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How Do You Pack Your STEAM Outreach Toolbox If You Have Limited Time and Budget?
Citation:
Berry, W., M. Anley-Mills, C. Tremper, AND Alana Hanson. How Do You Pack Your STEAM Outreach Toolbox If You Have Limited Time and Budget? Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry North America, 42nd Annual Meeting, NA, Virtual, November 14 - 18, 2021.
Impact/Purpose:
At this time there are a lot of scientists who would like to start up Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics education (STEAM) outreach programs at their workplaces. There are any number of good reasons to do this: improving relations with the local community, helping to expand STEAM education, working towards increased diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEAM among them. But most scientists are not sure where to start. This presentaion should help those scientists to start and sustain a STEAM educational outreach program. This sort of educational outreach is critical to EPA's mission.
Description:
“You’re a superhero saving our planet” – 4th grader after a hands-on STEAM activity. Come hear about practical steps you can take to make a positive and authentic contribution to Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics (STEAM) education. We hope that this presentation will kick off a vibrant discussion among those individuals new to and experienced in STEAM outreach alike. If you have an interest in engaging with lifelong learners, with a little effort you can be a superhero to educators and students of all ages in your community (and further afield) too. Why is this effort important? You will improve relations with the local community, bring an awareness of your organization’s scientific work, support a STEAM professionals pipeline, and bring authentic STEAM applications to life for educators and students. What’s more, you will build your own skills and help advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in STEAM. But where should you start? How do you gain support at your workplace? Who can be your allies, and what are some of the common challenges and how can you overcome them? What STEAM outreach resources are at your disposal? In this session we will discuss some guiding principles that have worked for us and can help you start and grow outreach efforts where you work. We will present examples of STEAM activities that we have seen work well, some of which we have developed, some we have recycled from others, and some of which we have modified from existing activities. We will cover activities that worked best in hands-on, face-to-face situations, and others that can be done virtually, or via social media. If we can do this, you can do it too.
