Inspiring Young People to pursue Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM)

 

POSTED ON Nov 08, 2021

 

In 2015, MGA Entertainment (MGAE) established November 8 as ‘National STEM/STEAM Day’ in the official holiday calendar. This holiday aims to encourage kids to explore their interests in science, technology, engineering, art, and math (STEAM) skills in fun and engaging ways.

MGAE also created Project Mc2, which features four girls that are part of a spy organization called NOV8 (pronounced “innovate”), hence the selection of November 8th as National STEM/STEAM. Day.

A Netflix original series of the same name helps to provide an outlet for kids to experience science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) in an age-appropriate way and bring STEM/STEAM concepts to life.

According to Census Bureau stats published on November 8, 2021, STEM occupations account for  7% of all U.S. occupations. In 2019, there were nearly 10.8 million workers in STEM occupations, the bureau said.

As engineers, medical scientists, sociologists, and informational security analysts, STEM workers play an important role in innovation and global competitiveness. Despite making up half of the U.S. workforce, women are still underrepresented in the STEM workforce.

Although women made gains – from 8% of STEM workers in 1970 to 27% in 2019 – men dominated the field. Men made up 52% of all U.S. workers but 73% of all STEM workers, the Census Bureau said.

In a blog post to mark National STEM Day, AnneMarie Horowitz, the director of STEM Rising,  a Department of Energy initiative, presented some of the hundreds of programs the energy department offers to advance STEM skills across the nation.

They include the STEM Rising College & Continued learning page, K-12 page, virtual tours of STEM careers at all 17 Department of Energy laboratories, and the Direct Current podcast, which included topics on powering the Mars Perseverance Rover, the origins of the Manhattan Project, and acid rain.