At our next Planet Stewards book club we’ll discuss The Only Woman in the Room: Why Science is Still a Boys' Club 

In 2005, when Lawrence Summers, then president of Harvard, asked why so few women achieve tenured positions in the hard sciences, Eileen Pollack set out to find the answer. In the 1970s, Pollack had excelled as one of Yale’s first two women to earn a Bachelor of Science in physics. And yet, isolated, lacking in confidence, and starved for encouragement, she abandoned her lifelong dream of becoming a theoretical physicist. Years later, she thought back on her experiences and wondered what had changed in the intervening decades, and what challenges remained.

Based on six years of interviewing dozens of teachers and students and reviewing studies on gender bias, The Only Woman in the Room is an illuminating exploration of the cultural, social, psychological, and institutional barriers confronting women in the STEM disciplines. Pollack brings to light the struggles that women in the sciences are often hesitant to admit and provides hope that changing attitudes and behaviors can bring more women into fields in which they remain, to this day, seriously under-represented.

And remember:

• For details on all our book club meetings and how to log in, go to our Upcoming Events Page.
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• See previously selected books and discussion questions in our Book Club Archive

We live in a world of stuff. We dispose of most of it in as little as six months after we receive it. The byproducts of our quest to consume are creating an environmental crisis. Aja Barber wants to change this--and you can, too.

In Consumed: The Need for Collective Change: Colonialism, Climate Change and Consumerism,  Barber calls for change within an industry that regularly overreaches with abandon, creating real imbalances in the environment and the lives of those who do the work. Barber exposes the endemic injustices, many historical, in our consumer industries, many that highlight slavery, racism, and today’s wealth inequality. Barber challenges us to challenge the system and our role in it. The less you buy into the consumer culture, the more power you have. Consumed will teach you how to be a citizen and not a consumer. Check out a summary of the book for more details.

¡Saludos a todos! ¡Deseamos invitarlos a un evento muy especial, gratis y abierto a todos y en español! Júntense con nosotros para una conversación sobre la novela El Quetzal Azul – una historia inolvidable escrita para lectores de todas edades – escrita por Dennis Avelar. El autor estará presente con nosotros durante dos noches: el martes 16 de abril, y el miércoles 24 de abril, las dos noches a las 7:00 PM (hora del este). Escojan la fecha que más les convenga y estén listos para aprender más de una historia que jamás olvidarán. ¡Todos son bienvenidos a este evento virtual!

¿De que se trata El Quetzal Azul?

El equilibrio natural del mundo está en peligro. Los seres responsables del bienestar de nuestro planeta fueron obligados a seguir las órdenes egoístas de un poderoso líder, quien está dispuesto a destruirlo todo para restaurar lo que fue robado del ecosistema natural.

¡No se lo pierdan! Y Recuerdan:  Las Aves Siempre Están Vigilando

En nuestro sitio web se publica una descripción completa del libro, las preguntas de discusión de la reunión, la información de inicio de sesión y todas las fechas y selecciones para todo el año académico 2023-2024. Vaya a nuestra página de Próximos eventos. Regístrese para recibir anuncios recordatorios en nuestra lista de correo!. Vea libros previamente seleccionados y preguntas de discusión en nuestro Archivo del Club de lectura NOAA Planet Stewards.

Blast off from Planet NOAA with host Symone Barkley and our resident space experts to learn:

How what happens outside of our atmosphere – including eclipses, space weather and the growing space commerce sector – affects life here on Earth.

More about the April 2024 total solar eclipse – how it works, what to expect to see in the sky and where to view this unforgettable celestial experience in the path of totality.

How NOAA satellites and predictive technologies help keep Americans safe and prepared, as told by Dr. Michael C. Morgan, Assistant Secretary for Environmental Observation and Prediction.

Show off your tidal wave knowledge, or learn something new! You won’t want to miss our trivia segment.

Listen to the episode.

Apply to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's (USPTO) National Summer Teacher Institute (NSTI) to:

• Work with USPTO experts, inventors, and teacher ambassadors to explore IP, innovation, and STEM concepts: creativity, problem solving and critical thinking, and collaboration and teamwork.
• Design and build prototypes as part of a week-long invention project.
• Learn how to engage students in authentic, real-world projects and problem-based learning across all fields of study.
• Collaborate and share best practices with educators from across the country.
• Receive free, ready-to-use, educator-tested teaching materials, lesson plans, and activities to take back to your classroom.

The application and program are free! If selected, flight, lodging, and meals are covered for teachers who live more than 50 miles from Alexandria, Virginia. Teachers who reside less than 50 miles from the NSTI venue will receive all the benefits of the program except travel and lodging support.

Where do I get more information and apply? Interested individuals can find more information about the program and apply on the NSTI webpage. Check out this Instagram reel to see NSTI teachers in action. Apply for the Summer Teacher Institute today!

Apply for the Inland Seas Education Association's 2024 Great Lakes Watershed Field Course (GLWFC), a 4-day free professional development experience for teachers from throughout the Great Lakes region in Suttons Bay, MI. Training in the course includes watershed and environmental concepts, place-based education and environmental education pedagogy, and curriculum development. Educators will learn how to engage students in local environmental issues, investigate solutions, devise a plan, and take action during this course. Inland Seas supports teachers as they implement their watershed-based stewardship action projects.

There is no cost for this experience, but space is limited to 21 participants. Interested educators can learn more and apply at the GLWFC webpage.

The Gloria Barron Prize annually honors 25 outstanding young leaders ages 8 to 18 who have made a significant positive difference to people and the environment. Fifteen top winners each receive $10,000 to support their service work or higher education. Encourage the young heroes you know to apply online by April 15th!

Young people are invited to apply by completing an online application. It includes an essay and three letters of recommendation, which references submit through our online platform. Many applicants also include supplemental materials such as links to their websites and social media pages.

Applicants can now access the 2024 online application and begin compiling their materials. Winners will be announced in late September.

Apply here!

Apply the engineering method and help your students become environmental stewards as you repurpose recyclables into seaworthy vessels! Master buoyancy, engineering, and physics obstacles to race your boat creations to victory.

The Recycle Regatta is a free, fun, hands-on competition for K-12 students to participate in from anywhere! Students build a model sailboat from recycled and repurposed materials and race to victory while discovering engineering, mathematics, sailing, buoyancy, and stewardship. Two awards will be given for each fleet, including the fastest and most creative vessels.

Resources to teach during Women’s History Month:

The Mangrove Mothers: This story and accompanying teaching tips allows students to discover how Kenyan women protect mangroves and build better futures. Use it to discuss conservation, ecosystems, and community action. Review this resource.

Gender and Climate Connections in Tonga: Through this video and series of teaching resources high school students will learn how climate change has impacted Tonga, the discrimination that Tongan women face, and the effort to study the correlation between gender and environmental issues. Review this resource.

How empowering Women  and Girls can stop global warming: This TED talk and accompanying teaching resources presents how  supporting women and girls helps the planet. Perfect for discussions on impactful climate solutions and social justice. Review this resource.

Women and Climate Change Guide: Gender inequality negatively impacts women and girls all over the world, but it also has a negative impact on the Earth. Use this guide to bring stories of women’s participation and climate change impacts into the classroom and empower your students!