There is power in numbers - bringing people together with their best thinking and
working together to come up with solutions!
We have come up with six issues areas that we believe are REAL at Foothill that we
want to have YOU come up with solutions to. The format of the STEMathon will involve putting you into issue groups to 1) better
understand the issue and 2) come up with a solution that could be a viable way to
address that issue.
Here are the topics:
WOMEN IN CS: Women often report that they feel isolated, excluded, and in the minority in CS
and Engineering classes. How might we ensure that women feel a sense of belonging in those spaces?
GETTING THROUGH DIFFICULT STEM COURSES: Students from underrepresented groups often get weeded out of non-introductory STEM
courses such as physics, calculus, and upper division courses. How might we support students who have the desire to persist in those classes?
STEM PROJECTS FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT: Having meaningful project work is crucial for career development experience and
to build one’s skills and resume. How might we increase opportunities and support for students who don’t already have
projects they’re working on to gain that experience?
STEM FOR ALL: It is hard to build community among one’s peers at a community college and in STEM
courses where there may be more competition and less focus on camaraderie. How might we create more accessible and welcoming communities which enable open communication,
collaboration and a sense of belonging for STEM students?
YOU’RE NOT THE ONLY ONE THAT DOESN’T KNOW: It can be hard to seek help, ask questions, or go to office hours as a STEM student
because of imposter syndrome (where you feel like you’re not meant to be in a class
because you’re not smart enough or you’re the only one who doesn’t understand something).
How might we create a classroom environment where everyone feels they can ask questions
and that it’s OK to ask for help?
“FACULTY ARE YOUR FRIENDS” Connecting with faculty can be hard if you feel like you aren’t smart enough or you
have nothing in common with that instructor, yet it is important for support and networking.
How might we facilitate the building of bridges between students and instructors,
especially for students who may be nervous and reluctant to try?
Here's the schedule for the event. This is subject to change as our planning team
irons out details.
9:30 - 10:30am: Registration and check in
10:00 - 11:00am: Welcome and opening
11:00 - 12:00pm: First round of STEMathon design thinking process
12:00 - 12:45pm: Working lunch in small groups
12:45 - 2:30pm: Second round of STEMathon design thinking process
2:30 - 3:30pm: Final presentations and feedback
3:30 - 4:00pm: Next steps and closing
If you have questions, please reach out to SLI at sli.foothill@gmail.com.
We encourage you to come with friends so you don't feel alone, though we will do our
best to make sure everyone feels welcomed!
Come with an open mind, with great ideas, and we'll have a great time together!
We hope this event complements the Business Innovation Challenge at Foothill, and we encourage you to participate in those activities and we are also
hoping that there may be solutions that come from our STEMaTHON that could be presented
at BIC!
