STEM Everyday

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Creating opportunities for young people to learn about patents by introducing invention education and IP literacy is an important part of STEM learning.
Lauren Strechay and Nicolette Buonora, recently graduated high school students, developed the Battery Swap System as their solution in a classroom challenge. After continued iteration, their Battery Swap System was recognized at the US National Invention Convention, earning a patent sponsorship and a finalist award, propelling Lauren and Nicolette to the global convention and ultimately a USPTO patent approval. 
From the US Patent and Trademark Office, Juan Valentin is an education program advisor in the USPTO's Students and Learners Division in the Office of Public Engagement, where he is responsible for the development and implementation of educational projects of national and international scope, with a particular emphasis on directing and coordinating the development of STEM, design-thinking, or invention-focused projects infused with intellectual property (IP) concepts. A significant part of Juan's job is cultivating relationships and finding areas for collaboration with external organizations, academic institutions, and federal agencies.

Prior to joining the Students and Learners Division, Juan was a patent examiner at the USPTO for 12 years, specializing in the art of optical measuring and testing devices. Juan holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from the Clarkson University.

Resources & Opportunities mentioned by Juan:

• Kids, students, and educators | USPTO
• National Summer Teacher Institute | USPTO
• EquIPHQ (uspto.gov)
• Master Teacher of Invention and Intellectual Property Education Program (MTIP) | USPTO

Learn more about Lauren & Nicolette's Battery Swap invention in this news story

Connect with The USPTO:

• Website: uspto.gov
• email: [email protected]
• Twitter/X: @uspto
• YouTube: @USPTOvideo
• Facebook: facebook.com/uspto.gov
• Instagram: @uspto

Chris Woods is the host of the STEM Everyday Podcast... Connect with him:

• Website: dailystem.com
• Twitter/X: @dailystem
• Instagram: @dailystem
• YouTube: @dailystem

Get Chris's book Daily STEM on Amazon

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Tara Koehler and John Sammon have been educators in New York for over 20 years. From their roles in classrooms to their current roles as instructional coaches, they don't lead from the sidelines. They get right in the game with the teachers to help them incorporate STEM, STEAM, and PBL in practical and efficient ways.
In addition to their classroom work, they provide PD with STEAM learning, steammachinepd.com, and just wrote a book outlining their best ideas for PBL,

The Tapas Approach to Project Based Learning, presents an innovative perspective on PBL by advocating a 'small bites' methodology. This approach emphasizes the benefits of breaking down complex educational concepts and processes into manageable, digestible segments, much like enjoying a variety of tapas in a meal.

Tara says "students learn best by doing rather than being told, and learning is not one-size-fits-all. Students should be actively engaged in their learning." John agrees, "my intentions are to deepen understanding through authentic learning experiences, where children engage with fundamental questions about the world and how humans have investigated and found answers to those questions."

Connect with Tara & Mike:

• Website: pbltapas.com
• Website for their PD: steammachinepd.com
• Twitter/X: @steammachinepd
• Twitter/X for John: @SammonSTEAM
• Twitter/X for Tara: @TKtalksSTEAM

Chris Woods is the host of the STEM Everyday Podcast... Connect with him:

• Website: dailystem.com
• Twitter/X: @dailystem
• Instagram: @dailystem
• YouTube: @dailystem

Get Chris's book Daily STEM on Amazon

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Mike Cairns is a creator & innovator. His career in drones took a quick turn one day at home. His son showed him a character he called "Ninja Gator" made with popsicle sticks and tape. An idea was sparked. “Why don't we make a connector system so you can build and reuse craft sticks without glue or tape!?”

Nurcs became that connector. Inexpensive & reusable, these small plastic connectors allow kids and adults alike to build bigger things than they have ever built before. After hundreds of prototypes and many long hours, they finalizes the proper proportions and settled on six standard pieces that allow people to build many different combinations of structures (and over seventy other combination pieces that may make their way into expansion sets down the road). The possibilities are endless and the quality is long lasting with this Made in the USA STEM resource.

Connect with Mike & Nurcs:

• Website: nurcs.com
• Twitter/X: @nurcstoy
• Facebook: @nurcstoy
• Instagram: @nurcstoy
• YouTube: @nurcstoy

Chris Woods is the host of the STEM Everyday Podcast... Connect with him:

• Website: dailystem.com
• Twitter/X: @dailystem
• Instagram: @dailystem
• YouTube: @dailystem

Get Chris's book Daily STEM on Amazon

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Ed Charlwood has been a Design & Technology teacher in the UK for over 20 years. He also just published the book Mastering Tinkercad to help kids better understand one of the simplest CAD programs. 
As an instructor and helper of educators, Ed has a mission to empower students with power CAD tools so they can solve real problems. Specifically: 

• Design is a superpower
• CAD is a tool in a superheroes belt. 
• We need tooled-up superheroes to save us, so we need our students to go to the dojo and master these tools.

Find out more about a free PDF of Mastering Tinkercad  for your students on CadClass.org (or get a super helpful paper copy)

Other episodes mentioned in this episode:

• #260 with Mike Harmon
• #248 with Josh & Jake from CadClass.org

People mentioned by Ed:

• Roma Agrawal, the author of Nuts and Bolts, Seven Small Inventions That Changed the World in a Big Way
• Bill Hammack, the Engineer Guy

Connect with Ed:

• Website: mrcharlwood.blogspot.com
• Twitter/X: @mrcharlwood
• LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ed-charlwood

Chris Woods is the host of the STEM Everyday Podcast... Connect with him:

• Website: dailystem.com
• Twitter/X: @dailystem
• Instagram: @dailystem
• YouTube: @dailystem

Get Chris's book Daily STEM on Amazon

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Jenny Young spent a great deal of time building with her father in their family’s garage when she was growing up. She learned how familiar things worked by taking them apart, and how to put them back together in new combinations. It was this hands-on building experience that stayed with Jenny and ultimately sparked the idea for Brooklyn Robot Foundry.

After getting a degree in Mechanical Engineering, Jenny worked in various areas of design, manufacturing, supply chain management and software development. It was when she was working in education technology that Jenny saw an overwhelming need for more open-ended, hands-on learning for elementary school students. Between reduced school budgets, overcrowding, and standardized testing, students were no longer getting an immersive engineering education.

In 2011, Jenny launched Brooklyn Robot Foundry at the New York City Maker Faire. The unique approach would combine kid-friendly projects with room for experimentation and creative design, resulting in working robots and elated, children.

Founded in 2011 and with four locations open currently, the brand focuses on sharing the fun of STEAM education with children everywhere, inspiring them to continue a life full of exploration, problem-solving, and imagination. They do this by offering fun, creative and educational classes, parties, camps and field trips to children 2-14 years old.

Their signature designs and building methods allow children to build on their own, resulting not only in a cool robot but also in increased confidence. They provide the guidelines for each day’s robots, but the final design is up to the student, offering a variety of programs, ranging in commitment from a single class to an entire semester.

Connect with Jenny & The Brooklyn Robot Foundry:

• Website: brooklynrobotfoundry.com
• Facebook: @robotfoundry
• Instagram: @robotfoundry

Chris Woods is the host of the STEM Everyday Podcast... Connect with him:

• Website: dailystem.com
• Twitter/X: @dailystem
• Instagram: @dailystem
• YouTube: @dailystem

Get Chris's book Daily STEM on Amazon

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Amy Ely has been a STEM educator for almost 20 years, building STEM curriculum and classes at multiple schools in metro Detroit. 

Now at Detroit Catholic Central, she is the Director of STEM and Science Teacher. Amy has over the past 2 years had the opportunity to help plan and open the George and Mary Turek Hall of Science. With tailored programs and state-of-the-art facilities, the new STEM center provides the extra support students need to excel academically and gain valuable skills and experiences that prepare them for higher education and future careers.

The George & Mary Turek Hall of Science, which will house CC's STEM curriculum and programs, and is scheduled to open for students in August 2024. The addition, funded by alumni and benefactors, will include a number of exciting features for students and the community:

• 57,000 Sq Ft of Learning Space 
• 8 Dedicated Science Labs
• 4 Versatile Lab Prep Rooms
• Cutting-Edge Engineering Lab
• 5,300 Sq Ft FIRST Robotics Competition Field
• Robotics Programming & Building Zones
• Fabrication & Machinery Room
• Innovation & Conceptualization Labs
• Multi-Functional MakerSpace
• Eco-Friendly Green Roof
• Sustainability Focused Greenhouse
• 130-Seat Immersive Lecture Hall
• 4 Meter Observa-Dome with GPS Computerized Celestron Telescope
• RedBird 180° Flight Simulator
• NASA MIE Alliance Partner

Connect with Amy & Detroit Catholic Central:

• Website: catholiccentral.net
• Learn more about the STEM lab: catholiccentral.net/academics/stem
• Twitter/X for Amy: @DCCSTEM
• Twitter/X for the school: @DCC1928
• Facebook: @DCC1928
• Instagram: @dcc1928

Chris Woods is the host of the STEM Everyday Podcast... Connect with him:

• Website: dailystem.com
• Twitter/X: @dailystem
• Instagram: @dailystem
• YouTube: @dailystem

Get Chris's book Daily STEM on Amazon

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How can kids have access to STEM opportunities no matter where they live? The Oklahoma Connections Academy was able to purchase a bus and are in the process of turning it into a mobile STEM lab! "It's a world of difference because we're taking what (the kids) are already exposed to, what they already have, and we're just elevating it to the next level. We want to make sure that they have just a full, comprehensive, educational experience. And we want them to enjoy what they're doing,” said High School Science teacher Kristen Whitmer.

Jennifer Dewar is the high school assistant principal at Oklahoma Connections Academy, a virtual school serving students all over the state. She began her teaching career in 1994 and joined Oklahoma Connections Academy in 2017. She has always loved working with students since her days teaching in a preschool while she attended college. Teaching in elementary and middle schools in several states since then has afforded me the opportunity to have a positive impact on the lives of students and families.

The academy was given a $212,374 grant from the HDR Foundation to build their mobile STEM lab. HDR "specializes in architecture, engineering, environmental and construction services. While we are most well-known for adding beauty and structure to communities through high-performance buildings and smart infrastructure, we provide much more than that."
The HDR Foundation has donated over $9 million in grants since 2012.

Connect with Jennifer & the Academy:

• Website: connectionsacademy.com/oklahoma-virtual-school/
• News story about the mobile lab
• Facebook: @OklahomaConnectionsAcademy
• The HDR Foundation: hdrinc.com/about-us/hdr-foundation

Chris Woods is the host of the STEM Everyday Podcast... Connect with him:

• Website: dailystem.com
• Twitter/X: @dailystem
• Instagram: @dailystem
• YouTube: @dailystem

Get Chris's book Daily STEM on Amazon

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There are 3.5 million STEM jobs that need to be filled by 2025 in the United States.* Studies show that if children aren't exposed to math and science at an age of seven, they'll lose interest. SpaceKids Global is on a mission to ensure every child is ready to enter the space age.

Sharon Hagle, entrepreneur and astronaut, founded SpaceKids Global™ in 2015 with the mission to inspire STEAM+ Environment Education, with the goal of bringing the possibility of space to children. Sharon shares her journey to space and introduces students through speaking engagements at schools, nonprofit youth organizations, science centers, universities and space organizations. To date, Sharon has reached over 700,000 students globally.

The SpaceKids Press Squad (SKPS) is a national competition hosted by SpaceKids
Global. Eight U.S. students age 8-12, plus one parent or legal guardian for each, will be selected for an exclusive opportunity to witness a launch from Blue Origin’s Mission Control at Kennedy Space Center. Students selected will form the Press Squad and transform into space reporters with the unique access to interview astronauts and various Blue Origin astronauts and staff. Learn more: www.spacekids.global/press-squad

Connect with SpaceKids Global:

• Website: www.spacekids.global
• Information about the Press Squad: www.spacekids.global/press-squad
• Twitter/X: @spacekidsglobal
• YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UCBbnk-mxgfULHMYkuVhCmKQ
• Facebook: @thespacekidsglobal
• Instagram: @spacekidsglobal

Chris Woods is the host of the STEM Everyday Podcast... Connect with him:

• Website: dailystem.com
• Twitter/X: @dailystem
• Instagram: @dailystem
• YouTube: @dailystem

Get Chris's book Daily STEM on Amazon

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The leaders behind Science of Sport use the familiarity of athletics to make STEM education more approachable and inclusive to all learners. The nonprofit organization partners with professional sports teams to provide exciting hands-on, minds-on learning experiences for elementary and middle school students across the county, creates interdisciplinary programming that translates the concepts of sports into an understanding of the underlying science and mathematics, and hosts training events for teachers to help bring more diverse lesson plans and STEM learning into classrooms.

To date, Science of Sport has created over 100 lesson plans, handed out 20,000 STEM kits, and trained over 6,000 teachers, which has impacted more than 600,000 students. 

Science of Sport Executive Director Daren Heaton oversees all operations and programming and has worked with over 35 professional sports teams to deliver impactful education programs (MLB, NBA, MLS, NFL, and College Conferences). Heaton previously worked for the Arizona Diamondbacks as the Manager of Education Initiatives, where he managed all education programs in the community through the Sales Department, and helped start the D-backs Science of Baseball program. His additional affiliations to professional sports teams include the Los Angeles Galaxy from 2009 to 2011 where he was a Group Sales Account Executive

Connect with The Science of Sport and Daren:

• Website: sciencesport.org
• Find the lesson plans: sciencesport.org/lessons
• Email Daren: [email protected] 
• Twitter/X: @ScienceofSport_
• YouTube: youtube.com/channel/UC-knCxjr7xKJohaSW-U2LQQ
• Facebook: @scienceofsportofficial
• Instagram: @scienceofsport__

Chris Woods is the host of the STEM Everyday Podcast... Connect with him:

• Website: dailystem.com
• Twitter/X: @dailystem
• Instagram: @dailystem
• YouTube: @dailystem

Get Chris's book Daily STEM on Amazon

Support the show

Send us Fan Mail

As The Franklin Institute’s Senior Vice President of Science and Education, Dr. Darryl N. Williams  oversees all aspects of the science and educational programming at the heart of the Institute’s efforts to inspire a passion for learning about science and technology.

Dr. Williams earned his B.S. in Chemical Engineering from Hampton University and his M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Maryland, College Park. After earning his doctorate, he served as a NIH Postdoctoral Fellow in pediatric cardiology research at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.  He also served as a Dean at Tufts University's School of Engineering, Dr. Williams joined the Institute from Tufts University’s School of Engineering as well as four years with the National Science Foundation, managing a range of federal programs and research focused on STEM teaching and learning, formal and informal learning environments, and workforce development.

With more than a decade of experience in everything from clinical research to workforce development, Dr. Williams brings not only a wealth of knowledge on science and technology learning to The Franklin Institute, but also a vibrantly interdisciplinary perspective.

Two important Franklin Institute programs discussed are the PACTS (Partnership for Achieving Careers in Tech & Science) program, which is a middle school program that partners with STEM professionals for middle school students to understand the processes of science, and STEM Scholars, which helps high school students with college and career prep, ACT tutoring, college essays, scholarships, paid internships, and more.

Connect with The Franklin Institute and Darryl:

• Website: fi.edu
• Check out the Franklin Institute Award winners 
• Twitter/X: @thefranklin
• Instagram: @franklininstitute
• Darryl's Twitter/X: @dnwilli

Chris Woods is the host of the STEM Everyday Podcast... Connect with him:

• Website: dailystem.com
• Twitter/X: @dailystem
• Instagram: @dailystem
• YouTube: @dailystem

Get Chris's book Daily STEM on Amazon

Support the show