24 REVELATIONS Teaching Aids Surf Breaks Imagine surfing school. Early on, all types of students are on board with learning STEM subjects. Later, fears arise about traversing the waters of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Interest shifts among girls especially. Hui Fang (Angie) Su, Ed.D., and co- principal investigators Jia Borror, Ed.D., and Teri Williams, Ph.D., recently explored interventions to tide them over. Her team worked with 37 young women in ninth grade from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Over 15 weeks, the students attended art-based workshops covering botany, chemistry, microbiology, and more—think tai chi paired with engineering, beads with astrophysics/astrochemistry, hydrophobicity with making boba tea balls, and music with medicine. The results suggest a three-prong approach: early outreach; a sustained, nationwide program for girls; and advanced opportunities for those showing positive relationships with STEM. SU Scan for more.
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