Teachers: apply for STEM grants, MAKER van visits by Nov. 15th

Applications close for Synopsys Outreach Foundation’s STEM Grants and RAFT MAKER VAN OPPORTUNITY on November 15th. The programs are for teachers in the Greater Bay Area to bring project-based STEM to their classrooms. They can also serve to get students excited about science fair! Grants up to $5,000 are available.

If you are unfamiliar with the RAFT Maker Van, RAFT can bring project-based science experiences to your school and offer up to 8 hours of programming. More information about what they can provide is available here: https://raft.net/ramp-it-up-event-with-rafts-maker-mobile/

While the final application deadline for SRC pre-approval is November 22, you can get an early start on your project by applying before October 25 or November 8. Then your project will be reviewed at an early meeting of the SRC and may be pre-approved even before the final deadline. Reminder: SRC pre-approval is required for projects that involve hazardous chemicals, activities, and devices or regulated substances. It is also required for projects that will test a device or software app on human subjects.

To Greater Bay Area Educators, from the Synopsys Outreach Foundation:

“The Synopsys Outreach Foundation is excited to announce the opening of our new Building STEM Classrooms initiative (formerly the Science Project Package Program)!

Part 1 of this program includes applications for the following:

• Grants for K-12 project-based STEM events, activities, and programs
• Raft mobile Maker Van visits

 Everything is available 100% FREE of cost!Applications for these opportunities open September 15th and close November 15th.

All applications and FAQ’s are available on our website.

The program is open to educators at public schools, dependent charter schools, nonprofits, independent charter schools with 501(c)(3) public charity status and private non-profit schools with 501(c)(3) public charity status located in the following Greater Bay Area, California counties: Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Contra Costa, Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, San Francisco, Marin, San Joaquin, Santa Cruz, Monterey, and San Benito.

Stay tuned for part 2 of this program, which includes teacher training and materials packages (all also free of charge)!

Thank you in advance for spreading the word about this great program and we thank you for all that you do for students!
Questions? Please reach out to hello@outreach-foundation.org.
– The Synopsys Outreach Foundation Team”

Congratulations to Praneel Anil Shah, who has been selected as a Top 30 finalist in the Broadcom MASTERS competition! He is one of 14 students from the Synopsys Championship who are among the Top 300 semi-finalists in the Broadcom MASTERS competition. More than 1800 middle school students from across the United States participated the 2021 competition. Each Top 30 student receives a $500 award and each Top 300 student receives a $125 award that was initiated last year by the DoD STEM program. Finalists will compete virtually during Otober 22-28 by participating in team challenges in addition to being judged on their science research projects.

Sign up at https://outreach-foundation.org/teachers/ to receive notices about applying to receive a Science Project Package of STEM items. All items are free of cost and available to teachers at public schools, dependent charter schools, independent charter schools with 501(c)(3) public charity status and private non-profit schools with 501(c)(3) public charity status located between county boundaries: Monterey south, Sonoma north, San Joaquin east.

US high school seniors are invited to apply to the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the nation’s oldest science competition. Annually, around 1800 high school seniors enter Regeneron STS with the results of their independent science, math or engineering research. The competition recognizes 300 student scholars and their schools and invites 40 student finalists to Washington, D.C. to participate in final judging, display their work to the public, and meet with notable scientists and government leaders.

The Society for Science welcomes teachers at all levels of experience to peer-led conferences about supporting students in STEM research. The middle school conference will take place virtually August 2-4, 2021, with pre-conference sessions on July 31, 2021. How to Register for the middle school conference or a combined in-person/virtual conference for high school teachers planned for October in Washington DC.

The conferences will feature a virtual convention center online and via Zoom with plenary sessions, teacher-to-teacher sessions, a participant exhibit hall and social events.

Congratulations to our outstanding students! More than 100 Synopsys Championship participants competed in the virtual California State Science & Engineering Fair.  Winners were announced on the web site on April 21st & 23rd, and CSEF has posted links to the Awards Ceremony and the Showcase of all projects. SCVSEFA has a summary page of all the winning participants from the Synopsys Championship. Thank you to all who participated and also to their parents and teachers.

We are preparing to mail participation certificates, lapel pins and awards to all students. If your home address has changed since you registered for science fair, please send your new address to FairManager@science-fair.org.