GEMS: Germs in Engineering, Mathematics, and Science
STEM education is hot right now. There’s no doubt about it. All the career forecasts predict a great need in upcoming years for scientists, techies, engineers, and mathematicians in a variety of settings. Hard skills are — wait for it — trendy! To add to the buzz, there is a huge focus on attracting more women and girls into STEM fields. Great, right? Indeed it is, but just because something is popular doesn’t mean that it’s for everyone. How do you know if your hidden GEMS are ready to shine? Check out the GERM Consciousness Compass for a mindful look at your true interests, focus, and motivations.
GERM Consciousness Compass
1. Interests
Make a list of the first 10 things that you are crazy passionate about. Follow your gut and just write them down without thinking too much about them. If you can, time yourself and keep this brainstorming to just one minute. Let your inner voice talk and just jot down whatever comes up. My list consisted of words like diversity, outdoors, education, books, etc.
2. Focus
When you think about your personality, your interests, and your values, what people, groups, or issues can you imagine yourself working with? Again, let the ideas pour onto the page for one minute. My list included higher education, poverty, marginalized populations, and so on.
3. Motivations
What actions can you imagine taking, or what actions do you admire in others, that will lead your interests and focus to the desired outcome? For example, are you motivated to study, teach, research, transform, help, build, seek, lead, think? While keeping in mind your interests and focus, write down as many words as you can in one minute that will enable you to “do” what you want to do. My list has words like listen, change, and empower.
Finally, take these 3 lists and create a “conscious compass statement” by narrowing down each list to the top 5 items that really speak to you; then, narrow down each list of 5 to the top 2. Write your statement about the purpose and direction of your future career desires based on these thoughts. For example, my statement might say: “I hope to create meaningful change in higher education by empowering marginalized populations through more accessible and diverse educational opportunities.”
Does this sound like I’m in the GEMS pile? Uh, actually, no, but that’s fantastic because I know that I am clearly a gem of a different hue. What does your statement sound like? Share it with your teachers, friends, and family, and start a conversation about what really lights you up! For many of you there will be a clear STEM connection that you have made by consciously following your own, inner voice. If, however, the compass is pointing in another direction, embrace it! The point is to make a mindful decision about what is right for you.