Boys in STEM

The various parts of STEM impact all of our lives on a daily basis. Great men and women have contributed to incredible breakthroughs and inventions throughout time, but they wouldn’t have done it without a spark of curiosity in early life. All of these men were once curious young boys, who dreamed of endless possibilities and a brighter tomorrow.

The Healing Power of…Yams?

Chemist Percy Lavon Julian was a brilliant pioneer in the fields of medicine. He did not create a vaccine, nor did he cure some niche disease. Instead, Mr. Julian’s research provided a crucial component for all of medicine, the cost. Many drugs require something called an intermediary to allow the medicine to get to where it needs to go in the body. Percy worked tirelessly to find a cheaper alternative to current steroids being used as intermediaries, and found them in an unlikely place. The wild Mexican yam ended up being the catalyst in Julian’s work and thus allowed him to synthesize the precious steroids for use by major pharmaceutical companies. Turns out that mom was right when she told you that your vegetables were good for you!

The Brain is Like a Tree

Santiago Ramón y Cajal, a brilliant neuroscientist from Spain helped all of us better understand how our brains “look.” A talented painter and artist, Santiago took a keen interest in what makes humans tick. His research on the brain under a microscope, coupled with his love of art allowed him to produce fantastic drawings of various parts of the brain. In particular, his artistic renderings of the “tree growing” of brain cells are still being used nearly a century later. The father of modern neuroscience and a stellar artist? Quite the potent combo indeed!

Can You Hear Me Now?

You know that cell phone you have in your pocket? The one that might be using this to read this very article? Well, a Scottish-born inventor by the name of Alexander Graham Bell is the man to thank for being able to call grandad at a moment’s notice. An inventor and founder of AT&T, Mr. Bell came from a family of people obsessed with speech. This, together with the fact that both his mother and wife were both deaf meant that Alexander had quite the interest in what comes out of our mouths and how people hear it. A man from small beginnings and a strive to do good ended up creating one of the most revolutionary devices of the modern era. 

Your Super Scientist could be the next great inventor, artist, or leader of their generation. The way in which you foster their mind will lay the foundation for their future. For more information on your school’s STEAM program, contact us.