In 2004, the Senior Scientists and Engineers (SSE) and AAAS formed the AAAS/SSE STEM Volunteer Program to support K-12 STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) education, foster STEM literacy, and motivate students to pursue STEM careers.
The Program recruits volunteers from the science, engineering, and medical communities in the Washington DC Metro area. It is based on RE-SEED and TOPS, volunteer efforts launched in the 1990s. The Program began in 2004 in Montgomery County, Maryland and has expanded to schools in Virginia (Fairfax, Loudoun, and Prince William Counties and the cities of Arlington and Falls Church), in the District of Columbia, and in Prince George’s County, Maryland. 150 volunteers participated in the 2014-2015 school year. The majority of volunteers are retired, but the number of those still working is growing.
Opportunity:
- SSE needs scientists, engineers and physicians to assist K-12 STEM teachers in the District of Columbia and adjacent counties, including Loudoun County, during the 2015-16 school year.
- The details of the collaboration are worked out between the teacher and the volunteer, and may involve giving demonstrations, assisting in lab experiments, lecturing on special topics, assisting with homework, etc.
- The hours are flexible, and volunteers attend a one-day orientation session before being assigned to schools.
For More Information:
To see how volunteers are assisting their teachers, check out video clips at www.seniorscientist.org.
To Volunteer:
If you care about K-12 STEM education and have time to share your knowledge with students and teachers, please send a note to [email protected] with your home address, or call 202-326-6629.
Photo credit: tulanesally / CC BY-NC 2.0
