STEM program and innovation

Posted On
Posted By
Prof. Timila Yami Thapa
STEM education  and Enrergy services and innovation
 
Innovators around the world are encouraging young girls in STEM programmes. Our women activists should play a lead role in promoting such program. Ignorance is bliss and stupidity at it's finest. The problem with close minded people is that their mouth is always open. 
Arvind Gupta was my batchmate at IIT Kanpur. While we played in play grounds he would play with the children of Mess staff, cleaners and washermen at IIT K making them play with waste materials. Today he is a famous Tactile Learning First Eminent scientist and Padma Bhusan award winner of India. He had popularised science in the country through toys from readily available materials. Children should be encouraged to visit his sites in internet https://www.youtube.com/@arvindguptatoys  
 
Education ministry of Nepal should review education model taking advice from researhers. Activity-based learning should be the norm and students, before they can understand any concept. They need to learn to manipulate different materials. They should also assemble them, pull them apart and put them back together. students to make things with their own hands. Such program will unleash creativity and end rote learning, encourage recycling, and reduce the carbon foot prints. 

Why So Few? Women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. Many professional organizations are available for women who work in STEM jobs. In order to help women progress in these fields, the organizations offers mentoring and coaching services, as well as advice on work-life balance issues. They also resources to educate women in the field, such as books, workshops, educational videos, and research journals. They also participate in advocacy on behalf of female STEM workers to address the key issues that impact their careers. However these organizations should review their model incorporating technology and researchers. 

All seven children of the YAMI family pursued taking (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM)) courses. My mother Heera Devi Yami passed away at the age of 48 in 1970. It was her wish that we take STEM courses. During our school days even the boys from our community (Tuladhar, Kansakar, Tamrakar etc all focused on doing businesses ) always took commerce subjects. Girls used to opt for arts courses. The dropout rate among the students of our community used to be high in school as guardians whose top priority used to be marriage of their siblings at young ages. The dropout rates of boys after class ten used to be higher because the fathers used to force sons to take responsibilities of running family business from an early age. Those who were doing business in Tibet travelled frequently through the routes of Calcutta, Kalin pong and Darjeeling and left their son in schools there while they were in Tibet. Those families had better literacy rate. Education was banned till 1950 for general mass.
 
Taking up government jobs used to be difficult for boys those days for underprivileged communities. Girls with qualification above class ten used to be considered overqualified for marriage. Girls were not allowed to take up jobs outside. Their duties used to be within the kitchen, raising children and looking after elderly members of the joint families. Very few guardians understood the importance of higher education. STEM subjects for girls were out of question those days then during the 1960s. Both my parents never went to school. The literacy rate used to be very low. However, my mother understood the importance of higher education backed by the STEM program while almost all community members were blank about higher education and STEM subjects. During mid 1960s and mod 70s we seven children were already transforming whereas our married friends were into an entire social system which had been perpetuating a wrong combination of science, religion and superstition.
 
The current scenario of the literacy rate in rural areas of Nepal are similar to the days of the 1960s from underprivileged families of the capital of Nepal. People from rural areas are slowly migrating abroad. The awareness about the importance of STEM will certainly grow at a faster pace even in remote locations and will certainly bring dramatic changes in their next generations. In the month of July this year I was in London and met one lady who works as a cleaner who delivered four sons there. All her four sons are engineers. She proudly told me that she has arranged for a girl from a rural area of Nepal for her son. Demand for strengthening STEM education in rural areas will grow. Government has to remodel the education system and expand infrastructure and human capital accordingly. There should be a policy to position empowered women at National planning commision and other key policy decision making places so that they can influence mothers of the deprived communities in order to influence school children from an early age.
In an ever-changing, increasingly complex world, it's more important than ever that our nation's youth are prepared to bring knowledge and skills to solve problems, make sense of information, and know how to gather and evaluate evidence to make decisions.
The root of a STEM career is trickling down to younger ones, enabling the next critical thinkers, innovators and problem solvers to be made. It is predicted that over 75% of jobs in the next decade will require some form of math and science skill. Despite India having one of the highest numbers of STEM graduates worldwide, there are challenges that remain with applying STEM education throughout the nation.
STEM subjects are at the heart of technological revolution which is transforming the way we live and work. It is our belief that integrating STEM in the education sector results in developing curiosity, inquisitiveness, critical-thinking, problem-solving capacities, imagination, questioning and exploration skills among learners. Our ASCOL Alumni should take initiatives to play a lead role in helping students to innovation, designing and making, testing and modifying solutions of complex problems.
Responsible social enterprises should emerge aiming to facilitate and integrate the partnerships from several stakeholders (public sector, government bodies, private sector, non-profit sector, private schools and philanthropists) in the education sector. The key community concerned stakeholders should cater to school children who need to be ingrained with the basic concepts of STEM.
In the information age it has become very important to encourage students from a young age to go for higher education with STEM subjects specially focusing on youth of rural ends. Our ASCOL Alumni team should take keen interest in this initiative and help policy makers in working out actionable strategies.
 
STEM education gives a skill set that governs the way we think and behave. Merging science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, STEM education helps us to solve the challenges the world faces today. Government of Nepal has launched initiatives such as the STEM Scholarship Program and the National Science and Technology Council to encourage students to pursue STEM education. CSR funds are often misused and should be spent on education and health sectors. CSR funds which should have been used for education and health sectors are often misused in Nepal.
Seven children of late Heera Devi Yami had direct experience mentoring students pursuing their STEM education. If students and guardians are looking to improve career prospects, six daughters of late Heera Devi Yami can help lead in the right direction.
 

There is argent a need to resents moral curriculum as deeply intertwined with the broader curricular program teachers deliver, such that moral messages and lessons are constantly imparted to maintain behaviour, reinforce relationships, and impart values of diligence and responsibility, for example, in support of academic success. Teachers should be constantly evaluating students’ social and emotional progress.

A moral curriculum framework might serve as a checklist and a stimulus for critical reflection and collegial discussion. A framework can be a guide to how morality might be integrated into practice. People should be encoraged to take a look at the present social and political climate and commit to participating in nurturing a morally better generation of citizens and leaders.

initiative for a broader conversation about academic curriculam is required so that society what next generation policy making might look like.Transformation is a thing that only happens because people at the frontline want to be different. This is a way of starting a broader conversation about what next generation policy making might look like.

Guardians can empower their siblings from Online. Guardians no longer have to attend classes because they can learn without leaving the comforts of home. There is a need to implement structures to enable and empower educators ang guardians  to tap into the benefits of educational technology. There is a wealth of free, online resources available to guide educators when it comes to implementing educational technology. We need to make sure that teachers and guardians don’t fear if they are not “tech-savvy”, With tools available globally, teachers and guardians can manage student devices in classrooms, in remote classrooms, and provide safe online learning environments. Digital resources of this nature can be an incredible game-changer in the way teachers and guardians teach students.The landscape of STEM education is undergoing a paradigm shift towards an innovative and technology-driven approach. There is shift towards hands-on, experiential learning. Project-based learning, where students tackle real-world problems and develop practical solutions, promotes critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills allowing students to apply their knowledge in meaningful contexts, fostering a deeper understanding of STEM concepts. One of the key drivers of change in STEM education is the rapid advancement of technology itself. From artificial intelligence and machine learning to robotics and automation, technology is shaping every aspect of our lives. The integration of VR, AR, online platforms, AI, and ML is revolutionizing the learning experience, making it more engaging, personalized, and accessible. Hands-on learning, interdisciplinary approaches, and real-world applications are preparing students for the challenges exponential growth of AI era. In order to keep up with these advancements, STEM education must evolve to incorporate technology as an integral part of the learning process. Teachers and guardians equip students with the skills and mindset needed to thrive in a rapidly evolving world.

Budget has to be allocated for infrastructure resources to capitalize on technology advancements. The rise of virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) is revolutionizing the way students interact with STEM subjects. VR allows students to immerse themselves in simulated environments, exploring concepts that were previously inaccessible. Students enjoy exploring the depths of the ocean or journey through the human body, gaining a deeper understanding of biology and marine science. AR overlays digital information onto the real world, enabling students to visualize complex structures or perform virtual experiments in their own environment.

Personalized instruction and assessments, tailoring the learning experience to individual needs and strengths is also growing access to education preparing students for a future where remote work and digital collaboration are becoming increasingly prevalent.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) have the potential to analyze vast amounts of data, identify patterns, and provide personalized recommendations to students. AI-powered tutoring systems can adapt to individual learning styles, pace, and progress, providing targeted support and feedback. ML algorithms can identify gaps in students’ knowledge and suggest appropriate learning resources to fill those gaps. AI and ML, educators can create adaptive learning environments that cater to the unique needs of each student.

Robotics, coding, and maker spaces provide students with opportunities to design, build, and experiment, encouraging creativity, innovation, and an entrepreneurial mindset. As the world becomes increasingly interconnected, global challenges such as climate change, healthcare, and sustainable development require multidisciplinary approaches. Interdisciplinary projects and partnerships encourage students to integrate knowledge from different STEM fields, fostering a holistic understanding of complex issues and promoting collaboration across diverse perspectives.

Data and its availability matters. Lack of sources of data leads to efforts and projects having to rely on same/similar sources of data which can and has caused duplication of projects in the same regions. Unavailability of documented or updated data from local and national sources leads project makers to rely exclusively on data from international and global organizations. Taking surveys and collecting data from the scratch pushes back the effective starting periods of the projects in the regions significantly.

 

Green Hydrogen Energy international conference New Delhi

 

Further research and investment is needed to attract and retain women to participate in the energy sector.
Integrating women into all levels of the energy value chain will lead to more effective and efficient clean energy initiatives, unleash greater return on investments and expand emission reduction opportunities. Research and advocacy is needed to ensure the private sector is actively recruiting and retaining women, as well as developing gender-responsive and inclusive strategies. Creating and sustaining suitable environments for women is necessary. It allows for their engagement and access to knowledge, finance and resources, as well as provides them with with role models, mentors and flexible working arrangements for increased impact. 

A Human Resource Development program targeted also for women engineers and managers in energy sector should be extremely effective. We should explore such type of initiatives in India as well as Nepal.
I would like people to look at energy sector through this lense Nepal and regional countries should open such chapter too and explore broader aspects. This will make women develop capacity to drive leadership position in policy level by women in women friendly sectors. Men and women should come to Kathmandu for work out strategies to launch such program which is the need of today. Globally women in women friendly sectors are taking leadership positions in government policy decision making places.

 

This part of my talk was deleted. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHkD-nvZ5qc&t=79s

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbEFXgxPXLs&t=6762s

 

 

 

 

I would like to request all to go through my interview and give me feedback on STREM education
 
 
My talk in front of NRNs https://fb.watch/nUS0fwY9mp/
 
My fb page contains rest of my activities
 
https://www.facebook.com/PROFtimilayami