[Applause]
decades ago
Hollywood predicted that in 2015 we
would have hoverboards flying cars and
floating cities how many of those do you
see today instead we have this despite
the name it’s clearly not a hoverboard
so what would it really take for us to
achieve the world prophesied in the cult
classic film Back to the Future it would
take a tremendous feat of human
ingenuity but perhaps you should ask who
will accomplish this feat for a better
future I will you will we will it could
be argued that we must but how generally
those who are credited with inventions
in our society are the engineers
chemists robot assists and scientists of
the past and present
many of these innovators possess the
ability to think critically and actively
strive to think outside the box it is
logical to assume that the more of these
individuals we have in our society the
faster we will reach these seemingly
unattainable goals so how might we
expand our potential to achieve great
technological feats we can encourage the
development of critical problem-solving
to younger and generations to motivate
them to explore avenues that lead to
technological discovery when he 10 vest
in developing minds to support them with
their future contributions educators
today strive to teach the next
generation to think critically and
problem-solve using science technology
engineering and mathematics stem
by teaching through stem platforms
foundations of science and engineering
become available to just about anyone on
the planet studies have shown that young
children have access to STEM education
are better equipped to apply
problem-solving skills in the near
future this is transferable as they
progress through academic and
professional experiences alike in other
words it gives early learners a huge
advantage while benefiting their society
the hands-on solutions developed through
stem projects encourage children to
explore their natural curiosity in a
learning setting they ask questions they
hypothesize will my paper plane fly well
my paper won’t sink how does my ball
roll down the ramp if we make this
learning environment available to more
young people we will most likely have
not only more scientists but greater
development perhaps STEM education can
even be used as a tool to even encourage
students and developing nations to
discover solutions to their greatest
problems and needs here in Nicaragua
there is an abundance of scientific
opportunity in renewable resources
agriculture earthquake preparedness just
to name a few
but for our problems here that may not
seem directly associated to stem but it
can still help unfortunately in
Nicaragua nearly 30 percent of the
population lives in poverty and in rural
communities nearly 50% of households
live in extreme poverty for many access
electrical energy is considered a luxury
and if they have it it is very expensive
a system that should be accessible to
Habitat for Humanity is a
non-governmental organization that
brings people together to build homes
communities but more importantly hope
after attending nine habits after
Humanity volunteer trips in which I’ve
assisted in building homes and dams I
witnessed firsthand how those who cannot
afford electrical energy live much of
their lives in the dark so for them to
overcome these circumstances they are
literally seeking light if things
continue this way they will most likely
remain in overwhelming poverty so what
if there was a way to save little by
little and pay an affordable amount for
a lasting reliable and sustainable
energy there is so why isn’t it
accessible to everyone everywhere the
answer to this question may
unfortunately come down to business
ethics in Nicaragua the average price of
conventional electricity is about this
much per megawatt hour now we should
look at the price of solar energy it’s
less than half the costs yet solar
panels are relatively rare because many
companies encourage their customers to
consume the more expensive option to add
on to that sustainable energy companies
can’t afford a large advertising budget
and therefore miss many opportunities to
inform the public so not only is
convention electricity more accessible
and more expensive
it nearly monopolizes the market but
imagine if in our country if in the
world renewable resources were widely
accessible populations in poverty could
even improve their economic state the
generation of this type of energy is not
only important for its positive effects
on the economy but also first reductions
of GI emissions by almost 80 thousand
tons
gie is greenhouse gases which are
responsible for many of our
environmental issues today so overall
this would not only lower our collective
carbon footprint but it would also
solutions such as these are the direct
result of professionals working in STEM
fields yet stem courses are not offered
in Nicaraguan public schools at the
primary or secondary level there are
countless future innovators living
without having the opportunity to
stimulate innovation they could be
learning about how to help their
communities and environments to move
forward it’s true there are young people
who are making strides in the absence of
STEM education but imagine a world where
students everywhere were supported to
seek the progress of their countries and
solve the problems of their communities
we need to keep moving forward we need
to aspire to reach stem-based goals in
renewable resources engineering
breakthroughs and so much more as a
global community we need to collaborate
on all fronts from the classroom to the
boardroom to ensure that our future
leaders and innovators are equipped with
the tools necessary to succeed in a
constantly changing world as a student
I’ve heard many of my classmates say
that they would rather study business
because they say it’s easier and a sure
way to make money but today we need
students who develop our capabilities
and stem much beyond was acceptable in
the past even if happened the freshman
wants to be a business owner stem will
still help him get ahead in his career
stem will help Pepin because it teaches
them how to think critically create a
passion for solving problems foster
creativity and develop a central life
skills that other disciplines may not
now I don’t agree with the previously
mentioned reasons to study stem however
I can’t deny the important role that a
business-minded individual
in our society but perhaps their role
could even include the promotion of stem
center projects and partnerships that
see them through did you know that
according to a study conducted by Intel
engineers enjoyed top-ranked salary
levels salary and job security levels if
you’re hoping to feel fulfilled in your
career you should know that engineering
is ranked sixth with regard to positive
impact however when it comes down to
actually knowing what engineers do how
many of you are responsible for their
roles and responsibilities engineering
drops to 11th place in the category of
familiarity in the same study students
were asked if anything would make them
reconsider their choice some said
learning more about what engineers
actually do more exposure to engineering
in school and learning about how to
become an engineer and those results
accounted for 44% of responses only 1/3
of students said that nothing would make
them reconsider engineering as a career
imagine how many more students would be
interested in pursuing stem if they had
greater access to information
I was certainly fortunate enough to be
exposed to many different avenues which
eventually led to a passion for
engineering at the age of 15 I’m
fascinated by how things work for
machines to robots and I was set on this
path six years ago it all started on
Christmas Day 2012 I was 10 years old I
saw this big box under the tree and I
did what any ten-year-old would have
done that morning I ran over to the tree
and started opening the gift it was a
Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 which is
basically a robot that was made to do
exactly what it did to me
I have engaged in building countless
models and things that move and I’ve
loved every minute of it
and today there are even more options
with complex moving parts that offer
children the opportunity to tinker to
create one might say that stem is only
for techies MIT Silicon Valley write
that it’s all about a bunch of guys in
lab coats one can say a lot of things
everyone can learn from stem because
it’s an approach to learning that
presents lessons in an interdisciplinary
way for the last year and a half I’ve
had the opportunity to work as part of a
team working on several mechanical
engineering projects I’ve been able to
work on an affordable autonomous solar
panel that we like to call the sunflower
project the interesting part about the
sunflower project is that it will be
able to move and follow the Sun
throughout the day to take even more
advantage of the natural sunlight than
fixed panels currently the solar panel
powers two USB ports and a couple
outlets charging phones and laptops but
the possibility exists to power so much
more including rural communities many
people say to me that they don’t know
anything about computer science because
they don’t know where to look but it’s
right in front of all of us online I’m
learning computer science via an online
course known as cs50 taught by David J
Malan professor of computer science at
Harvard University as we look to a
future filled with artificial
intelligence and autonomous systems
coding will be an essential skill I
actively seek ways to develop myself for
future jobs because stem is out of the
human race to survive from generation to
generation from the rise of Mesopotamia
when the latest technologies were the
irrigation systems that allow us to grow
our food
to the Bionic organs that have helped save many lives in the last two decades
stem will be what allows humans to stay on earth and clean up the mess that
on earth and clean up the mess that early technologies have made instead of
early technologies have made instead of finding a way to get off the planet
finding a way to get off the planet because even if we exhaust our planet’s
because even if we exhaust our planet’s resources stem will be humanity’s Savior
resources stem will be humanity’s Savior what will open the next chapter an
what will open the next chapter an example of this is a development of a
example of this is a development of a solar powered robot called the C vex
solar powered robot called the C vex made by Bluebird marine systems in the
made by Bluebird marine systems in the United Kingdom this bot can suck up
United Kingdom this bot can suck up plastic waste and ensure that it’s
plastic waste and ensure that it’s correctly disposed of to my fellow
correctly disposed of to my fellow students if you want to take advantage
students if you want to take advantage of opportunities to design solutions
of opportunities to design solutions it’s a feel fulfilled in your career to
it’s a feel fulfilled in your career to innovate creatively solve problems
innovate creatively solve problems plaguing humanity and their planet I
plaguing humanity and their planet I urge you to take classes that push you
urge you to take classes that push you to think critically and creatively about
to think critically and creatively about issues that impact human development
issues that impact human development parents buy our kid a toy that lets him
parents buy our kid a toy that lets him think outside the box and give them the
think outside the box and give them the time and space to tinker to create
time and space to tinker to create teachers and school leaders offer
teachers and school leaders offer classes that allow students to make
classes that allow students to make creative problem-solving a part of their
creative problem-solving a part of their thought process and hopefully their
thought process and hopefully their lives to the corporations businessman
lives to the corporations businessman entrepreneurs and professionals devise
entrepreneurs and professionals devise innovative ways to make money that solve
innovative ways to make money that solve more problems than they create improve
more problems than they create improve your business ethics what will money do
your business ethics what will money do for us if you’re out of clean air water
for us if you’re out of clean air water and our food supply is contaminated
and our food supply is contaminated money can’t buy the things we need the
money can’t buy the things we need the most so invest in stem because people
most so invest in stem because people are making technological breakthroughs
are making technological breakthroughs that directly impact our lives by
that directly impact our lives by improving our infrastructure developing
improving our infrastructure developing safer better bridges finding cleaner
safer better bridges finding cleaner energy sources
energy sources and making advances to health and
and making advances to health and wellness and so much more stem is what
wellness and so much more stem is what keeps our world a truly progressive time
keeps our world a truly progressive time and place
and place there isn’t a lack of jobs in stem just
there isn’t a lack of jobs in stem just the lack of individuals well equipped to
the lack of individuals well equipped to fill those jobs so engage in stem learn
fill those jobs so engage in stem learn to code build create a little more often
to code build create a little more often it may surprise you the amount of hidden
it may surprise you the amount of hidden talent and ideas that you just haven’t
talent and ideas that you just haven’t discovered yet it surprised me just a
discovered yet it surprised me just a couple years ago I see a future where
couple years ago I see a future where young people enjoy making apps designing
young people enjoy making apps designing robots engaging as engineers and caring
robots engaging as engineers and caring about how things work not just that they
about how things work not just that they do stem is about creating solutions it
do stem is about creating solutions it will make the world a better place
will make the world a better place because even though these ideas don’t
because even though these ideas don’t change the world in five minutes
change the world in five minutes but if it’s five months or even years
but if it’s five months or even years isn’t it worth considering the journey
isn’t it worth considering the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single
of a thousand miles begins with a single step unless you’re traveling through
step unless you’re traveling through hyperspace on the Millennium Falcon but
hyperspace on the Millennium Falcon but there will never be a Millennium Falcon
there will never be a Millennium Falcon in a future without stem thank you
decades ago
Hollywood predicted that in 2015 we
would have hoverboards flying cars and
floating cities how many of those do you
see today instead we have this despite
the name it’s clearly not a hoverboard
so what would it really take for us to
achieve the world prophesied in the cult
classic film Back to the Future it would
take a tremendous feat of human
ingenuity but perhaps you should ask who
will accomplish this feat for a better
future I will you will we will it could
be argued that we must but how generally
those who are credited with inventions
in our society are the engineers
chemists robot assists and scientists of
the past and present
many of these innovators possess the
ability to think critically and actively
strive to think outside the box it is
logical to assume that the more of these
individuals we have in our society the
faster we will reach these seemingly
unattainable goals so how might we
expand our potential to achieve great
technological feats we can encourage the
development of critical problem-solving
to younger and generations to motivate
them to explore avenues that lead to
technological discovery when he 10 vest
in developing minds to support them with
their future contributions educators
today strive to teach the next
generation to think critically and
problem-solve using science technology
engineering and mathematics stem
by teaching through stem platforms
foundations of science and engineering
become available to just about anyone on
the planet studies have shown that young
children have access to STEM education
are better equipped to apply
problem-solving skills in the near
future this is transferable as they
progress through academic and
professional experiences alike in other
words it gives early learners a huge
advantage while benefiting their society
the hands-on solutions developed through
stem projects encourage children to
explore their natural curiosity in a
learning setting they ask questions they
hypothesize will my paper plane fly well
my paper won’t sink how does my ball
roll down the ramp if we make this
learning environment available to more
young people we will most likely have
not only more scientists but greater
development perhaps STEM education can
even be used as a tool to even encourage
students and developing nations to
discover solutions to their greatest
problems and needs here in Nicaragua
there is an abundance of scientific
opportunity in renewable resources
agriculture earthquake preparedness just
to name a few
but for our problems here that may not
seem directly associated to stem but it
can still help unfortunately in
Nicaragua nearly 30 percent of the
population lives in poverty and in rural
communities nearly 50% of households
live in extreme poverty for many access
electrical energy is considered a luxury
and if they have it it is very expensive
a system that should be accessible to
Habitat for Humanity is a
non-governmental organization that
brings people together to build homes
communities but more importantly hope
after attending nine habits after
Humanity volunteer trips in which I’ve
assisted in building homes and dams I
witnessed firsthand how those who cannot
afford electrical energy live much of
their lives in the dark so for them to
overcome these circumstances they are
literally seeking light if things
continue this way they will most likely
remain in overwhelming poverty so what
if there was a way to save little by
little and pay an affordable amount for
a lasting reliable and sustainable
energy there is so why isn’t it
accessible to everyone everywhere the
answer to this question may
unfortunately come down to business
ethics in Nicaragua the average price of
conventional electricity is about this
much per megawatt hour now we should
look at the price of solar energy it’s
less than half the costs yet solar
panels are relatively rare because many
companies encourage their customers to
consume the more expensive option to add
on to that sustainable energy companies
can’t afford a large advertising budget
and therefore miss many opportunities to
inform the public so not only is
convention electricity more accessible
and more expensive
it nearly monopolizes the market but
imagine if in our country if in the
world renewable resources were widely
accessible populations in poverty could
even improve their economic state the
generation of this type of energy is not
only important for its positive effects
on the economy but also first reductions
of GI emissions by almost 80 thousand
tons
gie is greenhouse gases which are
responsible for many of our
environmental issues today so overall
this would not only lower our collective
carbon footprint but it would also
solutions such as these are the direct
result of professionals working in STEM
fields yet stem courses are not offered
in Nicaraguan public schools at the
primary or secondary level there are
countless future innovators living
without having the opportunity to
stimulate innovation they could be
learning about how to help their
communities and environments to move
forward it’s true there are young people
who are making strides in the absence of
STEM education but imagine a world where
students everywhere were supported to
seek the progress of their countries and
solve the problems of their communities
we need to keep moving forward we need
to aspire to reach stem-based goals in
renewable resources engineering
breakthroughs and so much more as a
global community we need to collaborate
on all fronts from the classroom to the
boardroom to ensure that our future
leaders and innovators are equipped with
the tools necessary to succeed in a
constantly changing world as a student
I’ve heard many of my classmates say
that they would rather study business
because they say it’s easier and a sure
way to make money but today we need
students who develop our capabilities
and stem much beyond was acceptable in
the past even if happened the freshman
wants to be a business owner stem will
still help him get ahead in his career
stem will help Pepin because it teaches
them how to think critically create a
passion for solving problems foster
creativity and develop a central life
skills that other disciplines may not
now I don’t agree with the previously
mentioned reasons to study stem however
I can’t deny the important role that a
business-minded individual
in our society but perhaps their role
could even include the promotion of stem
center projects and partnerships that
see them through did you know that
according to a study conducted by Intel
engineers enjoyed top-ranked salary
levels salary and job security levels if
you’re hoping to feel fulfilled in your
career you should know that engineering
is ranked sixth with regard to positive
impact however when it comes down to
actually knowing what engineers do how
many of you are responsible for their
roles and responsibilities engineering
drops to 11th place in the category of
familiarity in the same study students
were asked if anything would make them
reconsider their choice some said
learning more about what engineers
actually do more exposure to engineering
in school and learning about how to
become an engineer and those results
accounted for 44% of responses only 1/3
of students said that nothing would make
them reconsider engineering as a career
imagine how many more students would be
interested in pursuing stem if they had
greater access to information
I was certainly fortunate enough to be
exposed to many different avenues which
eventually led to a passion for
engineering at the age of 15 I’m
fascinated by how things work for
machines to robots and I was set on this
path six years ago it all started on
Christmas Day 2012 I was 10 years old I
saw this big box under the tree and I
did what any ten-year-old would have
done that morning I ran over to the tree
and started opening the gift it was a
Lego Mindstorms NXT 2.0 which is
basically a robot that was made to do
exactly what it did to me
I have engaged in building countless
models and things that move and I’ve
loved every minute of it
and today there are even more options
with complex moving parts that offer
children the opportunity to tinker to
create one might say that stem is only
for techies MIT Silicon Valley write
that it’s all about a bunch of guys in
lab coats one can say a lot of things
everyone can learn from stem because
it’s an approach to learning that
presents lessons in an interdisciplinary
way for the last year and a half I’ve
had the opportunity to work as part of a
team working on several mechanical
engineering projects I’ve been able to
work on an affordable autonomous solar
panel that we like to call the sunflower
project the interesting part about the
sunflower project is that it will be
able to move and follow the Sun
throughout the day to take even more
advantage of the natural sunlight than
fixed panels currently the solar panel
powers two USB ports and a couple
outlets charging phones and laptops but
the possibility exists to power so much
more including rural communities many
people say to me that they don’t know
anything about computer science because
they don’t know where to look but it’s
right in front of all of us online I’m
learning computer science via an online
course known as cs50 taught by David J
Malan professor of computer science at
Harvard University as we look to a
future filled with artificial
intelligence and autonomous systems
coding will be an essential skill I
actively seek ways to develop myself for
future jobs because stem is out of the
human race to survive from generation to
generation from the rise of Mesopotamia
when the latest technologies were the
irrigation systems that allow us to grow
our food
to the Bionic organs that have helped save many lives in the last two decades
stem will be what allows humans to stay on earth and clean up the mess that
on earth and clean up the mess that early technologies have made instead of
early technologies have made instead of finding a way to get off the planet
finding a way to get off the planet because even if we exhaust our planet’s
because even if we exhaust our planet’s resources stem will be humanity’s Savior
resources stem will be humanity’s Savior what will open the next chapter an
what will open the next chapter an example of this is a development of a
example of this is a development of a solar powered robot called the C vex
solar powered robot called the C vex made by Bluebird marine systems in the
made by Bluebird marine systems in the United Kingdom this bot can suck up
United Kingdom this bot can suck up plastic waste and ensure that it’s
plastic waste and ensure that it’s correctly disposed of to my fellow
correctly disposed of to my fellow students if you want to take advantage
students if you want to take advantage of opportunities to design solutions
of opportunities to design solutions it’s a feel fulfilled in your career to
it’s a feel fulfilled in your career to innovate creatively solve problems
innovate creatively solve problems plaguing humanity and their planet I
plaguing humanity and their planet I urge you to take classes that push you
urge you to take classes that push you to think critically and creatively about
to think critically and creatively about issues that impact human development
issues that impact human development parents buy our kid a toy that lets him
parents buy our kid a toy that lets him think outside the box and give them the
think outside the box and give them the time and space to tinker to create
time and space to tinker to create teachers and school leaders offer
teachers and school leaders offer classes that allow students to make
classes that allow students to make creative problem-solving a part of their
creative problem-solving a part of their thought process and hopefully their
thought process and hopefully their lives to the corporations businessman
lives to the corporations businessman entrepreneurs and professionals devise
entrepreneurs and professionals devise innovative ways to make money that solve
innovative ways to make money that solve more problems than they create improve
more problems than they create improve your business ethics what will money do
your business ethics what will money do for us if you’re out of clean air water
for us if you’re out of clean air water and our food supply is contaminated
and our food supply is contaminated money can’t buy the things we need the
money can’t buy the things we need the most so invest in stem because people
most so invest in stem because people are making technological breakthroughs
are making technological breakthroughs that directly impact our lives by
that directly impact our lives by improving our infrastructure developing
improving our infrastructure developing safer better bridges finding cleaner
safer better bridges finding cleaner energy sources
energy sources and making advances to health and
and making advances to health and wellness and so much more stem is what
wellness and so much more stem is what keeps our world a truly progressive time
keeps our world a truly progressive time and place
and place there isn’t a lack of jobs in stem just
there isn’t a lack of jobs in stem just the lack of individuals well equipped to
the lack of individuals well equipped to fill those jobs so engage in stem learn
fill those jobs so engage in stem learn to code build create a little more often
to code build create a little more often it may surprise you the amount of hidden
it may surprise you the amount of hidden talent and ideas that you just haven’t
talent and ideas that you just haven’t discovered yet it surprised me just a
discovered yet it surprised me just a couple years ago I see a future where
couple years ago I see a future where young people enjoy making apps designing
young people enjoy making apps designing robots engaging as engineers and caring
robots engaging as engineers and caring about how things work not just that they
about how things work not just that they do stem is about creating solutions it
do stem is about creating solutions it will make the world a better place
will make the world a better place because even though these ideas don’t
because even though these ideas don’t change the world in five minutes
change the world in five minutes but if it’s five months or even years
but if it’s five months or even years isn’t it worth considering the journey
isn’t it worth considering the journey of a thousand miles begins with a single
of a thousand miles begins with a single step unless you’re traveling through
step unless you’re traveling through hyperspace on the Millennium Falcon but
hyperspace on the Millennium Falcon but there will never be a Millennium Falcon
there will never be a Millennium Falcon in a future without stem thank you
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