CGEST Attends TEDxASU
On March 25, TEDxASU held its fourth annual TEDx conference at Arizona State University’s Gammage Auditorium. The conference, themed “NextGen”, featured speakers broadly concerned with the future of technology, work, and science policy. Prior to the event, TEDxASU hosted a symposium where ASU students, organizations, and community members gathered to showcase art, installations, research, and performances. Matthew Ruf, CGEST’s Executive Coordinator for the CompuPower program, and Carolina Marques de Mesquita, CGEST’s Undergraduate Research Aide, attended the symposium.
At the symposium, Matthew and Carolina shared information about CompuPower with community members and encouraged them to become involved. CompuPower, an extension of CGEST’s flagship CompuGirls program, provides STEM educational programming to high school students across rural Arizona. The program’s culturally responsive curriculum encourages students to become changemakers in their communities. It reaches schools that may be otherwise under-resourced, and provides students with the opportunity to develop technological skills like using audio and visual equipment, creating a website, and employing various computer software.
The TEDxASU conference, with its special focus on the intersection of science and society, was the ideal place to share the opportunities and rewards offered by the CompuPower program with the public. Matthew encouraged community members to become involved by registering for the CompuPower newsletter or volunteering their time as an Industry Mentor to speak with high school students about their career trajectory and their past failures and successes. Speaking with career professionals about failure, Matt explained, is one of the best ways for students to learn how to overcome it.
“It would be an honor to attend the TEDxASU pre-event symposium next year and work with these amazing individuals from our STEM community,” Matthew said. “Participating in the TEDxASU pre-event symposium is an extremely important way for CGEST to engage with the local STEM community and spread the word about CompuPower and our many other important programs. The participants at this symposium are exactly who we want our CompuPower students to be in 5-10 years – forward-thinking individuals who are using their technology and leadership skills to change their community in a positive way. If we can facilitate partnerships between these STEM individuals and our partner schools, our students will benefit greatly.”
