What is STEM?

Obviously, GIST believes that STEM is important. But what is STEM? And why is it important? 

Let’s start with what STEM is.

(https://www.burford.oxon.sch.uk/looking-forward-to-stem-week/)

Science

The Encyclopedia Britannica defines Science as:

‘Any system of knowledge that is concerned with the physical world and its phenomena and that entails unbiased observations and systematic experimentation.’

While accurate, that wordy definition reinforces an unfortunately common impression of science-that it is drab, difficult, and best left to experts in white coats. That’s why I like psychologists Thomas Lewis, Fari Amini, and Richard Lannon’s definition better:

‘Science is an inherent contradiction — systematic wonder — applied to the natural world.’

Scientists are simply people who are passionately curious about the world around them. In that sense, everyone of us is a little bit of a scientist.

Technology

Technology can be thought of as clever and useful applications of science. For example, Newton discovered the three laws of motion. Then, in a dazzling case of applying science to technology, the Soviet Union applied his third law to launch mankind’s first satellite. Or more familiarly, Faraday’s discovery of electromagnetism led to the technologies of bulbs, fans, heaters, and indeed all electrical appliances.

Engineering

Engineering involves using scientific principles to design and construct things. Constructing a spaceship is an engineer’s job because they have to use the principles of physics and chemistry to build a vehicle capable of safely flying into space. 

Wikipedia also notes that ‘The term engineering is derived from the Latin ingenium, meaning "cleverness" and ingeniare, meaning "to contrive, devise".’ 

Engineering is more than just construction work. Engineers have to come up with creative ways to satisfy complex criterias, overcome real-world constraints, and birth a fully functioning, reliable product from scratch. Engineering marvels like the Eiffel Tower and the Sydney Opera House are a testament to how engineering as much of an art as a science.

Math

The encyclopedia Britannica says that math is 

‘The science of structure, order, and relation that has evolved from elemental practices of counting, measuring, and describing the shapes of objects.’

Math is like the alphabet of  STEM. If you can’t do Math, you can’t speak the language of science. If you ask any scientist or engineer, they’ll tell you that they use Math everyday. They use Math to calculate how tall and in what shape to  build your apartment so it doesn’t collapse on you, or which mathematical algorithm will give you the fastest internet speeds.

Now that you know what STEM is, maybe you can appreciate how important it is  to every aspect of our lives. We owe everything from vaccines to the internet to aeroplanes to people who studied  STEM. Our future will also be largely shaped by people who study STEM. That’s why it is crucial that people of all nations, ethnicities, and genders have strong representation in the STEM community.