Scholar Newsletter
March 23, 2023
Voice of Inspiration
STEM News
NORMANDALE PRISM SCHOLAR SPOTLIGHT - Abdirahman Abdi
I came to this country when I was six – I’m from Somalia and my family came here to escape the war. When I came here, I didn’t know any English, but now it’s basically my first language, although I've tried to stay fluent in Somali.
In junior high, we had a required coding class, and the teacher taught it really well, with tons of fun activities. He put so much work into his classes and after school he’d show me all the code. I wanted to be able to that – so I’m studying Computer Science. I had teachers in high school who told me how great the Professors at Normandale are, especially the Computer Science Professors, and my experience here has been positive – great facilities, great teachers, everything. You hear a lot of laughing when you’re on different floors, it’s very lively here!
The Computer Science program here is very versatile, especially compared to other community colleges. There’s a lot of variety, and it definitely teaches you what you need to know to transfer to a university.
I’m also in the PRISM scholarship program, which has been really helpful. We have meetings every month to go over resumés and internships, and trainings in things like conflict resolution. We’re also given a mentor in our field and can ask them whatever questions we have. My mentor has given me a ton of advice on internships, job hunting, what I should focus on, and the personal relationship and social aspects of the work. Having someone to show you a practical path is great.
My number one piece of advice for students is to stay positive, even when you want to bang your head against the wall. The second thing is to manage your time. Number three, know that it will take a lot of sacrifice, but at the end of the day, it’s worth it. If you don’t see your success right away, just keep going. You’ll find it. It takes time. I’ll try to take my own advice too – and show it through my actions.” – Abdirahman Abdi, Normandale Student.
Abdirahman will represent Normandale at the All-Minnesota Academic Team. He plans to transfer to the University of Minnesota to study Computer Science.
#CaringCuriosityCommitment #ComputerScience #NormandaleProud #CommunityCollege
STEM Events
THE SVERDRUP VISITING SCIENTIST CONVOCATION: STABILIZING FRAGILE MEMBRANES ON THE EARLY EARTH
SARAH KELLER
PROFESSOR AND BIOPHYSICIST
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, SEATTLE
Time: 11:00-12:00 PM
Location: Augsburg University, Foss Center, Hoversten Chapel
HOW MEMBRANES HELP CELLS DO THEIR JOBS
In the Middle Ages, cities were protected and defined by their walls. Likewise, in our bodies, cells and many of their sub-compartments are surrounded by membranes. However, instead of being solid and rigid like a stone wall, the membranes of cells are soft and dynamic. The building blocks of the membranes – the lipids and proteins – rapidly exchange places with their neighbors. Moreover, cells are constantly making new or different types of building blocks and inserting them into their membranes.
In her 2023 Sverdrup Visiting Scientist lectures, Sarah Keller, a professor at the University of Washington, will discuss how the dynamicism of membranes can be both a bane and a boon for cells. Very soft and dynamic membranes can rip or disintegrate. This would have been a problem for the most ancient cells on the Earth. On the other hand, movement of lipids within membranes can help cells react to their environment. This is a huge advantage for modern cells every day.
PROTOCELLS ON THE EARLY EARTH
The earliest versions of cells on Earth could have been very simple: a membrane that encloses molecules to encode information, like DNA, and to perform tasks, like proteins. However, the very simplest membranes are typically not stable in salty environments like oceans. How could those early cells have survived?
In the lecture, “Stabilizing fragile membranes on the early Earth”, Keller will explain that small building blocks of DNA and proteins can interact with membranes, stabilizing them. In turn, these interactions have the potential to concentrate the building blocks on the surface of the membrane, helping them link up into larger molecules capable of other important jobs.
THE 2023 ZYZZOGETON RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
Session Date and Time:
Augsburg University
Hagfors Center
Tuesday, April 11, 2023
3:00 - 4:30 PM
Session Description:
Augsburg celebrates the creativity and scholarship of undergraduate students with its annual Zyzzogeton Student Research Poster symposium. The event falls at the end of each academic year and is a culmination of achievement featuring work across departments. Over 80 students participate each year, showcasing their research in various science, social science, and humanity disciplines. A “Zyzzogeton” is a green leaf-hopper as well as the last word in the Webster Collegiate Dictionary, which is a fitting symbol to mark the end of the academic year. Zyzzogeton is free and open to all students, faculty, and staff.
PRISM-Wide Scholar Event
Event Location:
Augsburg University
Hagfors Center, Room 150
700 21st Ave S, Minneapolis, MN 55454
Event Date and Time:
Saturday, April 29, 2023
12:00 -1:00 PM (Optional) Box lunches and Augsburg tours
1:00 - 3:30 PM (Snacks provided)
PRISM Scholars from Augsburg, Century, Minneapolis College, and Normandale Community College will join together in a collaborative spirit to celebrate shared scholar success. Programming includes networking, a panel of current and former STEM/PRISM Scholars, STEM and academic resources, and a Kahoot competition! Photographs are from the November 2022 PRISM REU Workshop and Dinner.
For non-Augsburg attendees, a parking permit and a $25 gift card to offset travel costs will be provided.
SAVE THE DATES for Upcoming PRISM Events
Upcoming PRISM Event for PRISM Mentors
The 2nd Annual PRISM Professional Development Day - Monday, June 5, 2023
The PRISM Professional Development Day will include sessions on mentorship, PRISM knowledge generation, STEM resources and projects related to STEM transfer in Minnesota. Photographs are from the fall 2022 Research Program Panel for mentors.
Upcoming event for PRISM Scholars & Mentors
The 16th Annual Court Agre Summer Research Symposium - Monday, June 12, 2023
The Court Agre Summer Research Symposium annual event celebrates innovations in STEM and will feature a career panel and keynote presentation as well as opportunities to network with faculty and industry professionals. All PRISM Scholars and Faculty Mentors are cordially invited! The photograph shows PRISM Scholars and Mentors from the summer 2022 Agre Symposium.
Fall 2023 Travel Opportunity for Continuing PRISM Scholars
A message from the AAAS: We are excited to announce the date and location of the first annual S-STEM Scholars Meeting!
Your S-STEM scholars are invited to the 2023 S-STEM Scholars Meeting on September 14-16 at the Marriott Marquis hotel in Washington, DC! The goals and objectives of the meeting are to support current S-STEM scholars by:
- fostering a greater sense of community and belonging in STEM;
- providing learning opportunities to increase success in STEM pathways; and
- building connections with industry and professional organizations to gain access to career-enhancing opportunities.
More details, including registration information to come soon. In the meantime, please pass along this information to your scholars!
STEM Opportunities
New Job Posting: Water Quality Monitoring Intern
The Mississippi Watershed Management Organization is hiring a Water Quality Monitoring Intern. This position provides assistance to environmental scientists, water resources specialists, and the water resources director to carry out the activities of the water resource monitoring program.
To Apply
Please submit your completed MWMO Employment Application Form, along with your resume, cover letter and unofficial grade transcripts.
Applications are due by Sunday, March 26, 2023
Example job duties include:
- Installing, operating, and maintaining monitoring equipment in the field;
- Monitoring stormwater discharge at key outlets to the Mississippi River and main stem Mississippi River;
- Collecting water quality samples for stormwater monitoring;
- Collecting water quality samples for bacteria sampling from main stem Mississippi River and stormwater outfalls;
- Sampling ponds, wetlands, and best management practices;
- Coordinating with analytical laboratories for equipment supply and sample drop-off or pick-up;
- Recording the monitoring data regularly and accurately in the database for water quality analysis; and
- Carrying out monitoring of the main stem Mississippi for River Mixing Study.
- Carrying out monitoring of the main stem Mississippi for River Mixing Study.
Full Position Description (PDF, 0.1 MB, 5 pages)
The MWMO is committed to providing a well-rounded experience to its interns. Interns have ample opportunities to network and learn about all areas of MWMO’s work during their employment.
Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) in Multi-Scale Systems Bioengineering and Biomedical Data Sciences at the University of Virginia
The University of Virginia is hosting an NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) summer program in multi-scale systems bioengineering and biomedical data science. The objective of the program is to train undergraduates from a variety of STEM backgrounds and provide them with the skills, confidence, and mentorship necessary for successful careers in the exciting field of systems bioengineering.
Students will be matched with faculty mentors for a 10-week research project, culminating in a paper and public symposium. All students will participate in collaborative, hands-on, and closely mentored projects in the areas of: 1) Molecular Pathways and Cellular Modeling and 2) Tissue-/Organ-/Population-Level Modeling, which will immerse them in a combination of experimentation and computational analyses.
Students will acquire the practical skills, knowledge, ethical grounding, and communication skills necessary to be productive in advanced graduate study and be successfully employed in the modern biotechnology industry. The program will also provide students with career advising, grounding in research ethics, training in scientific communication, and ongoing mentorship after completion of the program.
Highlights:
- $6000 stipend for 10-week research program
- Reimbursement of travel costs up to $400
- Convenient on-campus housing, food allowance, and dining plan at local restaurants
- Introductory “boot camp” short course on systems bioengineering modeling basics
- Weekly workshops on ethics and professional development
- Presentation at the 4S Summer Research Series, at the end of the summer
- Travel funds to present at the fall BMES annual meeting
Eligibility requirements and to apply: https://engineering.virginia.edu/systems-bioengineering-reu/about
Program Dates: May 29 – August 4, 2023
Application Window: February 1 – April 8, 2023
NSF, AACC Call all Community College Student Innovators!
Today, the U.S. National Science Foundation, in partnership with the American Association of Community Colleges, has launched its platform to advance student innovation and impact in STEM through the Community College Innovation Challenge. The competition seeks to foster the development of students' innovation, communication and entrepreneurial skills. It also enables students to discover and demonstrate their capacity to use science, technology, engineering and mathematics to make a difference in the world and translate that knowledge into positive action.
In 2015, AACC and NSF funded the initial launch of the challenge. The CCIC is a national competition where community college student teams, working with a supportive faculty or an administrator mentor, use STEM to produce potentially transformative and innovative solutions to real-world problems.
Teams of two to four students are invited to submit proposals, and up to 12 final teams will be selected to develop their proposals during an innovation boot camp. The teams will then create and present an entrepreneurial pitch to a panel of professionals with a chance to win cash awards.
AACC's mission to build a nation of learners by advancing America's community colleges aligns with the goals of the NSF's Advanced Technological Education program to prepare students for meaningful employment in the high-technology fields that drive our nation's economy.
All team submissions are due by 11:59 p.m. PST on March 30, 2023. To learn more and apply, visit: https://www.aaccinnovationchallenge.com/
Minnesota State IT Center of Excellence Data Derby
Join the Minnesota State IT Center of Excellence for a hands on data, analytics, mathematics, and problem solving event.
Data Derby 2023
Saturday, April 8, 2023
9am - 4pm
Hennepin Technical College - Eden Prairie Campus
Great for fun, and:
- build your resume
- gain hands on experience
- earn a digital badge
- great extra-curricular activity to add to college applications
Two Competitions For You to Choose From - Or Do Both!
1.) DATATHON
4-week competition.
- Individual or Team of 2 to 4 students
- Undergraduate or Graduate students enrolled in any Minnesota colleges or universities.
- Questions and datasets will be released on March 1st and emailed to each team/individual.
2.) DATAGON
One Day Competition
- Open to High School Students and Undergraduate or Graduate students enrolled in any Minnesota colleges or universities.
- Individual or a team (2 to 4 students)
Click the Data Derby sign link below to learn more and to register:
Voyageurs Field Fellows: Investing in the Next Generation Conservation Leaders
The Voyageurs Field Fellows program increases accessibility and professional development opportunities at Voyageurs National Park. Fellowships offer students and recent graduates a stipend-paid internship to gain hands-on experience in the park conducting field work, research, and program development.
OPEN FELLOWSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:
* The 2023 application window is open! *
Aquatic Ecology and Fisheries Field Fellow
Cultural Resources Field Fellow
Wetlands and Wildlife Field Fellow
If you are interested in either fellow opportunity, please click on the specific link above for more information regarding qualifications, application deadline, and position length.
We welcome applicants of all races, age, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, abilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds. Students who qualify for the Federal Pell Grant program are encouraged to apply.
About the Fellowship
The Voyageurs Field Fellows program offers paid internships for undergraduate and graduate students to develop professional experience in Minnesota’s national park.
Fellows conduct park research, engage in field work, develop new educational programs, and more. Students apply their studies and work in one of the most ecologically and historically rich classrooms in the nation.
The Voyageurs Field Fellows program enriches the personal development of young adults, while preserving the wild character of Voyageurs National Park for generations to come.
Minnesota SciTech Internship Program
SciTech connects college STEM majors to paid internships at small Minnesota companies -- it's a one-stop shop for finding STEM internships statewide! Gain hands-on experience, network with pros, build your resume, and "earn while you learn."
In order to be eligible for SciTech internships, students must meet the following criteria:
- Minnesota resident OR living in and attending college in Minnesota
- At least 18 years of age
- In good academic standing (2.5+ GPA)
- College junior or senior (at least 60 credits completed) OR
- Technical or community college student (at least 24 credits completed) OR
- Enrolled in a STEM degree at an accredited U.S. college
- Legally eligible to work in the U.S. (international students may participate if they have CPT/OPT work authorization)
Deadline to apply: Varies
For more information on how to apply and to view a list of current internship opportunities, visit https://scitechmn.org/.
UpTurnships Information Sessions
UpTurnships works with sophomores, juniors, and seniors of any major who are interested in business.
Sign up at: upturnships.org/info-session
- Tuesdays 10am – 10:30am
- Thursdays 4pm – 4:30pm
Specific backgrounds they're currently looking for:
- Sophomores/ Juniors – interested in Business-to-Business Sales
- Juniors – interested in accounting and finance.
They also have opportunities for students who are studying in Duluth as well:
- IT, HR, and Marketing
Information sessions are an important part of the UpTurnships application process. During the sessions you will learn about their Program Model, application process, and ask questions. Two sessions are held weekly. To learn more, interested students are invited to attend a mandatory information session.
STEM Blog
Interested in learning more about advocacy, research and how it relates to the human experience? Click below:
- NSF-supported research impacts nearly every field of science and engineering. NSF's influence reaches from the ends of the Earth to the depths of the oceans and to space and beyond. Our Multimedia Gallery has some of the most stunning images from NSF’s research legacy. We have pulled some of the most beautiful gallery images for you to use as a virtual background.
Do you have suggestions for opportunities to include in the upcoming newsletter? Feel free to forward them to stem@augsburg.edu.
Augsburg STEM Programs
Email: stem@augsburg.edu
Website: https://www.augsburg.edu/stem/
Location: 2211 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, USA
Phone: (612) 330-1042