Hello viewers! I'm excited to unveil the start of a new series through this blog titled The STEAM Ambassador series! Every month I will be spotlighting an individual that proudly represents STEAM within their professional career and personal passions. During each spotlight we will have a fun interview to talk about their role and passion projects, and their views of STEAM education for the innovators of tomorrow.
Before we release the first installment of this series, I wanted to highlight on what STEAM is and how it differs from STEM.
What is STEAM? You have probably heard of the acronym STEM before; if not, STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. It focuses on and promotes teaching students specific skills catered toward the scientific approach. Focusing on STEM initiatives allows the opportunity for certain pragmatic math and science skills to be learned as well as other key skills such as critical thinking, scientific reasoning, and technology literacy for example.
STEAM is a variation of the thought process of STEM, with the key difference focusing on the power of the arts. Therefore, you guessed it – the STEAM acronym stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math. The “A” in STEAM can be anything artistic, ranging from visual arts, music, and theatre to digital design and creative writing.
STEAM is an educational movement that aims the innovators of tomorrow to become thoughtful, creative collaborators. The belief is that many STEM based initiatives require a foundation of creativity and the power of the arts fuel a thinker to reach their full potential. And by infusing the arts into STEM, students can begin to foster a love for exploration, creativity, and inspired experimental thinking to not only widen their horizons but give them the opportunity to develop key soft skills to support their futures.
So, what is a STEAM Ambassador then? A STEAM Ambassador is someone who currently holds a role within a core STEM based field and embodies a passion for the arts, either professionally as well, or personally. Their arts background has inspired them in their industry and we are excited to hear about their interests, their personal projects, and how they see the connections between the two.
I look forward to sharing with you the upcoming spotlights and hope that you will tune in!
Do you see yourself as a STEAM Ambassador or know someone who embodies the power of STEAM in their lives? Connect with me either at kristenvelliott@gmail.com or through the contact box on my homepage!