2018 Issue

49 make programs like the Utah STEM Bus possible. Spencer works with several eager industry partners not unlike US Synthetic. “Industry support is critical to creating STEM op- portunities. Businesses that get involved enjoy a great ROI; they increase the chances of these students coming back and filling jobs in the future.” STEM is for everyone Another STEM Spotlight drew attention to an important aspect of the STEM discussion: diversity and accessibility. One STEM Action Center team member experienced an exciting program in action—though the excitement was a little more than he bargained for. “It was a bit nerve racking,” said Clarence Ames, a program specialist at the center. “I’ve never been in a plane that small, let alone a tiny plane with a 12-year-old girl in the pilot seat.” Ames was invited on a ride-along for an aviation program hosted by Cache Makers, an afterschool program estab- lished in 2013 to provide Cache County’s underprivileged youth ages 8-18 with hands-on STEM learning experiences. Cache Makers, in partnership with the state’s Women in Aviation Chapter, provided a six-week aviation course for local girls. This included—yes, truly—flying a Diamond DA40 airplane. During the course, the girls learned about weather, instru- mentation and the mechanics and engineering behind airplanes. It provided an important opportunity as well as a reminder that STEM fields are for everyone. This comes at a time where Utah residents might catch word of Women Tech Council’s SheTech mentoring program. Or American International School of Utah’s SHINE program, an MIT-developed curriculum to connect math learning with dance class for middle school girls. Park City High School sponsors two all-girl robotics teams, the Ladybots and Ulti- mum Dominarium (meaning “ultimate ladies” in Latin). STEM learning is about opportunities beyond education. The learning supports the building of better confident people—regardless of gender or socioeconomic or cultural background. “She seemed excited, nervous and hesitant all at the same time until she took the controls,” Ames said of his 12-year- old pilot. “It was amazing to see how much taking the con- trols of that plane and flying in a loop around Cache Valley boosted her confidence.” Gaining momentum One only has to take a peek at the STEM Action Center’s newsroom or spotlights (at STEM.Utah.gov ) to see just how much is happening across the state. “We like to keep a finger on the pulse of all STEM activities in Utah so that we can promote and build upon it,” Goetz said. “Partnerships are key to creating a STEM culture and a STEM-ready workforce. The STEM Action Center owes its success to its partners.” The Utah STEM Action Center and GOED are working to build the future scientists, tech specialists, and engineers of tomorrow. Hillary Bowler is a marketing and communications specialist for the Utah Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED). GOED supports the state’s vision to lead the nation as the best performing economy.