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Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin
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Triangle Coalition member, the Technology Student Association (TSA) has announced it has acquired the TEAMS and UNITE programs of the Junior Engineering Technical Society (JETS). The TEAMS and UNITE programs promote mathematics, science, and engineering understanding in students and help them discover their potential for careers in the engineering profession. For many years JETS engaged students in a variety of educational programs designed to increase awareness of what engineers do and to show how math and science knowledge make tangible differences in the world. The strength of TEAMS and UNITE will enhance TSA’s engineering initiatives, and help TSA have an impact on more students and teachers with exceptional STEM programming. The 2012 TEAMS and UNITE programs will continue as scheduled, managed by TSA. Schools, coaches, students, sponsors and affiliates can expect the same level of quality programming and effective outcomes they have previously experienced. The Technology Student Association (TSA) is a national organization for middle and high school students with a strong interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. TSA helps teachers meet the criteria for STEM education goals through noteworthy programs that include technology competitions, and leadership and teamwork activities for students. TSA programs are correlated to the Standards for Technological Literacy, as set forth by the International Technology and Engineering Education Association (ITEEA). Teachers can use TSA’s activities during the school day in their classroom and extend learning beyond the classroom in a TSA chapter. Through its program of STEM related activities and competitive events, TSA seeks to inspire its student members to prepare for careers and life in a technology-driven economy and culture. Members are supported by teachers, parents, and business leaders who promote a STEM-educated society. TSA serves more than 150,000 students in 2,000 schools in 48 states. More details about TSA, TEAMS, and UNITE are online. Triangle Coalition member, Texas Instruments, has announced its schedule of fall webinars for math and science educators. The free webinar series is presented by the Teachers Teaching with Technology (T3) professional development organization sponsored by Texas Instruments. The webinars are presented by experienced educators with math and science backgrounds. The series features live and on-demand sessions where educators can learn how to effectively use TI technology to build student understanding of math and science concepts. The webinars cover a variety of technology skills that can be used in subject areas such as Chemistry, Biology, Algebra 1, Calculus, and Statistics. "The free webinar series is designed to give educators a quick, convenient way to update their skills with TI technology," said Gayle Mujica, director of Texas Instruments T³ professional development organization. "The webinars also show teachers how to take advantage of the many other free resources that TI offers." All webinars are about one hour long and are recorded for on-demand viewing later. A "Certificate of Attendance" is available to webinar participants. For more information or to register, click here. Education Technology, a business of Texas Instruments, provides a wide range of tools connecting the classroom experience with real-world applications, helping students and teachers to explore math and science interactively. TI's products and services are tested vigorously against recognized third-party research, which shows that the use of graphing calculators helps improve the mathematical skills of students and their attitudes toward mathematics. For more information, visit www.education.ti.com. Triangle Coalition member, NASA, and Honeywell have announced the fall 2011 tour of their award-winning science education program FMA Live! FMA Live! 2011 fall tour will include stops in: Washington, D.C.; Capitol Heights, MD; Parkville, MD; Morris Township, NJ; Pittsburgh, PA; Urbana, OH; Fairborn, OH; Dayton, OH; Lakeville, IN; South Bend, IN; Cary, IL; Bolingbrook, IL; Wayzata, MN; St. Paul, MN; Chamberlain, SD; Urbandale, IA; Mountain View, MO; Liberty, MO; Kansas City, MO; and Denver, CO. FMA Live! is a collaboration between NASA and Honeywell and is the only nationally touring, multi-media, science-education production of its kind. Designed to make science relevant to kids' everyday lives, the program brings an authentic, live, hip-hop concert experience of unprecedented size and proportion to middle schools across the country. FMA Live! is completely underwritten by Honeywell and since 2004 has traveled 89,000 miles, reaching more than 281,300 students at 807 middle schools in all 48 contiguous U.S. states and Canada. "Learning Math and Science can be exciting, fully interactive, and fun," said Tom Buckmaster, president of Honeywell Hometown Solutions. "The FMA Live! road-show teaches Newton's Laws of Motion in a fun and relevant way for today's students. Honeywell is reaching into communities around the U.S. to inspire young people to explore stimulating careers in science, technology, engineering, and math." The innovative, traveling hip-hop science concert will reach over 16,000 students during its 10-week, 20-city tour of the United States. Named for Sir Isaac Newton's second law of motion (force = mass x acceleration) FMA Live! uses professional actors, original songs, music videos, and interactive science demonstrations to teach middle school students Newton's three laws of motion and universal law of gravity. More details are at www.fmalive.com. . As the 1st World Engineering Education Flash Week kicks off next week in Lisbon, members of IEEE, the world's largest professional technical association, and the IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) group say the world can no longer afford the significant gender gap in engineering that currently exists. "In developed countries like Japan, the U.S., and Australia, traditional thinking about women's roles is still quite predominant and it deters women from studying engineering," said Dr. Takako Hashimoto, IEEE WIE coordinator in the Asia Pacific region and associate professor of computer science at Chiba University of Commerce in Japan. "We must overcome conservative opinions to encourage female students to attend engineering universities." Even as professions like law and medicine show great strides in achieving gender balance, the number of women in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) careers consistently lags behind their male peers. In China, women make up approximately 40 percent of the STEM workforce according to the Chinese Academy of Science, while in the United States women account for only 24 percent of the STEM workforce according to recent statistics from the U.S. Department of Commerce. Work-life balance, lack of support and encouragement for female students, and cultural perceptions about roles of women are among a few reasons why the engineering field is male-dominated in most parts of the world. For its part, Triangle Coalition member, IEEE, and its members around the world have established programs to help support women in engineering and encourage female students to pursue an engineering career. Since 1994, the IEEE WIE group has provided support and recognition of women in electrical and electronics engineering through networking opportunities at technical conferences, IEEE Awards nominations, and advocacy for women in leadership roles in IEEE governance as well as career advancement for women in the engineering profession. IEEE members advocating for women in engineering will be part of a month-long drive on the IEEE WIE Facebook page to engage people worldwide in discussions about how to interest more girls in engineering and ensure women are able to build successful engineering careers. Find out more at www.facebook.com/ieeewomeninengineering. . Registration is open for the Team America Rocketry Challenge 2012, a national model rocket competition for U.S. students in grades 7-12. Thousands of students compete each year, making TARC the world's largest model rocket contest. Teams of three to 10 students are challenged to design, build, and fly a model rocket that will climb to 800 feet with a payload of two raw eggs and stay aloft for 43 to 47 seconds. The payload must then return to earth unbroken. Cash prizes are awarded to the top finishers. NASA invites top teams to participate in their Student Launch Initiative, an advanced rocketry program. Participation is limited to the first 1,000 teams who register by Nov. 30, 2011. For more information, visit www.rocketcontest.org. The international rocketry challenge is the culmination of three separate competitions: the Team America Rocketry Challenge (TARC), UKAYRoC, and the French Rocketry Challenge. Each contest brings together teams of middle and high school students to design, build, and launch model rockets. Last year, the challenge was to launch a rocket that launched to exactly 750 feet during a 40- to 45-second flight. The payload, a raw egg, had to return to the ground by parachute undamaged. As part of their score, teams also had to give an eight minute presentation on their rocket design to a panel of international judges. A four-member team from Rockwall-Heath High School in Heath, TX, posted the best score to win the international fly-off. The winning score represented a flight height of 745 feet and duration of 43 seconds. . The U.S. Department of Education has awarded $12.8 million for 30 teacher training projects through the Transition to Teaching Program. The program supports efforts to recruit mid-career professionals and recent graduates with degrees outside of education and then help these recruits become teachers through alternative certification routes. The program also emphasizes placing teachers in high-need schools. "Talented teachers come from all walks of life, and life experiences can enhance a teacher's abilities in the classroom and rapport with students," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "These grants will encourage more interested professionals to transition to teaching and increase our cadre of teachers for schools that need them the most." This year's grantees are located in 16 states and one territory. Priorities among this year's grantees include partnerships or consortiums with high-need state agencies or local school districts; the preparation of teachers in STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) fields, where additional teachers are greatly needed; and the staffing needs of high-risk schools in rural areas and areas that serve American Native or Alaskan Native communities. The Transition to Teaching projects are funded for five years. Approximately 4,800 new teachers are expected to be certified by the end of the five-year period. Teacher candidates supported by the projects are required to teach in high-need schools for at least three years. In addition to the STEM fields, projects support the training of teachers for other subjects with the greatest need, primarily special education and bilingual or English as a Second Language. More information about this program can be found at www2.ed.gov/programs/transitionteach.
. Victoria Xia of Vienna, Virginia recently won the $25,000 prize for first place in the third annual Advantage Testing Foundation Math Prize for Girls at MIT. The competition offers the world's largest cash prize awarded in a math contest for young women. 276 high school girls from across the nation and Canada participated in the competition. Ms. Xia, a 10th grader enrolled in Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, VA, received the top score on the 150-minute exam. Danielle Wang of Westmont High School in Campbell, CA and Julia Huang of Lynbrook High School in San Jose, CA placed second and third respectively and each earned $7,500. Ms. Xia valued the opportunity to compete in a math contest exclusively for young women. "If you look at our math team in school, the vast majority are guys," she said. "It's nice to have events like this to promote more women in the field." She also noted that many of the contestants form friendships and communities that extend beyond the annual competition. "Not only do you meet new people, you get to catch up with your old friends," Ms. Xia continued. "I knew a lot of the girls here and it was really great to see all of them." Advantage Testing Foundation President Arun Alagappan and MIT President Susan Hockfield welcomed participants and their families to the awards ceremony. Both noted the need for young women in math and science to develop networks that would support their aspirations. "Study after study has confirmed that the nations that consistently perform the best on international tests in math and science are those in which there is less pronounced disparity among men and women in those disciplines," Mr. Alagappan said. "Simply put: a nation is strongest when it draws leaders from every talent pool." A complete list of winners and more details are at www.atfoundation.org. .
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