2014 Issue

61 W HILE IT SOUNDS very impor- tant, STEM just answers three questions: Why does something happen? How can we apply this knowledge in a practical way? And, how can we describe what is happening suc- cinctly? With these three questions, STEM becomes a pathway to teach our children to be curious, to create, and to think and to figure things out. STEM is critical to our future because these are the skills our children need in the 21st century. Now, you’ll hear pundits say there is a busi- ness case to be made for STEM education. The data shows that the growth of STEM- related jobs in the US will nearly double the number of non-STEM jobs, from 2008 to 2018. STEM jobs also offer higher wages. This is all true. But, teaching STEM is big- ger than that. STEM offers training in hu- man skills and gives children the ability to pursue their passions. STEMexercises their creativity muscles. There are two schools of thought on defining creativity: divergent thinking, which is the formation of a creative idea resulting fromgenerating lots of ideas; and a Janusian approach, which is the act of making links between two remote ideas. If you need proof on the importance of STEM, look up Thomas Edison. He was a creative mastermind, and a divergent thinking guru by trying combinations until the right one presented itself. The Janusian approach had a big fan too, Henri Poincaré, a French mathematician and polymath, who was an expert in many different fields. Why? Because he was willing to try new combinations that were never tried before. He would describe his creative style as: “making new combinations… formed of elements drawn from domains which are far apart.” From my experience, STEM can make you a better person. From STEM, I’ve gained the perspective that the melding of uncer- tainty and curiosity is where innovation and creativity occur. STEM has taught me the power of persistence andpatience, and also has shown that failure is a friend. Knowing STEM inspires a deeper appreciation for the world and gives you the tools to make it a better place. Girls and Science: A Dream Deferred But, let’s be honest. Today’s culture of STEM is largely uninviting. It is the reason why there is a general population of people who despise math and do not understand science. There are other issues as well: girls are sorely under-represented in STEM. For girls in STEM, there is the false presumption that girls are not as good as boys in science and math. This message pervades our national mindset. Even though girls and boys sit next to each other in class, fewer women STEM | continued on page 62 The following is an adaptation from Save Our Science: How to Inspire the Next Generation of Scientists by Dr. Ainissa Ramirez, available on Amazon, IBookstore, and Barnes & Noble. But, what exactly is it? STEM. You’ve heard of it. By Ainissa G. Ramirez, Ph.D.