What is STEM?

 

Computer Motherboard

Have you ever wondered how NASA propels shuttles into space, or how space exploration is reaching new celestial destinations with probes like Voyager? Do you ever wonder what those men and women are doing at the International Space Station every day? Was there ever a moment when you stopped to think about the beginnings of your iPhone, from its blueprint to mass production, or have you ever gone to see a 3-D movie and asked yourself how the tech crew was able to make it a pleasant experience? These are questions best answered by those working in the STEM fields of study. STEM stands for science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Each STEM subject has the potential to open its specialist to enormous opportunities, utilizing their forte in myriad professions.

Fascinating questions that leave the world curiously pondering are available for biologists, chemists, and physicists to answer. Just as a biologist might experience the joy of discovering a new species deep within the ocean, an astrophysicist or astronomer finds excitement in charting new stars and galaxies. If understanding life’s greatest mysteries inspires you, then studying the mathematics and science fields just might be in your future.

ScienceOn the other hand, maybe you are someone who simply cannot disconnect from your computer and smart phone. Do you update your Facebook and Twitter just as often as you chat face-to-face with your peers? Are you interested in improving the efficiency of human communication, research, and transportation? The love of the analytical and methodological process of conceptualizing and designing machinery can be just the beginning for an engineer. Engineering and technology are for those who desire to be on the cutting edge of invention and innovation, and are passionate about making life a little easier.

Jobs within the STEM fields will only continue to flourish. In some areas like mechanical engineering, job growth is expected to increase by 4.5% in the next decade. STEM fields cater to those who have an intense curiosity for how the world works and how it could improve. Studying these subjects invites a yearning for discovery that leads to a life of learning, design, creation, and development.

-Adriana Hammond