STEM-Related Career Research Paper

The career I chose to undertake as my profession is that of a mechanical engineer. Why do I want to become a mechanical engineer? Well, for starters, I would be able to design, build and possibly repair many various machines and other technologies that are complex. These technologies can range from being already in use on a global scale to new, futuristic designs that are highly technical. Also, this career includes being a sort of jack-of-all-trades, where I would possess knowledge in mathematics, physics, etc. Finally, this career offers me the chance to expand outside my immediate area since mechanical engineers are well desired around the globe as well.

I was fortunate enough to go to a high school that offered over 20 different science courses ranging from chemical to meteorological to forensic to environmental to physical. But this selection is not always offered at the younger divisions, let alone at most high schools. I want to see the inclusion of a variety of sciences at a younger age, because it will keep children’s interest and make them excited to learn about a new topic that they have not already discussed previous years. The variety will allow some students to excel that normally do not do well in science based courses. Not all science courses are not black and white for every single student. For instance, chemistry involves higher mathematics, while forensics is hands-on and earth science is observational. The skill sets for each science course is completely

I have been interested in science and math since I was a young girl. When high school began, I had the opportunity to take PLTW Intro Engineering Design. While I enjoyed the content of the course, I was disappointed in the lack of interest and engagement many of my classmates had. Applying math and science skills to solve, or at least have a deeper understanding of everyday or technical problems, intrigues me, because I enjoy hands-on problem solving. I plan to study engineering in college, however, I realize that I need more exposure to how science, technology, engineering and math function together in the professional workplace before I determine my major of study. I expect to gain exposure and hand-on experience through the TARGET program

Students in AP courses typically are required to write more essays and solve through provoking problems that normal students typically do not do (Grove). These various skills that are developed, such as the critical thinking and high-level calculating, help to pave the road for success with students (Davis). Gaining these essential skills while in high school helps to shape healthy habits in students and prepare them for their future in college. For example, AP courses contain different levels of rigor and commitment than a normal course offers a student, which offers students a glance at college work and expectations (Grove). Therefore, the student will be better prepared for the workload and level of intensity that exists in a college atmosphere. Participation in an AP course can help to develop essential skills that students will need later in their academic lives once they reach

Furthermore, Kelly (2013) has discussed approaches that would enhance student and teacher appreciation and preparation for STEM education, connections with other disciplines, the new common core standards and NGSS.

STEM or Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math was started last year in this school. In STEM you get to learn about all these topics by testing experiments and researching. STEM helps everyone learn for the future and helps them become innovators, leaders, educators, and researchers.

AP courses are not allowing students to delve into the material they are being taught. Students and school officials would be surprised on knowing this realization because many would argue that AP courses provide students with the best education the school offers. These courses are having instructors teach to the test so that the students have a better chance of getting into their preferred college. Many teachers are having to resort to teaching terrible skills to have the students excel in the AP exam. Students are taught to skip on the foundations of an essay and to score the maximum points on the grading rubric with just enough evidence to squeeze by, according to retired high school teacher Keith Bernstein.This type of teaching gives the example that students only need to meet the limit and not show their true potential. Offering these courses will also require teachers to move quickly on

In America, the state of education has always been a pressing concern, perhaps now more than ever. Improving education has been proven to strengthen the nation time and time again, specifically with regard to science, mathematics and technology. Ten years after the start of the Cold War on October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first ever man-made satellite, Sputnik-1. This action by the Soviets caused immediate concern for the educational system in the United States because this launch proved that the Soviet Union had superior technological capabilities (SOURCE 1). America’s first action was to improve education, and this was done through the National Defense Education Act, which provided large amounts of funding to American schools, and supported American students who showed particular skill in math, sciences or foreign languages (SOURCE 2). During the Cold War, supporting education was used to support the nation as a whole. Today the United States faces a similar problem, mainly due to the declining focus on science and math in schools. Students have been losing interest in these subjects, and as a result, America has been falling behind in the global education ranks. This decline has been hurting America’s ability to continue to be a successful global competitor. Now the government is working to reverse this trend by supporting STEM programs. STEM is an acronym for the academics concentrations of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. The purpose of

Throughout high school, I challenged myself by taking Advanced Placement math and science courses, such as chemistry, physics, and calculus. These classes jump started my interest in pursuing a STEM related career. I also had the opportunity to take an Introduction into Engineering and an Engineering

The work space for an aviationist is wide open and increasing. There is a lot of jobs for an aviationist such as an engineer mechanic, serve technicians, avionics technicians, aircraft mechanics, aerospace engineering, and airline and commercial pilots. The reason I chose this career is because I have some family that went to college to learn about aviation and after researching about aviation and all it has to offer I realized that the job is wide open and increasing plus it is a great paying job. It is important to understand the education requirements needed for this particular career when making this decision.

I will start my career expedition by finishing grade school and entering high school. In high school I will try my hardest to get the best grades I can get. If I have a high GPA in highschool I will be able to have more opportunities with collage. Most colleges judge applicants by their GPA average and have a baseline of 2.0 GPA or all Cs or better. With that in mind, if you're trying to get into a private or more advances school, such as me, they commonly judge you on a GPA baseline of 3.75 or higher and also look at if you graduated at a higher percent of your school for that year. These are all of the most important things big collages that have a very low acceptance rate, look at when accepting new students.

Students must cram vital information that is already tough to accomplish, but is exponentially worse when multiple courses are involved. As a result, the AP exam is essentially another standardized test on extremely refined details of the course material that requires many hours of study and review that most students couldn’t handle if they’re fully engaged in 2 or more other AP courses. Julianne Micoleta and Elk Grove both concur that “one of the major flaws in the AP system is that every class is geared toward a standardized test. The result is that comprehensive learning is sacrificed for the sake of test preparation, with teachers spending the most time on topics likely to appear on the AP exam.” Seemingly, teachers are gambling on what will appear on the actual test and cannot teach every aspect, in detail, of what the course description entails. Multiplying this factor with other AP courses and students anxiety to study everything just to cram all the miscellaneous material would completely burn any student out. Mr. Stewart believes that “the teacher needs to do a really good job of preparing the students academically, mentally, and emotionally” both in engaging completely in class as well as preparation for the exam. Fundamentally, teachers can have a profound effect

Ever since I was younger, I’ve always had this passion to be ahead of my class. So whenever I found a topic that was interesting but perplexing, I would dive deep into researching it. I am very competitive and always strive to be ahead of my peers by finding out even more than what the teacher had expected me to know. I still have that passion and I still strive to be the best that I can be. The BLAST Program allows me another opportunity to discover the wonders of the world--Science, Mathematics, and Technology. Since I started school, I have taken quite a few STEM related classes which include Physical Science, Biology I, Algebra I and II, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Earth Science. During all of these classes I have had more dedication towards them than any of my other

A STEM education is a necessity in the United States because the country is lacking knowledgeable people in such fields. However, one is better equipped for multiple job and career positions with the addition of a liberal arts education. It is nearly impossible to transition to different careers with only vocational training. In 2003, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development studied math and science literacy among fifteen year olds. The United States was ranked number twenty-four in math literacy (Drew 27). They are behind countries such as Finland, Slovak Republic, and Hungary. Likewise, the United States was ranked number nineteen in science literacy (Drew 27). It is obvious that the country is behind. STEM education needs to be reformed at the secondary and post-secondary levels of schooling. Katrina Trinko, a member of USA TODAY’s Board of Contributors, agrees that more emphasis should be placed on STEM education; however, this emphasis should not be at the sacrifice of a good liberal arts education. She writes, “Even technology wizards can become more innovative with a solid background in liberal arts” (Trinko 6). A liberal arts education is beneficial to people in all career fields.

It is clear that STEM is a rapidly growing and advancing field that is needed for our human progression. There are so many different professions that fall under STEM education and many of them impact the world every day. According to former President Barack Obama "[Science] is more than a school subject, or the periodic table, or the properties of waves. It is an approach to the world, a critical way to understand and explore and engage with the world, and then have the capacity to change that world" (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). Here, former President Obama is talking about how important science is as more than just a school subject; science can be taken out of school and used to impact many people and change the world. Some may say that there have been other fields in history that became very popular but