Write a Researcher: a Pen Pal Outreach Program for Middle and High School Students

ABSTRACT The decision to pursue a science, technology, engineering, and/or math (STEM) career is often made in middle and high school, yet many students do not have access to resources or opportunities to navigate this career path. Without guidance, obtaining a job in STEM may seem like a daunting o...

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Main Authors: Caroline H. Steingard, Emily M. Wollmuth, Andrew N. Murtha, Alberto Correa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: American Society for Microbiology 2023-08-01
Series:Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00240-22
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author Caroline H. Steingard
Emily M. Wollmuth
Andrew N. Murtha
Alberto Correa
author_facet Caroline H. Steingard
Emily M. Wollmuth
Andrew N. Murtha
Alberto Correa
author_sort Caroline H. Steingard
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT The decision to pursue a science, technology, engineering, and/or math (STEM) career is often made in middle and high school, yet many students do not have access to resources or opportunities to navigate this career path. Without guidance, obtaining a job in STEM may seem like a daunting or impossible task. Here, we present Write a Researcher, a program wherein middle and high school students were paired with STEM professionals at Cornell University as pen pals. Through personalized handwritten letters, students her empowered with advice, encouragement, and knowledge to support their understanding of STEM fields, advanced degrees, and careers. We share Write a Researcher here to encourage others to establish similar programs at their own institutions.
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spelling doaj.art-aaaf21e7d2f1449fa0ad08b781e1dbb82023-08-22T13:00:41ZengAmerican Society for MicrobiologyJournal of Microbiology & Biology Education1935-78771935-78852023-08-0124210.1128/jmbe.00240-22Write a Researcher: a Pen Pal Outreach Program for Middle and High School StudentsCaroline H. Steingard0Emily M. Wollmuth1Andrew N. Murtha2Alberto Correa3Department of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USADepartment of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USADepartment of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USADepartment of Microbiology, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, USAABSTRACT The decision to pursue a science, technology, engineering, and/or math (STEM) career is often made in middle and high school, yet many students do not have access to resources or opportunities to navigate this career path. Without guidance, obtaining a job in STEM may seem like a daunting or impossible task. Here, we present Write a Researcher, a program wherein middle and high school students were paired with STEM professionals at Cornell University as pen pals. Through personalized handwritten letters, students her empowered with advice, encouragement, and knowledge to support their understanding of STEM fields, advanced degrees, and careers. We share Write a Researcher here to encourage others to establish similar programs at their own institutions.https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00240-22STEM outreachmentoringpen palunderrepresented studentshigh schoolmiddle school
spellingShingle Caroline H. Steingard
Emily M. Wollmuth
Andrew N. Murtha
Alberto Correa
Write a Researcher: a Pen Pal Outreach Program for Middle and High School Students
Journal of Microbiology & Biology Education
STEM outreach
mentoring
pen pal
underrepresented students
high school
middle school
title Write a Researcher: a Pen Pal Outreach Program for Middle and High School Students
title_full Write a Researcher: a Pen Pal Outreach Program for Middle and High School Students
title_fullStr Write a Researcher: a Pen Pal Outreach Program for Middle and High School Students
title_full_unstemmed Write a Researcher: a Pen Pal Outreach Program for Middle and High School Students
title_short Write a Researcher: a Pen Pal Outreach Program for Middle and High School Students
title_sort write a researcher a pen pal outreach program for middle and high school students
topic STEM outreach
mentoring
pen pal
underrepresented students
high school
middle school
url https://journals.asm.org/doi/10.1128/jmbe.00240-22
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