Three fast-paced Hackathons held during the 10th Annual Hawaii STEM Conference on May 1 & 2, 2019, will challenge student teams to make a social, cultural and environmental impact.

VOYAGING SONG CHALLENGE: In this hack, students will be challenged to create a voyaging song that embodies the spirit of Polynesian Voyaging Society’s mission to bring together nations from around the Pacific and world in peace and to raise awareness for the oceans and environment.

CORAL HACK: In this hackathon, student teams will be challenged to find solutions and bring attention to our planet’s coral reefs that face great peril as the oceans heat up.

CITIZEN SCIENCE HACCUP: In this hack, participants will bring attention to our planet’s endangered and threatened animals through their creative efforts to develop a new app that will mobilize citizen scientists. Utilizing their creativity and great design, they’ll be asked to excite people around the world to join up as citizen scientists recording discoveries, uploading observations and drawing more volunteers in an effort to make a difference.

Educators and students are invited to immerse themselves in a dynamic, interactive Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) event are invited to attend the 10th Annual Hawaii STEM Conference on May 1 and 2 at the Hawaii Convention Center on Oahu. Registration will be accepted through April 26, 2019.  For event details and to register, visit www.hawaiistemconference.org.

The conference is presented by STEMworks™ a statewide initiative of Maui Economic Development Board (MEDB).

This year’s event is expected to attract over 1,000 STEMworks™/Service Learning students and 300 teachers from K-12 schools on the islands of Kauai, Lanai, Maui, Molokai, Hawaii Island, and Oahu; along with prominent speakers, industry leaders, and event partners. During this regional technology conference, attendees will explore the latest technology tools and resources designed to inspire problem solving, critical thinking, innovation, collaboration and communication. They will also hear stories of inspiration and engage in activities with some of the biggest names in STEM.

AS THE SEVENTH International Day of the Girl is observed on Thursday, experts remind the public that providing a complete education for girls and women worldwide remains a challenge. According to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, or UNESCO, girls are still more likely than boys to never enter into a school system, yet countries are committed to closing the gender gap by 2030 and also achieve universal completion of secondary education.

According to a February UNESCO report, “Historically, girls and young women were more likely to be excluded from education.”

“However globally, the male and female out-of-school rates for the lower secondary and upper secondary school-age populations are now nearly identical, while the gender gap among children of primary school age dropped from more than five percentage points in 2000 to two percentage points in 2016,” the report adds.

CEOs Marillyn Hewson of Lockheed Martin, Leanne Caret of Boeing’s defense division, and Lynn Dugle of Engility discuss the challenges of leading amid hypersonic change.

“THE LAST MAN STANDING.” That’s what some on Wall Street have recently nicknamed Tom Kennedy, the chairman and CEO of Raytheon. After all, he’s the only leader of a top five U.S. defense business who isn’t on Fortune’s Most Powerful Women list—and for that fact, says Kennedy, “I couldn’t be prouder of our industry.”

This July, Northrop Grumman announced that CEO Wes Bush would step down at the end of the year and be replaced by the first woman to hold that office, current COO Kathy Warden. She will join an elite club of defense contractor CEOs that includes Lockheed Martin’s Marillyn Hewson, General Dynamics’ Phebe Novakovic, and Leanne Caret, who heads Boeing’s defense, space, and security division. Together, their companies generated a staggering $110 billion in defense-related revenue last year.

The annual Ke Alahele Education Fund Benefit Dinner raised an estimated $320,000 to support Maui Economic Development Board and STEM education programs in Hawaiʻi. Nearly 500 guests attended this year’s event, held on Sept. 1 at the Grand Wailea Resort.

The evening showcased Maui County’s STEM stars and their accomplishments in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math.

New to the event was the presentation of the Czechowicz Award, created by two former teachers Lesley and Pawel Czechowicz in honor of their mothers. This year’s award recognized three exceptional STEMworks™ facilitators in Maui Nui: Cindel Jacintho of Lānaʻi Elementary and High School’s after school program, ʻIolani Kuoha of ʻO Hina I Ka Mālama, Molokaʻi Middle Hawaiian Immersion School, and Emily Haines Swatek of King Kekaulike High School.

As winners of the Czechowicz Award each received $5,000 to use as they please anywhere outside of the classroom.

By Susan Essoyan.  Source: staradvertiser.com.

Shari Chang, a fourth-generation Girl Scout, cringes when she hears anyone say Girl Scouts just do “camping and crafts and cookies.”

The CEO of Girl Scouts of Hawaii says the organization is actually a leader in launching girls into careers in the fields known collectively as STEM, or science, technology, engineering and mathematics.

“Girls Scouts nationally for the past 10 years has been on a very progressive and aggressive STEM push,” Chang said in an interview. “It has always been part of Girl Scouts, but this has been the biggest push. … Our Girl Scouts make up the largest pipeline of future female leaders in STEM fields.”

By Jasmin Malik Chua.  Source: space.com.

Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) is debuting a set of new badges to encourage girls ages 5 to 18 to explore, observe and investigate the universe like “real space scientists,” the organization announced last month.

Girl Scouts look at Venus with Galileoscopes.
Credit: SETI Institute

Part of next year’s rollout of 30 badges in science, technology and math, as well as the outdoors and life skills, the new badges will serve as the culmination of “fun, age-appropriate” projects for Girl Scout Daisies (grades K-1), Brownies (grades 2-3) and Juniors (grades 4-5). Space Science badges for Cadettes (grades 6-8), Seniors (grades 9-10) and Ambassadors (grades 11-12) will be released at a later date, GSUSA said.