By Jenny Kopach

Originally published at: https://www.mentoring.org/2018/10/the-power-of-one-how-you-can-make-a-difference-during-stem-mentoring-month/

I just returned from the Million Women Mentors Summit in Washington, D.C., where hundreds of mission-driven leaders from across the country convened to tackle the issue of closing the gender and skills gaps in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), particularly among women and girls.

The conference theme, “Becoming the Difference,” challenged each and every one of us to find and promote ways to shape the direction of a young person’s life. While 71% of today’s jobs require STEM skills, only 15% of girls (and 44% of boys) plan to pursue a career in STEM. But the power of one mentor can be the change: more than 75% of girls who have a mentor feel they will be successful pursuing a STEM career. Continue reading “THE POWER OF ONE: How you can make a difference during STEM mentoring month”

By Robert Kriss

Dr. Phyllis Zee, Chief of the Sleep Medicine at Northwestern Hospital, warned the audience at Horner Park on Wednesday, August 15, that we cheat sleep at our peril. Dr. Zee’s excellent presentation was the first instance of C2ST’s collaboration with the Chicago Park District in the “Science in the Parks” series. Watch the video here.

Dr. Zee explained that three scientists recently shared the Nobel Prize for Medicine for their work in the early 1980’s identifying the genes and protein molecules that drive our twenty-four-hour biological clocks, often referred to as our “circadian rhythm.” Every cell in our bodies has the clock mechanism, and all these clocks are coordinated by the master clock in our brains. The mechanism interacts with light and dark. It keeps us awake and productive (usually) during the day and early evening, and puts us to sleep at night to rejuvenate our systems for another day.

Continue reading “You Can’t Cheat Sleep”

By Robert Kriss

Dr. Bridget Coughlin, the President and CEO of the Shedd Aquarium, is on a mission to inspire people to learn about science and support scientific endeavors.

Continue reading “Making a Whale of a Difference With Science”

By Kristen Witte

The wind whips across the beach, bringing a surprising chill to an otherwise sunny day – though spring in Chicago is anything but predictable. As the cold seeps into your gloveless hands, you wonder if the next incoming wave from Lake Michigan will smash into you before a sufficient amount of water accumulates into the collection canister. You quickly cap the canister and walk over to your colleagues who are sitting a safe distance from the surf, waiting patiently with a thermometer and a pH tester. Continue reading “You the Scientist: The Importance of Citizen Science Programs”