2013 is All About Energy Education!
Author: Anthony Darby; Published: Jan 3, 2013; Category: Classroom materials, Energy Education, Technology; Tags: energy education, STEM, students, Teachers; Comments: Comments Off
2013 is under way and from Energy4me’s perspective, we plan on it being one where we continue to bring energy education to the classroom by educating teachers and students! That fact will be demonstrated at the annual Offshore Technology Conference – which takes place 6-9 May 2013 at Reliant Park, Houston, Texas, USA. www.OTCnet.org
For Houston-area educators, as part of the Energy Education Institute, learn ways to energize your classroom at the teacher workshop (grades 4-12) or bring your students (ages 15 or older) to OTC for an exciting STEM event that will showcase, firsthand, the exciting opportunities the oil and gas industry can offer. 
Live in the Houston-area? Want to be a part of this exciting opportunity? Send us an email to energyeducation@otcnet.org to register. There is no cost for the teacher workshop or HS STEM event.
Join the conversation on Facebook— www.Facebook.com/Energy4me. You can also connect with us on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/Energy4me!
Going From STEM to STEAM — The Arts Have a Role in America’s Future, Too
Author: Anthony Darby; Published: Feb 16, 2012; Category: Energy, Math, Science, Technology; Tags: Energy, Math, science, Student, Teacher, Technology; Comments: Comments Off
Joseph Piro, Education Week
In education circles, STEM—the teaching of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics—has been gathering, for want of a better descriptor, “alpha” status. Not only has President Barack Obama announced a $250 million public-private initiative to recruit and train more STEM teachers, but also the U.S. Department of Education’s Race to the Top Fund grants competition is giving bonus points for applications that stress STEM instruction.
This funding is on top of the nearly $700 million the federal government already spends on science and math education programs within the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, the National Science Foundation, and other agencies. Factor in what’s earmarked by individual states for STEM and a picture emerges of where a lot of tax money is rightfully going.
This generous support is being allocated in the belief (or fear) that the United States is becoming less competitive and secure, that we are losing our global-leader status in STEM fields and being eclipsed by other countries, mostly in Asia.
Yet, in the midst of all the STEM frenzy, we may want to do something riskier, and more imaginative, to save the country: turn STEM funding into STEAM funding. Inserting the letter A, for the arts, into the acronym could afford us even greater global advantage.
Many may be puzzled by this statement, considering that the arts have held a traditionally marginalized place in both American society and the school curriculum. And, in the eyes of some, support for the arts has a dubious payback, especially in areas of national concern such as defense, homeland security, and technology. The arts are something we do when we stop being serious. Friday afternoons spent drawing turkeys, pumpkins, and valentines in more classrooms than one might think can attest to this.
But just consider the following. A 2008 study from the National Endowment for the Arts, “Artists in the Workforce,” showed that individuals involved in the arts represent a sizable branch of the labor force, only slightly smaller than the total number of active-duty and reserve personnel in the U.S. military. What may also be surprising to some is that artists make up a larger occupational group than lawyers, medical doctors, or agricultural workers. The size of the artistic community gives it an astonishing $70 billion aggregate annual income. The country’s $316 billion communication and entertainment business employs a diverse range of artists, including musicians, actors, filmmakers, videographers, and architects. It is probably safe to say that most of these people prepared for their careers by participating in some sort of arts education program…
Joseph Piro is an associate professor of curriculum and instruction in the school of education at Long Island University’s C.W. Post campus, in Brookville, N.Y.
Teachers, what do you think?
First Annual “New Faces of Engineering College Edition” Winners!
Author: Guest Author; Published: Dec 6, 2011; Category: Education outreach, Energy Education, Engineering Careers, SPE members, Technology, Volunteering; Tags: Careers, Education, Engineering, Engineering Careers, School, SPE, Student, Technology, Volunteer; Comments: Comments Off
The National Engineers Week Foundation and partners honor top college engineering students by recognizing the most promising engineering professionals of tomorrow with their first annual New Faces of Engineering College Edition program.
Fifteen engineering students in their third, fourth, or fifth year were selected. Winners are recognized for academic excellence, leadership within student organizations, outstanding communication skills, non-engineering related community service and involvement in the engineering industry.
Moustafa Ezzat, a 5th year student from the British University in Egypt and student member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), was among the winners.
Since 2003, National Engineers Week Foundation has honored young engineering professionals with its New Faces of Engineering award. This is the first year the popular initiative has expanded to recognize the best and brightest college engineering students.
Congratulations Moustafa Ezzat!
New Faces of Engineering College Edition is live on Facebook (www.facebook.com/collegeedition). The page provides a source of academic and professional development opportunities available to students from National Engineers Week Foundation’s engineering association, university, and corporate partners. Students can meet with their engineering peers in every field and learn about other events, internships, jobs, competitions, engineering associations and more.
Funding for New Faces of Engineering College Edition is provided by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the National Council of Examiners for Engineering and Surveying (NCEES). For more information, visit www.eweek.org.
Learn more about engineering careers.
SPE Dallas Section Hosts Science Teacher Barnett Shale Field Trip!
Author: Heather Stanford; Published: Nov 19, 2011; Category: Classroom materials, Education outreach, Energy, Energy Conservation, Energy Education, Energy sources, Engineering Careers, Environment, Geology, Science, SPE members, Technology, Volunteering; Tags: Careers, Education, Energy, Energy4me, Engineering, Engineering Careers, Geology, natural gas, science, SPE, Teacher, Technology, Volunteer; Comments: Comments Off
The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) Dallas section took local science teachers on a Barnett Shale field trip Thursday, November 18, 2011.
The tour started off at the Ellison Miles Geotechnology Institute (EMGI) where Dallas section members Toni Lott, Brad Robinson, Deborah Hempel-Medina, Brian Chacka, and Patrick Crawford made a presentation covering the history of Oil and Natural Gas, Geology and the History of Barnett Shale, Drilling a well, and Hydraulic Fracturing. Teachers were engaged in the presentations and asked the presenters a lot of questions to get a better understanding of the industry and how they could relay the information to their students in the classroom.
After the overview, everyone was styling in their safety gear as they prepared to go out into the field. Each participant wore steeled toed boots, fire retardant overalls, safety glasses, ear plugs, and hard hats. The teachers were able to visit three sites where they learned firsthand about safety, advance technologies, and rules and regulations all involved in operating each site. The sites teachers visited are listed as follows.
- Williams Company Drilling Site
- Devon Energy Hydraulic Fracturing Site
- Chesapeake Learning Center
After a full day of touring, teachers headed back to the Dallas Convention Center full of knowledge about the industry, their hard hat as a souvenir, and information to take back to their classrooms that included an “Oil and Natural Gas” book.
This workshop was made possible by the Ellison Miles Geotechnology Institute, Society of Petroleum Engineers-Dallas Section, Halliburton Energy Services, Williams Company, Devon Energy Company, Baker-Hughes Oilfield Services and Chesapeake Energy.
Energy4me and the Society of Petroleum Engineers want to thank everyone involved.
Learn more about careers in the industry.
The Ambassadors for Pakistan have done it again!
Author: Heather Stanford; Published: Aug 16, 2011; Category: Classroom presentations, Education outreach, Energy, Energy Conservation, Energy Education, Energy sources, Engineering Careers, Renewable energy, Science, SPE members, Technology, Uncategorized, Volunteering; Tags: Careers, Children, Classroom Instruction, Education, Energy, energy challenges, Energy Conservation, Energy4me, Engineering, Engineering Careers, SPE, Student, Technology, Volunteer; Comments: Comments Off
For the second year in a row, the “Ambassadors for Pakistan” have made several visits in their community presenting energy awareness and making an impact! The Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE) NED University Student Chapter in Karachi, Pakistan, conducted five Energy4me presentations this year in secondary schools, colleges and universities in Pakistan.
The student-run program promotes SPE and educates the surrounding schools about the oil and gas industry and the challenges facing it today.
The schools they visited
- Abdullah Government College
- The Fahim’s A-Levels School System
- CharterHouse Public School
- A.M.S.B Al-Madrast-us-Saifyat-ul-Burhaniya
- Jinnah University For Women
Energy4me and SPE would like to express our thanks to the commitment and continued efforts of this student chapter!
Ambassadors for Pakistan Team (2009-present)
- Hernan Buijs- SPE Student Development Committee Officer (mentor, motivator, and visit sponsor)
- M Turab Mehdi – Ambassadors for Pakistan – Team Executive Head & Planner
- Tabinda Saeed – HR Manager
- Syeda Hasan- Team Manager
New presenters added this year.
- Sidra Chughtai – Presenter
- Omer Ashan – Presenter
- Shahzeb Barber – Presenter
- Eijaz Danish – Presenter
- Mufaddal Murtaza – Presenter
Energy4me encourages young industry leaders to get involved in their community by giving classroom presentations or holding educational outreach programs like the SPE NED student chapter. These presentations make a huge impact and inspire future generations!
Share with us your contributions and outreach efforts in your community that you are already making with Energy4me and email us at energyed@spe.org or read more on how you can get involved in your community!
Again, thank you to the SPE NED University Student Chapter on your continued education outreach efforts in Pakistan!
Energy4me Kit
Help students get excited about science and energy!
Teaching aids, speaker resources, sample presentations, classroom activities, and hands-on experiments.
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