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  Protecting fin whales

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  National climate adaptation plan released

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  Spend spring break with Mother Nature

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  Creating a rain garden? There's an app for that!

Archive

One student at a time

NOAA helps cultivate the next generation of STEM workers

 

You’ve probably heard the term “STEM.” It’s short for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and  it's the buzz word when it comes to jobs. 

A report from Commerce’s Economics and Statistics Administration had good news for present and future STEM workers. Among its key findings, the report notes that in the past 10 years:

• Growth in STEM jobs was three times greater than that of non-STEM jobs;
• STEM workers earn 26 percent more than their non-STEM counterparts; and
• Job growth in these fields will continue to grow at a faster rate than other jobs. 

STEM workers are driving our nation’s innovation and competitiveness and helping America “win the future” with new ideas, new businesses and new industries.

That means we need many more skilled hands and inspired minds to help society prepare for and respond to extreme weather events, to sustain healthy and productive ecosystems and to ensure resilient coastal communities and economies.

Growth of STEM starts with America’s students

One of the two primary goals of NOAA’s Office of Education is to develop a future workforce that reflects the diversity of our nation, one skilled in STEM and other disciplines critical to the agency’s mission and the nation’s well-being. 

That’s why we’re spreading the word about NOAA scholarships for college students aimed at helping them obtain degrees in STEM fields. NOAA offers programs for undergraduates as well as graduate students. Besides significant financial support, these programs provide outstanding opportunities for students to gain hands-on experience in cutting-edge analysis and research — plus mentoring by top-flight NOAA scientists and managers.

Students can now apply for NOAA’s scholarship programs

The four NOAA scholarship programs accept applicants ranging from rising sophomores through those seeking their doctorates in NOAA mission-critical fields — and selection is competitive. The application period is open through the beginning of 2012:

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  Dr. Jamese Sims, who benefited from both the GSP and UPS programs, is now a research meteorologist with NOAA’s National Weather Service.
  

  Download here. (Credit: NOAA)

  Hollings Undergraduate
• EPP Undergraduate
• EPP Graduate Sciences
• Dr. Nancy Foster (Graduate)

NOAA scholarship success stories

More 1,000 students have benefited from NOAA scholarship program.
Meet a few of our former students:

•  Nelsie A. Ramos: Graduate Scholarship Program (GSP) recipient Ramos says “Tropical meteorology, specifically hurricanes and how they form, is what drives the passion for my career. Being able to combine my Ph.D., research with tropical weather forecasting and to experience flying in hurricanes missions is like having one of my greatest dreams come true!”  
  
  
• Thomas Searles: Undergraduate Scholarship Program (USP) recipient Searles — now a doctoral candidate at Rice University in applied physics — investigated wireless communication for SCUBA divers in his first USP internship. As a part of that experience, he obtained his PADI certification for Open Water SCUBA Diver. During his second summer, he was involved in a project that modeled coral reefs, where he learned just how well modeling can help describe real ecosystems and help both the environment and society as a whole.
  
  

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  With the help of NOAA’s GSP program, Jose Reyes-Tomassini completed his doctorate at the University of Maryland College Park.
  

  Download here. (Credit: NOAA)

  Jamese Sims: Dr. Sims, who benefited from both the GSP and UPS programs, is a research meteorologist with NOAA’s National Weather Service where she works on projects to improve tropical cyclone forecasting. She says she is grateful to NOAA “for providing the resources and support that I needed to pursue my dreams!” 
  
  
• Jose Reyes-Tomassini: Reyes-Tomassini is part of the NOAA Fisheries Service team that focuses on maximizing the productivity of cultured populations of salmon species, as well as working on understanding the behavior and habitat use of groundfish in Puget Sound. With the help of NOAA’s GSP program, he completed his doctoral program at the University of Maryland College Park.
  

Read more about NOAA scholarship success stories in NOAA’s Educational Partnership Program newsletter.

NOAA Education offers other programs that foster a first-class future STEM workforce and aim to increase America’s environmental literacy. We invite you to learn more at www.education.noaa.gov.

Posted October 31, 2011