1. Introduction The Next Generation Science Standards have additional recommendations on integrating the STEM content into science with a new component of engineering. The students need to be able to incorporate cooperative learning and technology skills needed in the workplace. Additionally, students need to incorporate STEM knowledge into a career and determine what those careers would be. Connection to Industry During my time as a teacher intern at SRP, I have learned a great deal on how industry works and what my students need to be better prepared for their future STEM careers. In my internship at SRP, I have observed that people work together on projects and share their work with each other through a program called SharePoint. My students used Google Docs to share their work, similar to the collaboration I observed in industry. As industry solved problems through committees and shared work, so did the students with gathering information and then presented it as a group. Question To what extent did my 8th grade advanced science students' interest in and knowledge of STEM careers change as a result of being engaged in a cooperative research activity that incorporates job skills, technologies, and practices of STEM professionals? Investigation I focused on skills, practices, and technologies needed in the workplace by having my students complete tasks in groups while researching STEM careers. 121 8 th grade advanced science students Draw-a-Scientist (DAST) STEM Semantics survey STEM Career Questionnaire Career feedback forms Findings DAST Data (based on commonalities) Students showed a diversity of understanding over the year of what a STEM professional does. Students grew from a picture of a science lab to a specific STEM profession. STEM Career Questionnaire- Likert-Scale (combined all “disagree”, “undecided” and “agree” for each category) Students are more interested in having a STEM career. Career Feedback Form (coded for responses) Students want a STEM career where they can apply the content in a hands on fashion.  Students were concerned with safety, amount of salary and the amount of schooling as being negative factors about a career  Students indicated high salary as a high priority for a career  The two biggest gains were in “hands on” and the “specific content of that career” Plan of Action  Continue with career projects.  Have more STEM professionals in my class on a regular basis.  Have the students reflect on their group work.  Make a database for all presentations for students to see a variety of STEM careers and what they entail.  Incorporate more math content in STEM careers, so students do not see it as separate career. References: Chambers, D. W. (1983). Stereotypic images of the scientist: The Draw a Scientist Test. Science Education, 67, 255-265. Tyler-Wood, T. K., Knezek, G., & Christensen, R. (2010). Instruments for assessing interest in STEM content and careers. Journal of Technology and Teacher Education, 18(2), 341-363. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the funders or partners. The Teachers in Industry Program is administered by the College of Education at the University of Arizona through funding provided Freeport-McMoRan Copper and Gold Foundation through 100Kin10. T he I mpact OF E xposure TO S CIENCE T ECHNOLOGY E NGINEERING M ATHEMATICS C AREERS Peggy Ostrander, Salt River Project, 8th grade Advance Science 1 College of Education, University of Arizona, Stapley Junior High  Students drew all parts of STEM with dividing up their paper (Figure 1)  Students wrote down specific career then drew it (Figure 2)  Only symbols, when asked “STEM is everything” (Figure 3) 1 st Quarter August- October 2 nd Quarter October- December 3 rd Quarter January- March 4 th Quarter March-May o DAST (n=121) o Pre-Surveys (n=121) o Genetic Career (n=121) o Physics Career (n=121) o Chemistry career (n=121) o Research Career (n=121) o DAST (n=121) o Post-Surveys (n=121) STEM Semantics Survey, Likert-Scale 1-7 (combined all negative, neutral, and positive to show incidence)  Amount of post-positive rankings were higher, except in engineering  Math negative ranks decreased and the post- positive increased  Overall negative rankings decreased  Overall positive rankings increased  Overall, students used “disagree” less in the post-survey.  33% more students answered “agree” in the post-survey in regards to obtaining a STEM degree  48% more students answered “agree” in the post-survey in regards to student/family support  Students want an interesting career over a fun one. “It would be cool to modify genes” “I am very interested in becoming a Nuclear Engineer” “Fireworks chemists is the most interesting because of what you have to know!” Examples of student DAST Figure 1 Figure 3 Figure 2 Students’ interest in all of the STEM areas increased, and negative responses decreased. Students’ interested changed through the exposure to varied STEM content and STEM careers.