For kids with an interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), museums can provide valuable learning experiences and significant opportunities that create pipelines to higher education.
In early June, 100 high school students in New York City presented their original research to fellow teen scientists, mentors, friends and family at the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH). It was the culmination of a year of work.
While the AMNH is a vast, internationally known institution, its programs can be replicated in whole or in part in museums, colleges, laboratories and hospitals around the country, providing pipelines for students with interest in STEM fields. It participates in national conversations around STEM and belongs to the Association of Science and Technology Centers.
This year marked the 5th Annual Student Research Colloquium of the NYC Science Research Mentoring Consortium. The students who presented spent the year from summer 2017 to spring 2018 working on projects that are part of AMNH’s Science Research Mentoring Program (SRMP) and BridgeUp: STEM or one of SRMP’s 21 partner institutions. Projects ranged from better understanding the behavioral patterns of urban wildlife to exploring the cosmos.
Dr. Preeti Gupta, AMNH director of Youth Learning and Research, strategizes how to create equitable learning environments for New York City youth where they can engage in content learning that is innovative, rigorous and relevant. There are short, immersive programs as well as long-term projects.
Middle school kids are exposed to things typically not available in school that could get them excited about science. Each summer, there are one-week institutes that serve hundreds of students.
“They will be able to engage with museum content in a way where they’ll be able to understand science research, connect with scientists at the museum, understand the processes of scientific investigation and have several opportunities to consider STEM careers as part of their trajectory,” says Gupta.
