In 2001, Joseph Bordogna, deputy director of the National Science Foundation (NSF), while chairing a directors strategy meeting, led the creation of the acronym STEM. The original acronym, SMETE (science, math, engineering, technology, and education), was too long. One variation, METS, was quickly dismissed, since Bordogna was from Philadelphia and supported the Phillies baseball team, a rival of the New York Mets.

Within the last five minutes of the meeting, Judith Ramaley, NSF's assistant director of education and human resources, rearranged the letters to form the STEM acronym. Bordogna, later on, commented on the acronym: "Ah, it is a STEM of knowledge. We tried to rationalize something, but now it has become all over the world, this STEM thing."

I am a passionate STEM advocate in the Houston region and beyond, always looking to inspire students and children, who will one day become our nation's next great engineers, scientists, and innovators. At SAIC, I co-lead the company's STEM Employee Resource Group (ERG), whose members work in partnership with community groups and organizations to engage students, educators, and mentors in STEM activities. Identifying and supporting large-scale, innovative, and effective STEM programs and initiatives, and mentoring future talent, the STEM ERG's outreach and positive impact can be felt on SAIC's employee volunteers and especially under-represented communities.

National STEM Day this year is Nov. 8, and I and our ERG's network of STEM professionals are rejoicing. In recognition, here are some highlights of the STEM ERG's impact as well as some fun ideas to celebrate the day.
 

Inspiring future trailblazers

Engaging STEM through recycled computers. Larry Bons, an SAIC electrical engineer senior principal and STEM ERG member, led the effort to donate retired SAIC laptops to Mountain Home Christian Academy in Mountain Home, Arkansas to encourage STEM learning. Bons also volunteers at the school by teaching a class in mechatronics and leading another class in playing the Kerbal Space Program video game of building and flying spacecraft.

Fallon Watts, an IT systems support technician in Oak Ridge, Tennessee and another STEM ERG member, led additional efforts to donate excess laptops to Oak Ridge High School Navy JROTC's CyberPatriot Team. Fallon is mentoring students toward careers in cybersecurity and other disciplines involving STEM and computers.

Helping students choose STEM careers through mentoring. STEM ERG member Cary Abul-Haj, a systems engineer senior principal in El Segundo, California, continues to develop a design challenge for the MESA (mathematics, engineering, science, and achievement ) project for underserved middle-school students in California and eight other states. The competition was created to supplement students' skills in systems engineering.

Doubling STEM outreach. The National Space Club and Foundation and the STEM ERG matched each other's $1,000 donations to the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Alabama, in Huntsville, doubling the impact of funding for the club's STEM lab. SAIC employees recently toured the lab, where kids are currently working with a 3D printer to design and make objects.

Meet some women in STEM at SAIC

SAIC celebrates the remarkable achievements and contributions of women in technology. Hear from women in STEM at SAIC.