What you need to succeed in STEM
by Gabe Campbell
Science, technology, engineering, and math. Those four make up a group of subjects commonly known as STEM. STEM is illusive in the fact that while it is talked about a ton as the pathway to the future, no one seems to know what that entails. Some high schools and colleges tout it on their home pages that they are the best at teaching STEM, and wear it proudly, but without context it means it doesn’t mean much. It may have gone the way of many other buzzwords.
Mr. Connor James teaches three math classes, programming, and acts as a mentor for the Judgement Call robotics team. Having studied electrical engineering and applied mathematics, as well as teaching multiple STEM focused classes, few know more about STEM than he does.
Right off the bat, Mr. James sets an important precedent about STEM: they are not for everyone. For those who don’t care, getting through the class without actually learning anything is easier than it ever has been. However, those who do care are getting massively rewarded for their efforts, and that is a good thing.
“Those who are putting in the hard work are getting more opportunities out of it,” Mr. James said. “We're seeing internships for people at a young age. With the way the economy is moving, and how necessary STEM is for everyday life, the students who push themselves are getting opportunities that I would have killed for in high school – whether it's working for a university or getting coding experience through school. If I had that opportunity growing up, I would have loved it. So I can't help but feel that overall we're moving in the right direction.”
So, if that is the case, are we focusing on it enough? Or is there more that we can do to promote it to current and future students?
Mr. James says that, as a math teacher, there will never be enough. He loves STEM and wishes that students in middle school and high school got more exposure to it. Electives and clubs can give students exposure to advanced and interesting topics such as electronics, programming, and other subjects that would otherwise not be covered until college. The only thing preventing this would be student interest, as well as students academic abilities; there’s a reason some of that stuff is saved for higher education.
STEM isn’t all sunshine and rainbows, however.
An interesting statistic is that out of all college graduates pursuing STEM degrees, only 25% end up with a career in a STEM field (US Census.)
He admits that there are certainly some STEM degrees that do not have an immediate and obvious career path, but there is a massive pro to this. The skills leaned from a STEM degree are so versatile that they can apply in virtually any field. He does make an import distinction. You want to make sure you are doing the thing you want to do, otherwise it may be un-gratifying, if not completely miserable.
“You might not be set up for a job right off the bat. Or you may not be going into a clear career path. But I promise you, if you learn these skills, you're going to find people who rely on you for them. And even if it's teaching or just helping the next generation get better at it than you were, then that's still a success.”
There are several other major problems currently facing STEM, the most predominant being the fact that STEM degrees are overwhelmingly dominated by males (US CENSUS.) If interest in STEM is to grow, then it will need to overcome this hurdle by making it completely accessible without any stigma or stereotype.
As the current senior year of high schoolers make their final decisions for colleges and submit their applications, no doubt many of us will be considering STEM degrees and schools. To everyone who has interest in STEM, it’s not something you have to wait until college to get started on. Robotics teams are a fantastic opportunity to become acquainted with STEM principles, but my personal favorite “gateway drug” to STEM is programming. It’s easy to pick up, and just about anyone with a computer and an internet connection can start learning.
STEM subjects are currently a gateway to multitudinous opportunities. It is the best bet to get started early and never stop learning.
“if you want to start small in STEM, do coding. I don't think a lot of people realize how easy it is to get up and running. It's one of the few subjects where you can teach yourself because there's a lot of instant feedback. Not many other classes can kind of offer that same sensation.”
There is a part of STEM for just about everyone, regardless of what weird and wacky thing you like. Anyone who is creative, curious, and self-motivated will prosper and revel in the freedom that it affords them. The best part is that it can start from nothing; a fleeting idea can lead to a search online, which can lead to a fun little project, which can lead to joining a school club, which can lead to choosing a degree, which can lead to a full on career.
“All you really need to do well in STEM is a lot of curiosity and a good drive,” Mr. James said. “There's going to be hard problems. But if you go into it the right attitude, that's only a perk.”
