April 3, 2025

Watch an all-new episode of X-STEM All Access! Join the Hip Hop M.D. Maynard Okereke for a conversation with Dr. Taylor Sparks. Learn how this Professor of Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Utah is using artificial intelligence and machine learning to discover new and improved materials that will transform the products we rely on. Plus, explore the lesson plan "Engineering Stronger, Smarter Materials" which includes a career connection component! Watch now!

Check out Dr. Taylor Sparks' YouTube channel! The channel focuses on engineering education, offering tutorials and example problems related to materials science. Have a question for the Professor? Just comment on any video with a request for a new problem or explanation, and he'll help you out!! 

Discover welding as a critical, in-demand skill that incorporates many STEM disciplines with Chief Wellness Welder Shanen Aranmor of Weld Like a Girl. Watch this episode. Click here for the FREE NGSS-aligned lesson. Check out the lesson plan in PocketLab for free.

Welding jobs are in high demand! Check out the latest welding workforce data and projections from the American Welding Society (AWS)!

Don't miss these exclusive Instagram reels featuring Shanen Aranmor! She’s busting common welding myths and showing just how powerful and rewarding it is to create with your own hands. Plus, she shares three exciting reasons why students should explore a career in welding. 

Sky & Telescope’s Interactive Sky Chart is like your personal star map! You can customize it by location and time to find visible stars, planets, and deep-sky objects. It’s perfect for Global Astronomy Month, helping you explore the wonders above with ease. Check it out here.

Hear from NASA Astronaut Zena Cardman and NASA planetary protection engineer Dr. Moogega Cooper for an exciting discussion on humanity’s return to the Moon! Watch this episode. Click here for the FREE NGSS-aligned lesson. Want more ways to interact with this lesson? Check out the lesson plans here and here in PocketLab for free!

Learn what it's like to be a space engineer and planetary defender at NASA with engineer Joan Melendez Misner. Watch this episode. Click here for the FREE NGSS-aligned lesson. Want more ways to interact with this lesson? Check out the lesson plan in PocketLab for free.

World Creativity and Innovation Day, emphasizes the importance of creative problem-solving across various fields, including engineering, science, and technology. The 14 Grand Challenges for Engineering align with this theme, as they highlight the critical issues that require innovative solutions to improve global sustainability, security, health, and quality of life. By celebrating World Creativity and Innovation Day, we can encourage more students to engage with these engineering challenges, sparking new ideas that could shape the future.

World Laboratory Day celebrates the invaluable contributions of laboratories and lab professionals to scientific advancement. LabXchange embodies the spirit of this day by expanding access to laboratory experiences through virtual simulations, allowing learners everywhere to engage in the scientific process. Dive in and explore the simulations yourself to experience hands-on science from anywhere.

Take a look at our special Educator Edition Newsletter FULL of resources for upcoming STEM days, weeks, and months!