The Future of STEM: Changing Perceptions

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Originally published in TEACH Magazine, January/February 2022 Issue

By Martha Beach

If you ask a kid to draw a scientist, most of them will come up with the same image: an elderly man with wild hair wearing a white lab coat, holding a glass beaker and a microscope. It’s a stereotype we all know well. But there’s never been a better time to challenge that stereotype and show that science is for everyone.

It’s so important to get kids—especially girls and other traditionally under-represented people—interested not only in science, but also in technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Even if you’re not a coding wiz or a microbiology specialist, there are many ways to incorporate different aspects of STEM into the everyday classroom experience.

The STEM Gap

One of the few positives of the global pandemic is that it demonstrated how valuable the virtual world can be and how important it is in our day-to-day lives. The pandemic highlighted how STEM-based careers, especially those grounded in computer and information technology, will continue to be top jobs for our children in the future.

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Martha Beach lives and works in Toronto as a freelance fact-checker, editor, and writer for a wide variety of publications. When she’s not working, you’ll find Martha on her yoga mat or hanging out with her daughter and husband.

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Martha Beach
Martha Beach
Martha Beach lives and works in Toronto as a freelance fact-checker, editor, and writer for a wide variety of publications. When she’s not working, you’ll find Martha on her yoga mat or hanging out with her daughter and husband.

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