STEM education is a huge topic of discussion among educators and parents. It seems like everyone wants to know how to encourage children to enter a STEM career. One of the best ways to get students interested in any career is to introduce them to the subject, and children typically learn about careers through exposure to the profession. Usually children can explain what a doctor’s job or a police officer’s job entails, because they experience it through play, media, and first-hand from the professionals themselves. Unfortunately, children don’t realize they are exposed to what engineers do every day.
So, how do you connect them with STEM professionals?
Aside from connections with family and friends, the best way to meet STEM professionals is through professional organizations. Many professional organizations have resources committed to outreach. Most professionals involved with a professional organization truly take pride in their careers, and love talking to other people about them, especially children.
Do a quick search for a national organization related to a career you’re interested in. From the national organization’s website, search for a local chapter. From that local chapter’s page, search for an outreach chair, president, or other member’s contact information and reach out. Don’t be worried about bothering anyone, WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!
If you are worried about bothering someone during the day, send an email or leave a voicemail at the end of the day. S/he will call you back!
Many of these organizations have a mission to reach out to students, and by you contacting them, you’re actually helping them out. You’re helping set up an activity that the professionals would otherwise have to organize on their own. It’s so much easier to go into a classroom and do an activity with the students who are already there than it is to organize an activity at the local library or children’s museum. Being invited into a group of engaged teachers and students is always more productive than starting from scratch.
These organizations can also point you toward resources available, activities to do, and are always more than willing to answer emails or any other questions your child may have about engineering.
I want to leave you with two organizations that I am involved with that love doing outreach activities with children.
The American Society of Civil Engineers has a pre-college outreach page: http://www.asce.org/pre-college_outreach/
You can find a list of its sections and branches here:
http://www.asce.org/regions_sections_branches/
Find the closest section or branch to your area, and do a quick google search using its name and “American Society of Civil Engineers” or “Society of Civil Engineers” and you will quickly find its page.
The other organization is the Society of Women Engineers. Their outreach page is here:
http://societyofwomenengineers.swe.org/swenext
You can find your local section and a link to its website here: http://societyofwomenengineers.swe.org/membership/swe-sections
Please don’t hesitate to use these resources, that’s what they’re here for! I eagerly await to hear from my local STEM parents, students, teachers, and even other professionals. Do not be afraid to reach out and utilize these amazing people and programs. The world needs more STEM professionals, so start your journey today!