Cosmic ray detectors, built by Utah refugee teens, installed on Refugee Services Center

The detectors, which measure echoes of cosmic particles bombarding Earth’s atmosphere, were built by participants in a program called “Investigating the Development of STEM-Positive Identities of Refugee Teens in a Physics Out of School Time Experience.”

At Bates College, STEM-interested Black Students Now 50% More Likely to Earn a STEM degree

Typically there is a gap nationally in higher education between the percentages of students who arrive at college expressing a desire to study science, technology, engineering, and math fields and those who stick with them. Statistics show that the fall-off is even higher among Black and Hispanic students. Bates College in Maine set out to change that.

Shaking Up Earthquake Studies by Increasing Access to Data, Tools and Research Results

Earthquake rupture forecast studies provide information about the probabilities of when earthquakes will occur, where they’ll take place and how strong they’ll be, but the computational tools and data aren’t available to a wide scientific community. That’s about to change.

NYU Tandon School of Engineering welcomes hundreds of city students into its free summer courses

This summer, more than 270 New York City middle and high school students will gain hands-on experience and contribute to critical science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) research, through NYU Tandon School of Engineering’s decade-plus long program offering free summer education to city students.

GEM: A Crown Jewel in Brookhaven’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Strategy

Partnerships are essential to promote recruitment and retention of diverse talent and creating a diverse workforce benefits everyone. Varied perspectives and experiences often lead to better outcomes and invigorate the work and culture of an organization. For this reason, Brookhaven has been a long-time supporter and partner of the National Consortium for Graduate Degrees for Minorities in Engineering and Science (GEM), each year providing summer employment to several GEM fellows.

Brookhaven Lab Integrates the Rising STEM Scholars Program

As a way to give students the resources and momentum to embark on a deeper exploration of their interests throughout high school, Brookhaven Lab’s Office of Educational Programs (OEP) began hosting the DOE Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS)-funded Rising STEM Scholars program.

Physics, Engineering Undergrads Receive LLNL-AIP Leadership Scholarships

The Society of Physics Students has awarded leadership scholarships to Elyzabeth Graham, Emma Moreland, and Natalie Douglass, three undergraduate members who are currently studying physics and engineering and will each receive a $2,000 scholarship. The scholarships are made possible by a gift from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory for AIP-SPS members. The purpose of the LLNL-AIP leadership scholarship is to encourage the study of physics and the pursuit of higher education with a preference for those who are traditionally underrepresented in physics and astronomy, including women.

A Stronger STEM: UNLV Researchers Team Up to Improve Retention, Graduation Rates in Civil Engineering

UNLV researchers are teaming up to help civil engineering students stay in school and graduate. The project, supported by a $2.5 million National Science Foundation grant, will strengthen curriculum, build community among students, and help faculty implement culturally responsive teaching practices.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Scientific, Higher Education Leaders to Discuss Student Visa Restriction on America’s Leadership in Innovation

AIP and 36 other scientific associations and societies urge the president’s administration to prioritize the immigration of science and technology talent that will spur the scientific breakthroughs and economic growth of the U.S. In that effort, AIP supports the American Immigration Council in their efforts to highlight the impacts of limiting immigration on students who want to pursue science-based degrees in the United States, which will be discussed in a media briefing on Oct. 22, hosted by the AIC to allow reporters to hear from experts, including Brian Greene, professor of physics and mathematics and bestselling author.

Passing crucial, challenging introductory chemistry course gives biggest boost to underrepresented students

Underrepresented students in STEM received lower grades in a general chemistry series compared to their peers and were less likely to continue. But if underrepresented students completed the first course with at least the minimum grade needed to continue, they were more likely than their peers to do so.

Underrepresented college students benefit more from ‘active learning’ techniques in STEM courses

Switching from passive techniques, such as lectures, to inquiry-based “active learning” methods in college STEM courses has a disproportionate benefit for underrepresented students, which includes low-income students & Latinx, African-American, Native-American, Native-Hawaiian/Pacific-Islander students.

AIP Task Force Brings Diversity, Inclusion, Systemic Change Report to APS March Meeting

At the American Physical Society March Meeting in Denver, five members of the TEAM-UP task force, chartered and funded by the American Institute of Physics, will outline how faculties, departments and professional societies can promote sweeping changes in physics higher education. Evidence-based recommendations from AIP’s TEAM-UP report will be discussed to highlight the need for increasing the number of African American students obtaining bachelor’s degrees in physics and astronomy.

Great Neck South Wins Long Island Regional Science Bowls

UPTON, NY—On Thursday, Jan. 30 and Friday, Jan. 31, the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Brookhaven National Laboratory held two back-to-back installments of the Long Island Science Bowl, a regional branch of DOE’s 30th annual National Science Bowl® (NSB). In this fast-paced question-and-answer showdown, teams of students from across Long Island were tested on a range of science disciplines including biology, chemistry, Earth science, physics, energy, and math.

Wayne State University to address urgent need for STEM educators

Through support from the U.S. Department of Education, Wayne State University announced it is launching the Metro Detroit Teaching Residency for Urban Excellence (TRUE) Project, an innovative multi-sector partnership that aims to positively impact student learning, address the critical shortage of STEM teachers, and support the region’s workforce development. The $2.5 million project will target recent graduates and mid-career professionals with STEM expertise in the metro Detroit region, especially those in the automotive and technology industries who may be impacted by recent and planned plant closures.

LI High School Students Solve Protein Structures at Brookhaven’s Light Source

Students from Long Island, New York, high schools have collaborated across districts to decipher the atomic-level structures of two proteins involved in a variety of diseases. The students used very bright x-rays at the National Synchrotron Light Source II at Brookhaven National Laboratory to identify the 3-D arrangements of atoms that make up functional components of these proteins.