Celebrating National STEM Day with Year-Round Activities

Stephanie Kenney

Reading Time: 4 minutes
students with smile wearing protective goggles

With the pace of innovation today, it’s no surprise that careers within STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) are growing faster than any other category. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 2019–29 employment projections show that occupations in STEM fields are expected to grow 8% by 2029, compared with 3.7% for all occupations. This expected growth creates an opportunity to build awareness of STEM roles to the next generation of workers.

On November 8 each year, National STEM Day is celebrated, encouraging children to explore interests in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math through fun and engaging play. The holiday was introduced in 2015 by a toy company promoting a new line of female characters who are skilled spies for an organization known as NOV8 (pronounced “innovate”), who use STEM to solve problems as a team. The adoption of this annual holiday to many school calendars supports efforts to inspire school-aged children to pursue interests in STEM topics.

While this may be recognized as a US-based holiday, Waters supports year-round initiatives around the world to help drive student awareness, access, and engagement in STEM fields. Here are a few examples of how Waters is working in the community to unlock the potential of science, and the potential within our future STEM workforce.

Waters signature STEM immersion program

With the Waters Student Academy, high school students participate in a 5-week immersion program over the summer to learn more about Waters and the work done in different departments at the company. Students engage in hands-on activities including lab experiments and equipment service, learn about manufacturing technologies like robots and lasers, meet with mentors weekly and have a 1:1 meeting with our CEO. By the end of their summer at Waters Student Academy, students will have a better understanding of STEM career paths that may interest them in the future, as well as what steps others took to get there.

students work on science experiment at waters student academy
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(L): At a chemistry fair hosted during the Waters Student Academy this summer, students perform an experiment. (R): The 2022 Waters Student Academy cohort with Waters CEO & President Dr. Udit Batra.

Introduction to career paths in STEM

In partnership with Junior Achievement Worldwide, Waters continues to support students in STEM career exploration through virtual and in-person activities in Ireland, England, Romania, Singapore, and the United States. Through these career speaker events, students learn more about careers in STEM via interactive question and answer sessions with a wide range of Waters staff and others. Participants get practical information including the education and career paths taken, and what kind of tasks those workers do every day.

Young engineers at play with Waters equipment

Most recently, in October, employees from our Wilmslow, UK office participated in a Science Festival at the Manchester Science and Industry Museum. The theme of the event was to explore a new home planet and find ways to ensure humans could live there. Children learned how Waters equipment can be used to test for contamination in the soil that food grows in. Families also participated in activities with Waters employees using toys and craft supplies to test engineering concepts and create a terrarium to grow food.

family at manchester science and industry museum exhibit
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Families and students of all ages participated in the Science Festival using Waters equipment at the Manchester Science and Industry Museum.

Waters works closely with the Ron Burton Training Village on the creation of a multi-year, project-based STEM learning experience for girls. Approximately 80 girls in grades 6-12 participate in this year-round program until they graduate high school. Participants, known as Villagers, learn about topics in STEM based on the United Nations Sustainability Development goals and visit each of the sponsor companies for a day of learning on-site. While held virtually last year, this year Villagers will participate in hands-on activities, tour the facilities including our manufacturing lines and labs, and talk to employees working in STEM careers.

If you would like to celebrate STEM Day, you can conduct your own experiments at home using simple household supplies.  Visit our website to watch videos and download instructions. Tag us in your results using #LifeAtWaters!

Additonal Resources

Blog: National STEM Day in the U.S., We Celebrate Year-Round

Blog: Supporting the Next Generation of STEM Professionals