The last 18 months have been surreal. If you’re looking for a silver lining, look no further than STEM industries. Why is STEM important? Here are three good reasons that 2020 and 2021 have tossed at us (like grenades):
- Public Health
- Cybersecurity
- Entertainment
Coronavirus – How STEM Professionals Are Saving The World.
Why is STEM important? Understanding and treating COVID-19 became mission number one. If not for medical professionals and data analysts, it would’ve been mission impossible. But solutions came from so many more STEM professionals than just doctors and nurses.
We can’t forget the programmers – the computer science gang. Got a tracking app on your phone to notify you of close contacts? Downloaded an app to view your COVID test results? Got an app to communicate with teachers while you homeschool?
Truth bomb: Someone had to code those apps – and it wasn’t a doctor. The development of an effective vaccine was monumental – accomplished by STEM professionals in medicine, computer science, and communications.
Why STEM is Important to Counter Large Scale Cyber Hacks
STEM guru Clifford Stoll said, “Treat your password like your toothbrush. Don’t let anybody else use it, and get a new one every six months.” While this quote is kind of gross, it illustrates that we’re all one password away from a devastating personal cyber breach. Hackers recently attacked the Colonial Gas Pipeline. Cyber criminals adjusted lye levels at a water treatment center just outside of Tampa. Large-scale cyber breaches are occurring every day. With panic at the pumps or a reminder of our water systems’ vulnerability, hackers demand a ransom for the return of control. Organizations are forced to pay unless they can out-code these villains. Only talented computer professionals stand between us and cyber threats.
STEM Provided the Home Entertainment We Needed During Lockdown
Through quarantine, streaming services and gaming have kept us sane. In the fourth quarter of 2020, consumers spent 44% more time streaming media than in 2019, according to a recent study.
Zoom, House Party,and Google Meet have kept families connected from coast to coast. Children leveraged popular games like Fortnite to stay connected. The release of the elusive Playstation 5 and the latest Xbox in the fall of 2020 made connecting with each other even more exciting.
This kind of technology wouldn’t be possible without programmers, game designers, app developers and coding experts. Newsflash: Those STEM professionals started from square one. And check this out: Thimble has a square one. It starts with our very first basic STEM kit and introductory coding lessons. Kids who enroll in our curriculum are taking the first step in what could be a long and successful journey to STEM Hero status – saving the world one innovation at a time.
Invest in The Future of Innovation
Investing in Thimble is essentially investing in thousands of futures – the futures of thousands of coders, engineers, programmers, game designers, and the tech innovators that will carry us through the next global crisis. When someone asks “Why is STEM important?” – we can silently point to these kids.
It’s easier than ever to invest in the future of STEM advancement. Simply visit Thimble’s Republic Campaign Site. Delve deeper into our story, our vision, and our mission to bring STEM to everyone.