on cryptocomics.org.

Led by a team of educators and researchers, CryptoComics strategically integrates a digital comic book, apps, and unplugged activities such as painting rocks with ancient symbols and making invisible ink. It also features stories about cybersecurity professionals who are women.  

The six chapters of the comic book progress from basic information about codes and symbols to current cybersecurity practices such as creating safe passwords. Children explore important historical developments in cryptology approaches and technologies like the Navajo Code Talkers and the WAVES program. The Navajo Code Talkers were U.S. Marines of Navajo descent who used their native language to send secret messages over radio waves during WWII. WAVES – Women Accepted for Voluntarily Emergency Service – was a division of the U.S. Navy in which female cryptologists worked during WWII. 

Children also use a variety of ciphers and codes to encrypt and decrypt information. This helps the comic book characters during their cyberadventure. Activities are grounded in symbols from different cultures such as a scytale from Greece, pictograms from West African and Native American culture and Freemason Pigpen ciphers. 

Over 200 elementary school-age students – 73% girls – from diverse backgrounds in 16 after-school programs across the Southeastern U.S. participated in CryptoComics in the 2021 STEM For All Video Showcase.

Preliminary research has found that children enjoy the curriculum, learn how to encrypt and decrypt information in different ways and demonstrate awareness of cybersecurity professions. They also transfer knowledge and skills gained in CryptoComics to real-life experiences. 

Tara Lafferty is a 7/8th grade science teacher in our Greater West Michigan Region.  She is studying the impact of STEM learning in middle and high school classrooms and how it affects women going into the sciences. We'd like to extend the invitation to women who are currently practicing scientists to participate in this survey. (Tara is asking for no nurses/doctors or teachers unless they are actively researching, or have been in the line of work of STEM other than those.)

Take the STEM Survey.

Here is more information from Tara:

I’m a middle school science teacher in the process of working on research through Aquinas College to determine how to encourage students, especially females, to go into and stay in the STEM career field. This research is needed to understand what influenced women to go into STEM fields and if teachers have had any impact in their career choice. By going to women who are currently practicing scientists we’ll be able to ask for their personal educational experiences with teachers, education, and any adversity in STEM related areas in order to understand their drive and perseverance. By gaining information from professional women we’re striving to determine how strong of an influence MS and HS teachers have to encourage women in STEM careers. 

The goal is to collect information from current, practicing female scientists to determine what adversities, challenges, and encouragement they faced going into their fields and what resources were provided to them as adolescents. This goal is to determine what encouraged them with their growth mindset to keep moving forward through adversities. My goal is to develop a deeper understanding as a middle school science educator, to understand what I can do at my disposal to encourage STEM careers for adolescent female and minority youth. 

Due to the nature of the survey, no personal information or emails will be obtained. All information will remain anonymous. At any time, there is a choice to not participate in the study and there is no anticipated risk for taking part in the survey.

I would appreciate your participation in helping to send the Google Form out to your colleagues who are practicing female scientists. This google form should take no more than 10 minutes to complete. 

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Tara Lafferty

Southwest MiSTEM is a Co-sponsor of the FREE virtual KRESA Equity Speaker Series: Reimagining Education for ALL. The last session is on March 14, 2022 from 3:30 - 5:00 pm and features Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, who is a researcher, author, and mathematics educator. Dr. Ladson-Billings will bring her expertise in culturally responsive pedagogy and will share her ideas about supporting ALL students through our classroom instruction. What a great way to celebrate Pi Day!  

Click here for details and registration. 

Computer Science (CS) goes well beyond code, and BootUp PD wants to ensure ALL girls are able to see themselves in CS and technology roles. That’s why, with the support of the National Center for Women in Technology (NCWIT), BootUp is launching a video series - For Girls by Girls.  

During the monthly releases, co-hosts Nyla and Tera will spotlight young girls doing remarkable things in computer science, tech, cybersecurity, and beyond.  

For Girls, By Girls aims to lift girls’ and young women’s voices to show them that CS and tech are accessible no matter who they are, where they come from, or what their passions are.  Tune in to explore topics like “Using CS For Good,” “Inspiring Others With Tech,” “Real-world Tech Applications,” and so much more!  Connect with For Girls, By Girls on Instagram. 

Calling All Girls!
Have a coding story to share? Our two young co-hosts, Nyla and Tera, are calling all girls in STEM and beyond to join them for a Zoom chat to share stories and remarkable experiences together. Contact  karen@bootuppd.org for more information.

Ad Astra Media is a Latino owned media company focusing on creating diverse S.T.E.A.M. educational content from K to Career. The company is a team of diverse individuals seeking to inspire under-represented communities to pursue science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics. They strongly support a more assorted group of professionals within these careers and this starts with our next generation... a generation of ambitious individuals, growing up in a transmedia world, who deserve to see the possible opportunities of their future. 

Ad Astra Media provides a variety of educational content for print, digital and streaming media on their projects page. They have a children's bedtime series for ages 0-7, a digital comic for ages 8-11, educational modules for teachers with students ages 4-12, webinars and networking events for young adults and working professionals, and projects in development for ages 0-12.  

The founder and CEO, Dr. Jose Morey, referred to as Dr. Intergalactic, formed Ad Astra Media when he recognized the lack of diversity in S.T.E.A.M. careers at corporate level meetings. He founded Ad Astra Media to lead the world's future Einsteins to achieve equal representation in S.T.E.A.M. professions.  

The MiSTEM Network is pleased to announce that Project-, Place-, and Place-Based (3-P) STEM Education Grants are now available for LEAs, ISDs, and PSAs! These grants range from $5,000 - $20,000.  Applications are due by April 12, 2022. 

Grant Overview 

• Link to Grant Information 
• Link to Request for Proposal 
• Link to Grant Application 

To encourage new and innovative approaches to STEM education in Michigan K-12 classrooms, the state Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE) and the MiSTEM Network will award up to $200,000 in grants in FY 2022 to support the implementation of problem-, place- and project-based (3P) learning. 

Grant Award Information 

• Awards are from $5,000 up to $20,000 
• A minimum of $100,000 of this total funding is specifically available for grants to support programs expanding or institutionalizing Great Lakes Freshwater STEM education 
• Priority for the remaining $100,000 will be given to programs focusing on STEM topics or issues integrating computer science 
• Geographic and demographic diversity will be a consideration in awarding funds 
• Award period is June 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 

Timeline
Grant applications due by 5:00 pm: April 12, 2022
Notice of award to successful applicants by: May 31, 2022 
Award project period: June 1, 2022 - June 30, 2023 

Wheels to Woods provides funding to PreK-12 schools and other youth groups to pay for transportation costs for an educational field trip to a nearby forest or forest products company.  

Any PreK-12 school in Michigan is eligible to apply for funds to go on a field trip to any forest or forest products company. We can suggest interesting forests to visit near your school. 

Wheels to Woods reimburses actual transportation costs up to $350 per bus and $1,000 per school. Typical grants are about $5 per student and a match is not required. 

Click here to download the application as a Word Document 

Applications or questions can be submitted any time to admin@WheelsToWoods.org.   

Links for additional information: 

• STE(A)M Student Packet 
• Eligibility & Rules, Guidelines & Requirements 
• Printable Entry Form 
• Online Entry Form 

The deadline is April 17, 2022. 

Reach out to Kristyn Bomberg at bombergk@gvsu.edu with questions. 

Fifth-grade students are invited to share their creativity by submitting an original creation in the Michigan Arbor Day Foundation's annual poster contest. This year's theme is "Trees for the Future." Winning entries will be awarded with Acorn Naturalist gift certificates for students and tree-planting funds for their schools. Learn about the contest. The deadline for entries is March 7, 2022. 

Are you America's Top Young Scientist?  

The annual Discovery Education 3M Young Scientist Challenge invites students in grades 5-8 to submit a 1-2 minute video describing a unique solution to an everyday problem for the chance to win $25,000 and an exclusive 3M Mentorship. Ten finalists will be chosen for their passion for science, spirit of innovation and ingenuity, and effective communication skills. This is a unique learning opportunity that allows students to meet other science super-heroes and work with 3M mentors to turn their ideas into reality. 

The 3M “Young Scientist Challenge 2022” is open to legal U.S. residents who are at least ten (10) years of age as of April 26, 2022 and who are students enrolled in 5th through 8th grade at a public, charter, private, parochial, or home school located in one of the fifty United States or the District of Columbia. Former Young Scientist Challenge finalists are not eligible to enter the Contest. 

To find how to apply, important dates, rules and more visit 3M Young Scientist Lab – Annual Challenge.  

The Ocean Awareness Contest is a platform for young people to learn about environmental issues through art-making and creative communication, and become advocates for positive change. The 2022 Ocean Awareness Contest theme, "THE FUNNY THING ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE," challenges students to learn about climate change and its impact on the ocean, and to explore new ways, like humor, satire, or kitsch, to communicate the urgency of the climate crisis.  

Submissions accepted in: Visual Art, Creative Writing, Film, Interactive & Multimedia, Performing Arts: Music & Dance, and Poetry & Spoken Word. Open to middle and high school students ages 11-18 worldwide. Students can work as individuals or as a group/class/club. Hundreds of cash awards available, ranging from $50 to $1,500.

Deadline: June 13, 2022 

Visit the Bow Seat Ocean Awareness website for full details. 

Be sure to check out Bow Seat’s Resource Studio, where you and your students can access curated resources such as articles, primary literature, lesson plans, quizzes, and inspirational media that break the mold on your typical doom and gloom messaging. 

The Redford Center invites students to tell their story, raise their voice, and help change the conversation about environmentalism and environmental justice to help move more people into action.  Redford Center Stories also has a curriculum that’s free and flexible, with media, stories, and resources to support students, teachers, and communities.  

Whether you are a teacher working in-person or online, an educator working with an organization or after-school program, or a homeschool teacher or parent, Redford Center Stories is designed to provide flexible, thought-provoking, and media-rich learning experiences to engage your students in environmentalism. Educators are invited to sign up today for free curriculum and resources!  

The Redford Center Stories Challenge invites students to submit a 90-second video using inspiration and storytelling skills cultivated throughout the learning journey. Visit the Redford Center Stories Challenge site for prompts and additional details.  

The program is open to students and the educators, parents, and community organizations that support them, across any kind of learning environment and no matter where they are in the world.  This project places particular emphasis on students in grades 5-12. This program/project is free to all participating educators and students.  

The film submission portal will be open Monday, February 28, 2022, 12:00 AM and closes Monday, March 21, 2022, 11:59 PM. 

Sign up here for the free Redford Center Stories environmental justice curriculum and to access the Redford Center Stories Challenge submissions portal. 

A cooperative effort between Library of Michigan and the presses of University of Michigan, Michigan State University, and Wayne State University has launched a unique collection of regional eBooks available to all residents of Michigan.  Michigan Humanities has provided important financial support and is also a founding partner of the project.   

The statewide eBook collection initially consists of 300 eBooks published by local university presses about Michigan and the Great Lakes region.  Residents and visitors to the state of Michigan can access these eBooks (with no wait lists or holds) via geolocation at any time at www.ReadMichigan.org.  

The homegrown collection includes winners of the prestigious Michigan Notable Books award as well as other important books published by Michigan presses and authors.  

You can search the books by categories.  Check out these search results: 

• Science 
• Technology & Engineering 
• Nature 

For more information or questions about ReadMichigan.org, please contact the Library of Michigan at 517-335-1477, visit www.Michigan.gov/LibraryofMichigan, or email Librarian@Michigan.gov. 

Natural Science Managers plan, direct, or coordinate activities in such fields as life sciences, physical sciences, mathematics, statistics, and research and development in these fields. 

These professionals are employed in both the private and public sector, including private research and development organizations, consulting firms, and local and state governments. In addition, those interested in establishing a career in the federal government may find exciting opportunities with federal organizations such as the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Department of Energy, or the Environmental Protection Agency, to name a few. Recent graduates may find employment opportunities as an entry-level scientist, field analyst, research assistant, or laboratory technician. With additional training, natural sciences graduates may also find rewarding careers in education, health, and technology.  

Click here to check out career options for Natural Science Mangers, career spotlights, professional organizations, social media and publications, and useful skills within the field of Natural Sciences. 

This graphic shows the share of Natural sciences managers employed by various industries: 

Dig into the data and visit DATAUSA Natural Sciences Managers to find out estimated job growth, average salary, education requirements, skills and employment opportunities.  

With Engineers Week right around the corner, check out these tips from a panel hosted by DiscoverE on building a student's STEM identity by creating welcoming environments: 

1. Be Curious: Ask a lot of questions and listen with the intention of understanding the student’s perspective and validating their ideas. 
2. Acknowledge Achievements: Meaningful feedback that recognizes their effort and ideas, helps to build a connection and their confidence. 
3. Hidden Struggles: Kids are masterful at hiding their differences and struggles. Whether it’s a hidden disability or they are struggling with an academic concept, it’s important to remember that we’re experiencing things differently. 

Hear more from the panel.

Career Exploration for students 

Visit DiscoverE STEM Careers, create a free account, and view their vast library of engineer profiles and careers.  Find out how Engineers, technologists, and technicians are changing the world all of the time. They dream up creative, practical solutions and work with other smart, inspiring people to invent, design, and create things that matter. Engineers, technologists, and technicians are working to change life for the better in ways that we can hardly even imagine! 

Explore the career possibilities in engineering to see median salaries, trends in engineering and profiles, STEM activities, videos and more!

Volunteer Opportunities for Professionals - Calling all Engineers!  
More than a week-long event from February 20 to 26, 2022, Engineers Week is a year-round commitment to making a difference. The only event of its kind—it is a time for you to: 

• Celebrate how engineers make a difference in our world 
• Add your voice to the conversation about the need for engineers, technicians, and technologists 
• Engage students in engineering 

Most kids don’t know any engineers or technicians. And they don’t really know what engineers do. This leads to interesting assumptions—like engineers sit in a cubicle doing math problems all day. Whether you meet with students in-person or virtually, you can spark their interest by talking to them about engineering, doing STEM activities, and sharing your story. 

During Engineers Week or anytime during the year, we invite you to: 

• Visit a classroom or afterschool. Use this guide to learn the ins and outs of planning your visit. 
• Share Chats with Change Makers. Expose students to different engineers each month. 
• Host an engineering event. 

Learn more on how you can help a student build their STEM identity.

Environmental scientists and specialists use their knowledge of the natural sciences to protect the environment and human health. They may clean up polluted areas, advise policymakers, or work with industry to reduce waste. Environmental science brings together the fields of ecology, biology, zoology, oceanography, atmospheric science, soil science, geology, chemistry and more in an interdisciplinary study of how natural and man-made processes interact with one another and ultimately affect the various biomes of Earth. 

Environmental Scientists are those who work in a variety of fields related to the Earth and its resources. They may work in a variety of roles from Environmental Lawyer, Coral Reef Sanctuary Manager, Antarctic Researcher, Laboratory Technician, Wastewater Technician, or Solar Panel Engineer. They have gone through school in a variety of ways to obtain their current positions. 

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects jobs for computer and information technology occupations will grow significantly — an 11% increase — from 2019 to 2029. This is significantly faster than the projected growth rate for all occupations nationwide. Some computer science jobs, such as computer and information research scientists, are projected to grow even more quickly. 

Modern artificial intelligence (AI) may not look like the self-aware robots from science fiction, but the technology already permeates everyday life. AI accounts for cutting-edge technology in self-driving cars, digital assistants, and personalized recommendations on the web. 

AI forms a unique discipline that combines with almost any other field and industry. AI specialists lead the way in new and emerging technology, which can pose intriguing challenges. Check out Comperscience.org's Landing a Job in Artificial Intelligence to find out the companies that curate development in AI and how the tech applies to multiple disciplines, salaries, required education and skills and professional organizations in the AI industry.  

The field of artificial intelligence (AI) is growing at an incredibly rapid rate and the careers that correspond to it are multiplying as well.  The MIT Media Lab has created "Introducing Careers in AI" videos for Middle School Students that asks a big question such as “What is AI?” and “What is your advice for younger students that are interested in learning about AI?” followed by answers from the interviewees.  

Visit MIT Media Lab to access the Careers in AI Videos for Middle School Students Series. 

Here are some ideas for how you can use these videos as an educator or otherwise: 

• Watch as a class and then discuss together  
• Watch as a class and have students dive further into one particular career path 
• Use as supplemental homework that you ask the students to reflect on/write about, or discuss in class the next day 
• Watch with your own friends or family and discuss 

There's a job in the insurance industry to match just about every interest! The insurance industry employs accountants, computer technicians, customers service representatives, marketing specialists, fraud investigators, agents, human resources personnel and many more. Visit Choose a Career to find top industry Jobs in Finance and Insurance. Explore Finance/Insurance jobs, skills and education needed, average wages, and growth potential in Michigan. 

Download this Roadmap to Opportunity on Insurance by the Michigan College Access Network where you can find project job openings, estimated job growth and career paths for Insurance careers in Michigan.  

Career Spotlight: Actuary 
What does an actuary actually do? An Actuary analyzes statistical data, such as mortality, accident, sickness, disability, and retirement rates and constructs probability tables to forecast risk and liability for payment of future benefits. They may ascertain premium rates required and cash reserves necessary to ensure payment of future benefits. Visit the Actuaries Institute to learn more about what actuaries do, how to become an actuary, and career information. The actuarial career is one that is rewarding and provides opportunities to work in a number of different fields, making a positive difference in society. Check out their video below to hear from young actuaries who are making a difference through their actuarial work! 

Explore Walking Mountains Online Learning Resources  where you will find Virtual Field Trips by grade level, Backyard Nature Challenge, STEM activities at Home, and Early Childhood activities.  

Check out these two videos from the collection: 

Isolation Field Trip: Teaching MYSELF About SOIL?! – Watch a Walking Mountains educator try to teach himself about what is beneath the surface of Sweetwater by taking a field trip…alone. 

What is Biodiversity? 
Join Walking Mountains educators in the What is Biodiversity? - Middle School Virtual Field Trip to learn about biodiversity and why it is important. 

The full-year course for high school, Explorations in Data Science, from youcubed.org is now complete!  All eight units of the curriculum are available on the course website, and hundreds of schools across the country are already offering it.  

On a recent visit to one classroom, the youcubed team heard this feedback from students: 

In addition to launching the curriculum and facilitating the rollout to classrooms this year, Jo Boaler and the youcubed team have also been busy developing training sessions to equip teachers for implementation. They have now completed a full round of workshops on all 8 units and will start again in June with a session on Units 1-4. If you plan to teach the course in the 2022-23 school year, they highly recommend this training!  It is delivered in a live, online format and you can register here. 

This curriculum makes the connections between learning computer science and other subjects like language arts, math, and science—with more to come. Through CS Connections, K-12 classrooms can explore their usual subjects in exciting new ways!  

CS Connections has options for teachers who’d like to incorporate computer science into their lesson plans for other subjects, as well as CS educators who want to reinforce what students are learning in other subjects. Our goal is to provide students with a deeper and broader understanding of a particular subject area, a better sense of how computers can be used as a tool to solve human problems, and motivation to learn more about the intersection of CS and other disciplines.  

CS Connections is available now, with more lessons coming next year! Interested teachers from any discipline can view cross-curricular lesson plans and try out activities here. 

Mapping Hour for Parents and Teachers 
Mapping Hour is a set of 20 informal one-hour instructional videos about ArcGIS Online for parents and teachers, with chunks that scaffold concepts and skills for using ArcGIS Online in K12 instruction. The videos take users from an initial experience with GIS to integrating tools for an involved project. The program includes a no-cost ArcGIS Online account for learning.  

New Learning Plans for Teachers 
Four no-cost learning plans that are designed to help K–12 teachers develop their ArcGIS skills were recently released on Esri Academy. Each learning plan contains a curated set of self-paced e-Learning on a focused topic of interest. Web courses, videos, and instructional interactive maps are included. 

• ArcGIS for Teachers: Working with ArcGIS StoryMaps 
• ArcGIS for Teachers: Collecting and Mapping Your Own Data 
• ArcGIS for Teachers: Discover ArcGIS Online 
• ArcGIS for Teachers: Visualizing and Analyzing Geographic Information 

For nearly two decades Orion’s Quest has been providing teachers with opportunities to connect their students with authentic research being conducted in space.  Now they are announcing their newest student mission, “Worms in Space 2.0” (WIS 2.0) which echoes back to the original “Worms in Space” mission from 2003. 

Like the original mission, “Worms in Space 2.0” is based on a study of the tiny roundworm Caenorhabditis elegans, or C. elegans, and is being conducted in microgravity on board the International Space Station.  This new NASA sponsored research of Dr. Siva Vanapalli at Texas Tech University seeks to better understand muscle weakening that astronauts can experience during long duration space flights as well as new treatments for serious muscle disorders here on Earth. 

Students engage in this authentic International Space Station National Laboratory sponsored research as they learn to use NIH developed software in reviewing proprietary videos or photos from both the ground and flight experiments. 

WIS 2.0, designed for both middle and high school students, is short duration, introduces new cutting-edge software and adds authenticity to any science curriculum as students participate in current space science. 

Check out WIS 2.0 here. 

At this time Orion's Quest is looking to involve 50 schools nationally and internationally in WIS 2.0 and hope that you, or a colleague, will consider giving your students this authentic STEM experience.  To enroll your school please visit http://www.orionsquest.org/enroll/. 

AWRI Recruiting new instructors for 2022

The Annis Water Resource Institute (AWRI) is recruiting new Science Instructors for the 2022 vessel season!  

AWRI seeks passionate and energetic environmental educators to engage students in hands-on, place-based learning experiences onboard its research vessels. Instructors are assigned to either the W. G. Jackson (docks in Muskegon) or the D. J. Angus (docks in Grand Haven) or may serve on both vessels. AWRI anticipates hiring multiple instructors for both vessels, and these positions report to AWRI’s Education Specialist. 

These are temporary, seasonal positions, and details are in the job listing on GVSU’s site. 

Michigan Learning & Education Advancement Program

MICHIGAN LEARNING & EDUCATION ADVANCEMENT PROGRAM (MiLEAP) assists job seekers transition from short- and mid-term education and training programs to high-skill, high-wage employment and career pathways, resulting in industry-recognized credential attainment and reduced educational debt. 

MiLEAP focuses on individuals who are dislocated, underemployed, essential workers, living in distressed rural and urban communities and are economically disadvantaged. Additionally, the program creates MiLEAP Navigators who provide job seekers with assistance in assessing and overcoming barriers, identifying resources, and providing guidance and support. 

MiLEAP participants will receive individualized competency-based assessments and learning plans that include skills assessments, remote learning opportunities, high school and industry-recognized credential attainment and contextual learning opportunities.

Employers 
For all prospective employers looking to participate in the MiLEAP program, please contact the LEO-MICC@michigan.gov email to determine eligibility and identify partnerships.  

Students / Individuals  
For all prospective students, identify what region you reside in and if it has programs of interest. If so, please contact the individual listed on MiLEAP regional contacts page to determine program eligibility. 

All other questions may be directed to LEO-MICC@michigan gov. 

Ginger Rohwer
Regional Director
(616) 331-2272
rohwergi@gvsu.edu

Diane Miller
Business, Community, and Education Liaison
(616) 331-2265
milledia@gvsu.edu

www.gvsu.edu/mistem

Services provided through a MiSTEM grant awarded by the Michigan Department of Education.

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