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The author connects biology and mathematics to observation, measurement, and data use, then redefines engineering as creativity and knowledge applied to design solutions, including non-digital technologies such as tools, systems, and processes. 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I thought,“That’s nice, that multiple subjects are being taught together. But I still only really like science.”I wondered why these topics were lumped together, and what exactly the connections were among the four subjects, beyond the vague connections of numbers and data. And, why, all of a sudden, did my interest in one subject suddenly mean I might be working with all of them?  \nIn high school, biology drew me into the world of science. I wanted to learn about the animals of the world: why they did what they did, how they interacted with and influenced their habitats, and what the  \nhabitats themselves were like. I loved making observations, asking questions, and then trying different tools to answer those questions. I looked up to explorers like Jane Goodall, who sat with animals with a notebook for hours, simply recording what she saw. Observations and questions came naturally to me, just as they do for most young people.  \nAs I dove deeper into science in college, the math inevitably snuck in. I wasn’t excited about it, but if I wanted to learn about the age, health, or growth of a tree, the best methods were to measure the diameter and height or to count the leaves. I observed chickens in my animal behavior class and discovered that the most concrete way to describe their behavior was to count and calculate how much of the time they were performing one behavior versus another. Math became not just a list of equations, but a communi-  \nEMMA CAREY is a STEM education specialist for informal education at Maine Mathematics and Science Alliance. Prior to her work at MMSA, she was the program coordinator at the Seacoast Science Center.  \ncation tool, a way to shine a light on my fascinationsand share them with others.  \nDuring the summers between college classes, I started teaching science at a small aquarium. Originally this job was a way to work closely with animals and to share my knowledge and my passion for nature with others. Soon, however, I discovered the joys of working with students and families. Guided by my graduate classes, I learned to encourage individuals to tune in to their own natural sense of wonder and then collect data to find their own answers to questions. I realized it was more fulfilling and effective to let youth in out-of-school time (OST) settings make their own observations, as opposed to trying to answer every question myself like a walking encyclopedia.  \nSo, the science and the math, sure! I was on board. These two subjects were part of my interests and my life. But engineering and technology seemed a lot less familiar and accessible. Those two words were big and scary; they represented clunky computers and devices that had mysterious inner workings—things I didn’t care to explore, dissect, or ask deep questions about, unlike the majestic creatures on Discovery Channel or in my backyard. I could leave the human-made mysteries to someone else, while I looked at the patterns of nature. Besides, engineering and technology sounded like the work of logisticalminded, calculating men, not wonder-loving young women like me. I didn’t identify with engineering the way I did with science.  \nI started learning more about engineering and technology when I was learning to introduce educators to STEM. As it turns out, I’ve been engineering new technologies my whole life. EiE, the engineering design curriculum of the Boston Museum of Science, defines an engineer as “someone who uses [their] creativity and knowledge of math and science to design things that solve problems”(EiE, n. d.) .The products engineers create are technologies. But technologies aren’t just hard drives and software. Pencils, paper clips, and spoons are all technologies. Technologies don’t even have to be physical objects","cbCaivGIbIxo53Zh","https://ap.wps.com/l/cbCaivGIbIxo53Zh","pdf",240357,"English","# Voices from the Field\n## The evolution from science to STEM\n## Defining engineering and technology as everyday tools\n## Engineering identity centered in afterschool education","[{\"question\":\"How did the author initially view STEM and its subjects?\",\"answer\":\"The author initially saw STEM as just a list of subjects, mainly preferring science and questioning how the four areas connected.\"},{\"question\":\"What role did math play as the author studied science?\",\"answer\":\"In college, math entered naturally through methods like measuring tree dimensions and counting behaviors, becoming a way to express and share scientific interests.\"},{\"question\":\"How does the author redefine engineering and technology?\",\"answer\":\"Engineering is defined as using creativity and knowledge of math and science to solve problems by designing things, while technology includes designed solutions beyond computers, such as tools, systems, and processes.\"}]","VOICES FROM THE FIELD - The Engineering Identity of Afterschool Educators - Emma Carey | PDF",11]