STEM learning at home

During the Coronavirus crisis, our Ambassadors proved incredibly resourceful. Some set-up their own podcasts, others unleashed their creativity with writing or crafts… and all of them managed to keep learning STEM at home. Want to see how? We compiled their ideas below!

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‘Before the COVID-19 pandemic, I was volunteer-teaching Zumba, a Latin-inspired cardio-dance workout with my co-instructor (who happens to be my mom!). When Illinois schools shut down in March, I wanted to keep teaching Zumba to help everyone stay active and healthy. The question was “how?”  The answer was “TECHNOLOGY!”.

With a laptop and an internet connection, I turned our basement into a fitness studio.  I learned how to navigate Zoom and Twitch to live stream our Zumba classes, and everyone loved it!  There was definitely a learning curve, but with some persistence, I figured out the foreign technology. Just like the in-person classes, the online classes were free of charge. Some of the participants were so grateful that they insisted on paying for the online classes. We forwarded donations to our local Moraine Township Food Pantry and to Feeding America.

In addition to the physical activity from Zumba, I also wanted to keep the kids’ minds active. So, after dancing, I organized some STEM activities with crafts. I taught STEM inspired projects using easy-to-find materials at home to make fun projects, such as a paper flower or water bottle launcher. The paper flower taught kids about surface area as they folded the paper, making it smaller and smaller. While playing with the water bottle launcher, I explained how the energy goes from potential to kinetic as you release the rubber band. I prompted the kids to try launching at different angles, so they could see at which angle the projectile went the farthest. These STEM activities disguised as crafts make STEM approachable for everyone. They are learning and getting inspired by STEM while having fun. By sparking an interest in STEM at a young age, these kids will be empowered to go into the STEM field as they get older.’

‘We know that this period of pandemic it is not easy, for anyone, anywhere, and it’s sometimes hard to deal with the situation. For me, as for many others I am sure, at the beginning of the pandemic I thought we would be staying home for a short time. So, I hurried to finish all my pending work and activities for college, which means I had lots of free time and could spend some quality time with my family!

I needed activities to keep my brain and hands busy, so after renovating my room and planting lots of sunflowers in our garden, I decided to take an astrophysics course which was so inspiring! I had fun learning about space, its galaxies and planets, the stars, the moon and everything else that delights our sky. It was particularly great to learn about the mathematical equations used to calculate every little thing in the universe, even when it is super far away.

With the end of the course and the return to my online classes for college, my time is fully occupied now. But I am still very active in the IMCT group (Inclusion of Women in Science and Technology), in my University, which has never stopped conducting events and activities during the pandemic – so yes, learning science from home remains essential in our lives!’

‘I don’t think the lockdown changed my routine too much: I am taking a gap year after finishing high school, so I didn’t have to worry about school disruptions or online classes. And I did manage to focus on some STEM-related activities! Here are a few examples:

1. Mask design

Months ago, Xprize launched the Next Gen Mask Challenge, a competition that called for teams of 15 to 24 year old around the world to design a better mask that solves problems and promotes positive mask-wearing behavior. Unable to find someone to team up with, I competed as a team of one. Using a variety of online resources, I researched extensively about masks. After a lot of brainstorming, I designed a 3d mask prototype using the Blender 3d software, and created a video explaining my mask design.

To my surprise, I was shortlisted as one of the top 25 teams around the world! It was amazing to know that out of over 900 teams around the world, the Xprize judges considers my design as one of the top 25. Even if I don't end up winning, I'm happy to have come so far. My experience participating in the contest has taught me a lot about STEM. I learned about how masks are made, filtration techniques, electronics, materials and how to use the Blender 3d software. Most importantly, I'm proud to have made a contribution towards to current pandemic.

2. Programming

To help people during the pandemic, Codecademy provided a three-month free trial for their interactive platform to learn programming. I grabbed the opportunity to complete the Web Development course.  

3. Technical writing

I recently got a 3-month technical writing job at the Qubes OS Project, as part of the Google Season of Docs program. Qubes OS is a security and privacy-oriented operating system. Being a privacy enthusiast, I enjoy working with a team whose values align with mine. My contributions have been towards consolidating the Qubes OS troubleshooting guide. My work will hopefully make it easier for users to troubleshoot common problems that arise when using Qubes.

4. Reading

I am an avid reader, so it's only natural that a lot of my quarantine time has been spent reading books. I have read a lot about graphic design and typography. I will apply this knowledge while working on my Ambassador Project, where I plan to design a series of posters highlighting Women in STEM. I have also been reading some computer science and mathematics books like Introduction to Algorithms, The Algorithm Design Manual and Secrets of Mental Math. 

5. Applying to college

I took a gap year after completing high school because I wasn't sure about what to study in college. Since I like many subjects, I found it difficult to choose one subject to commit to. After spending my gap year doing a variety of activities and reading about the career prospects of different majors, I have settled on Combined Computer Science and Mathematics major. I believe this major will be useful for many jobs which excite me, such as programming, data science and technical writing.

To anyone reading this, I hope you are staying safe during these challenging times :)’

‘At first, it was all confusing, the news only talked about the pandemic, the arrival of the new coronavirus in Brazil, the first cases, quarantine, lockdown. Everyone was scared, worried and overnight, everything stopped. University classes were suspended, all activities were paralyzed. And now, what to do? I packed my bags, with a just a few things, hoping that the quarantine would be short or that, in a month or two at most, activities would be back.

One, two, three months passed. and I realized the quarantine would last longer than I had imagined. One more time, I found myself thinking – “and now, what to do?”, “How long will all this last?”

It was then that I decided to leave my state of lethargy, and decided that I would make my quarantine productive. I started thinking about the things I would like to do to change the world. What I would like to have in the future and how I could help people, even from a distance.

One day, due to one of these coincidences of fate - when the Universe seems to hear our most intimate desires - a friend asked me if I was interested in founding a project aimed at women in engineering. I immediately accepted her invitation and then, together with other women, we started to structure the “Escola das Minas” – coming from a exchange of ideas and experiences The project was inspired on the “Escola de Minas”, the engineering and architecture school of the Federal University of Ouro Preto. This project aims to provide engagement and discussions related to the labor market, people management, technical knowledge and female empowerment through the profession.

In addition to “Escola das Minas”, I also wanted to engage in other projects that were in line with my purpose to change the world. As a woman and future environmental engineer, I have always expected women to have equal rights, and one of the ways to make this happen is through inclusion and by generating and offering opportunities. So, I became a g4g ambassador and I am in the process of becoming an ambassador for Zero Waste Youth.

On this journey, I could see how STEM is present in our daily lives and how it is present in many ways. I could also see how there is still a lot of inequality in these areas, even though in general women have more studies and qualifications than men, in the areas of STEM, we are still a minority, either due to lack of opportunity or because of lack of incentive.

When we believe in a cause and are aligned with our purposes, we realize that we are capable of changing the world, and when we find a support network that has the same dreams and ideals, our strength to make our dreams come true is even greater and stronger.’

‘Finishing my junior year of college online and my internship being postponed, I found myself having more time during the pandemic. Having this free time, that I have not had in a long time, I decided to dedicate it to projects that have been on my mind for a while.

One of these projects involved my mother. Together, we decided to take care of an abandoned garden in our neighborhood. We cleared the soil from the invasive weeds and planted various vegetables. We would observe the plants growing and soon we had tomatoes, potatoes and cucumbers we could use to make delicious meals for our family. This was also a great opportunity for me to strengthen my relationship with my mother and spend time outside with the nature.

Another project included working with other students at my university. Coming from Slovenia, one of the most sustainable countries in the world, I was disappointed at the lack of environmental awareness when I first came to Sacred Heart University here in the USA. Ever since, I have been wanting to do something to contribute to change and make us more responsible towards the environment. Over the summer, I virtually met with solar panel companies, staff, faculty and students to come up with new ideas on how to become more environmentally friendly. Currently I am in the process of starting a sustainability plan for the university that will include projects like recycling, composting and solar panels. At the same time, we are also in the process of creating a pollinator garden that would provide home to many native plants and bees.

Lastly, ever since I did my summer cancer research internship in 2019, I have wanted to learn coding for bioinformatics so that I could better analyze and present research data. Thus, I decided to teach myself python for bioinformatics. It took me a while to figure out the best way to do so, but I have found an amazing YouTube channel that guides you step by step in how to use python for biological processes like transcription and translation. I am currently still teaching myself all the applications of python to biology and hope to apply my new skills to future research projects.

Although many people view 2020 as “the worst year” I choose to make the most out of the situation which we are currently living in. Yes, there are many limitations and events that have been cancelled. However, there are also many new opportunities that we can take advantage of and continue growing in whatever field we are passionate about. For me this field is STEM.’

‘I think we can all admit that quarantine has been tough, and that the drastic change from our normal lives to what seemed like repeated days was certainly unexpected.

Fortunately, I was able to participate in an online hackathon, which normally located in Singapore, called She Hacks 2020. It is an all female high school Hackathon founded with the aim to bridge the gender gap in the Computer Science. It was a really great experience because I got to meet new people from other countries, such as India, and work with them. The Hackathon also included multiple workshops, such as web design, intro to machine learning, IOS/SWIFT, front end web development, firebase and prototyping from home. Our challenge was to create a game, website, or app that encompassed the characteristics of sustainability. My group and I decided to create a game that incorporated the 5 R’s, Reuse, reduce, recycle etc… At the end of the conference, we won the creativity prize in the U18 category, which was very rewarding and inspired me to take on a Java course.

During my stay at home, I completed an online live java course along with others at my school in preparation for joining a Robotics team. In this class, I learnt the fundamentals of Java, as well as how to take my knowledge beyond the syllabus.  

There are so many options online available for those looking to pursue a new topic or interest, such as Coursera, or Ed-excel. I was considering taking a Java course on Coursera, although I decided against it. I still think that its an incredibly useful resource though! I also kept up with my blog, Spot Stem Girls, and wrote about interesting topics that fascinated me. This ranged from coding, to how to cameras work.

Overall, my quarantine was long-lasting and productive. I’m glad that I was given the time to explore and research new topics, connect with friends and mentors, and find new passions!’

‘I had a really insightful gap year working at Springboard Pro, an Engineering consultancy specialising in medical devices. During lockdown, I was very fortunate to be able to work on my project with my colleagues from home and then went back into the lab when measures eased, and safety measures had been put in place. In my spare time I also ran a series of mobility and yoga sessions to motivate my colleagues to stay active while home working.

With educational institutions going virtual and lots of fantastic science days and festivals being cancelled I was very keen to contribute to keeping girls motivated and inspired to pursue their interests in STEM. I decided to create a podcast to showcase the breadth of exciting careers available within STEM by interviewing inspiring female role-models. You can find out more about the podcast and listen to the episodes here.

I loved interviewing the guests and enjoyed the challenge and variety of tasks involved. I learnt a lot by following the process from start to finish; designing the logo, contacting the guests, preparing the interview, carrying it out, editing it and finally publishing it all with the guest’s input and consent along the way. I haven’t listened to a podcast in the same way since!

I also engaged in the virtual outreach scene together with my colleague Elizabeth. We created a video about Biomedical Engineering for a local primary schools’ careers fair and a video about our Year in Industry placements for the EDT (Engineering Development Trust) Headstart courses which also had to go online this summer.  

Personally, I have kept my curious mind busy in various ways. During my placement I saw how wide the applications of coding could be in the field of engineering so I started learning Python on Codecademy and with this YouTube video. I also enjoy staying up to date on the latest STEM news by reading The New Scientist, a fantastic magazine that covers all aspects of science and technology in an accessible, clear and engaging way.

Finally, one of my favourite things about STEM is the supportive and passionate community that surrounds it. In addition to all the fantastic women I met while making the podcast, I have also enjoyed meeting other passionate students on The Bright Network Technology Internship I did earlier in the summer and interacting with guests on greenlight for girl’s very own Broadcast series “Science: you had me at hello”.’

‘I think we can all argue that 2020 has been a very challenging year for everyone, but at the same time a hectic, busy and interesting time for the world of STEM. As a fellow STEM student, I quite often found myself researching about the scientific details behind COVID-19. With access to limited equipment I was unfortunately quite helpless in the experiments that I could carry, in the way I wanted to carry them out, therefore in order to thrive my eagerness to maintain my science knowledge up to date I resorted to online research. As I am currently doing an essay-based project based around epidemiology I was able to spend a couple of hours of my long lasting, never ending quarantine days researching on the topics I want to cover. Additionally, I spent my time researching on genetic engineering in specific the genome project. This was a project that started in 1990 and was carried out until 2003, where the genome was found by James Watson. The ‘genome is the complete set of genetic information in an organism, providing all the information required by an organism to function’’.

Another way I used STEM to fill my long quarantine days is by taking an online course in a free university, I took a course based around the respiratory systems and the importance in the regulation of blood around the body in relation to gas exchange and what happens if this occurs insufficiently. The course lasted 1 week, and I was able to learn about a variety of things related to our everyday life, such as the breathing system and the techniques free divers and scuba divers use. Through this course I then soon began to research more about free divers and soon searched multiple of divers around the world attempting to overcome the world record. Through carrying out this small task in hope to entertain myself using STEM, I was able to discover a whole a new interest of mine.

Lastly as an g4g ambassador I participated in a couple of live broadcasts, where I was fortunate enough to meet multiple successful scientists around the world and be inspired by their contribution to the world of science. Through these broadcasts I was able to expand on my knowledge on modern scientists and the level of work they carry out in order to help the world today but also maintain a good scientific workforce for when our generation takes over.

My quarantine revolved around school, small science projects and multiple of hours spent baking. Even though my school year didn’t finish the way I hoped to, I am very thankful for the extra time I had to explore STEM by my self and delve into topics beyond my subject syllabus.”

‘During quarantine, I have been completing MOOCS (massive open online courses). These are online and often free courses created by universities and organisations. There are so many course websites that you can find nearly all STEM topics your interest in! These MOOCs teach via video,tasks,own research and comments sections where you can share ideas and questions to the organisers of the course and fellow students.

My favourite website for MOOCs is Future Learn. All you need to access hundreds of courses is internet connection and an email to sign up. They have courses on: from programming courses to microbiology, from science behind nuclear energy to medicinal chemistry, from block chain technology to electrical engineering, from calculus to forensic science and so much more!

Some other good MOOC providers are Edx and Courseara, each with hundreds of STEM related courses. Many universities partner with these platforms to offer MOOCs, for example: Harvard offers cell biology courses on Edx, University of reading offers cell biology on future learn, etc.