Diversity in STEM

STEM Tuesday– Diversity in STEM– Book List

These books introduce scientists, mathematicians, engineers, and inventors who are largely overlooked. And too often, because of their race or gender, even their residency status, they don’t even get credit for their work.

ANTHOLOGIES

Scientists Who Changed History by DK

Using a fun set-up beginning with a quotation and list of milestones and including intriguing spot and profile illustrations, an insert about a competitor or subsequent scientist, and a big, bold sidebar of accomplishments, this book examines 86 scientists from the astronomer and mathematician Thales of Milatues (624-546 B.C.E) to computer scientist Tim Berners-Lee (present). Broken into seven time periods, each section also includes a “directory” and brief bios of 13 other scientists from that time. A wonderful examination through time and across the globe of both well-known and forgotten scientists.

Stolen Science: Thirteen Stories of Scientists and Inventors almost Written Out of History by Ella Schwartz

This book presents biographies of scientists and inventors whose stories have been forgotten or outright ignored by history. Too often, due to their race, gender, even residency status, credit for their discoveries were given to other people. Sidebars offer deep dives into the science and technology.

The Secret Lives of Scientists, Engineers, and Doctors. Volume 1&2 by Faisal Hossain

Brief introductions to current STEM professionals, many written in first person, about the inspiration or experiences that spurred them into their research and careers. Includes a note of where they are working or researching.

Inspiring African-American Inventors: 9 Extraordinary Lives by Jeff C.Young

Spanning from 1848 to 2008, each of the biographies contains a “Lifeline” with key moments, discoveries, and for some posthumous awards. Portraits, invention diagrams, and period ads help round out an honest evaluation of their lives, creativity, and societal struggles. A list of “report links,” detailed chapter notes, and further reading make this a great place to begin research.

Brilliant African-American Scientists:9 Exceptional Lives by Jeff C. Young

Following a similar format, this book examines scientists from the 18th to 20th centuries who influenced astronomy, space telescopes, blood & plasma storage, biology, physics, developing computer science, and chemotherapy. It is also a straightforward presentation that could encourage further research.

What Color Is My World? The Lost History of African-American Inventors by Kareem Abdul-Jabbar

Set within the framework of a fictional story of two twins, eleven fold-out flaps contain brief facts about inventors, their creations, and their influence on today’s society. Additionally, the book takes a more in-depth look at the life and discoveries of Lewis Howard Latimer, James E. West, Frederick McKinley Jones, Dr. Percy Lavon Julian, and Garrett Morgan. Sources and further information round out this fun exploration of important history.

A Native American Thought of It: Amazing Inventions and Innovations by Rocky Landon

Opening with a map of Traditional Native American territories, this informative, photo-illustrated book examines the shelters, modes of hunting & fishing, preparing food & clothing, medicine, transportation, communication, and games created by the various tribes many of which have continued or inspired current actions or inventions. It includes a brief look at Native Americans today, native languages, and further readings.

1001 Inventions and Awesome Facts from Muslim Civilization: Official Children’s Companion to the 1001 Inventions Exhibition (National Geographic Kids)

A cursory, but extensive, examination, from the 7th century into the 20th century, of the astrological, mathematical scientific and medical discoveries, as well as the musical, farming, games, and school creations that have been made by Muslim scientists and individuals. A fun map of highlights functions as a great “table of contents” and the section formats are highly visual and snippet oriented. A wonderful collection of facts and individuals.

INDIVIDUAL BIOGRAPHIES

Benjamin Banneker by Heather Lehr Wagner

Born in 1731, Banneker was a free Black man who worked his own farm. A curious child, he studied nature and wildlife and was fascinated by mechanics. He built a clock after taking a pocket watch apart. Later, he helped survey land that would become District of Columbia. This biography does not sidestep issues of race and forced labor.

Who was George Washington Carver? by Jim Gigliotti

Carver was born to enslaved parents near the end of the Civil War. He was curious and hungry for education, which he achieved despite racism and Jim Crow laws. He taught at Tuskegee College, where he developed products that used peanuts (glue, dye, plastic) – but not peanut butter!

Daniel Hale Williams: Surgeon Who Opened Hearts and Minds written and illustrated by Mike Venezia

Williams, known for ground-breaking heart surgery, began his medical career as a doctor’s assistant – a tough job in the later 1800s. After graduating from medical college, he discovered no hospital would accept a black doctor. When local hospitals refused to take his patients, he started his own hospital, a non-segregated institution that also provided training for black nurses and doctors.

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Young Readers Edition by William Kamkwamba and Bryan Mealer

William Kamkwamba opens with life in Malawi: a mix of magic and science. His curiosity led him to fixing radios, a library, and eventually books about generating energy. As draught brings famine and death to the area, he builds a windmill to pump water for crops and produce electricity. A fun and inspiring read for kids (and adults).

Al-Khwarizmi : the inventor of algebra by Corona Brezina

This book shows Al-Khwarizmi the scholar: an astronomer, mathematician, geographer. His purpose was to help people solve math dilemmas in their everyday lives. In addition to developing algebra, he helped chart the course of planets, mapped the earth, and introduced the system of numbers we use today.

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

“Asian American scientists in STEM classrooms: increasing inclusion and visibility” https://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/article/asian-american-scientists-stem-classrooms-increasing-inclusion-and-visibility/

“The Secret Lives of Scientists and Engineers”https://ny.pbslearningmedia.org/collection/secret-life-of-scientists-and-engineers-diversity-in-stem/

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STEM Tuesday book list prepared by:

Sue Heavenrich writes about science for children and their families, from space to backyard ecology. Bees, flies, squirrel behavior—things she observes in her neighborhood and around her home—inspire her writing. Visit her at www.sueheavenrich.com

Maria Marshall is a children’s author, blogger, and poet passionate about making nature and reading fun for children. When not writing, critiquing, or reading, she bird watches, travels the world, bakes, and hikes. Visit her at www.mariacmarshall.com

STEM Tuesday– Celebrating Diversity in STEM– Interview with author Tonya Bolden

Welcome to STEM Tuesday: Author Interview & Book Giveaway, a repeating feature for the last Tuesday of every month. Go Science-Tech-Engineering-Math!

Today we’re interviewing Tonya Bolden , author of Changing the Equation: 50+ Black Women in STEM. This game changing compilation profiles more than fifty women whose significant contributions to science often go unsung. School and Library Journal writes, “Bolden, a master of the collective biography, presents an impeccably-researched call to action, imploring black girls to fight the racial and gender imbalance that plagues the STEM field.”

One of the things that impressed me about our guest author is her passion for children and willingness to light the way for future generations. Her work breathes life into nonfiction subjects, providing young people (and the adults in their lives) with vivid examples to follow. In 2016, Tonya received the Nonfiction Award for Body of Work from the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, DC. for significantly contributing to the quality of nonfiction for children. I am frequently quoted for advocating we provide positive, uplifting books for young people of color. Tonya Bolden is an outstanding example of that in practice. Many of today’s diverse writers, including myself, walk along the path she blazed.

* * *

Christine Taylor-Butler: Tonya, with more than 40 publishing credits to your name you’ve had an amazing career in children’s literature. You once said you were surrounded by books as a child.

Tonya: I did. My parents didn’t complete their education but they had ambitions for me and my sister. They raised us to reach high. To dream big. We didn’t have a lot of money but they knew the value education would play in our lives and made sure we were surrounded by books.

CTB: Was there a particular book that stood out to you as a child?

Tonya Bolden: Yes. The Borrowers, by Mary Norton is one that comes to mind. It’s about little people who secretly live in a house and borrowed things they needed from the owners. There was just something magical about the story and it resonated.

CTB: You were originally uninterested in writing history or nonfiction, or even writing books for children. And yet you are known for writing insightful works in this genre. What changed your mind?

Tonya: While reviewing books for Black Enterprise, I realized that history could be told with passion and heart. If you added soul, nuance, texture and complexity those books could be as fascinating as fiction. I realized there was nothing wrong with history. What had been wrong was how it had been taught when I was a kid.

“I find that historical figures are more fascinating than things people conjure up.”Tonya Bolden, Indian Express

CTB: In various interviews you  talk about writing for children who don’t otherwise see themselves in literature. Who aren’t shown as belonging in the world. 

Tonya: Yes. I wondered, where are the books for children who are aspirational? The kids who want to travel? I wanted to say – especially to girls – so much is possible! A lot of children don’t dream big. After I wrote And Not Afraid to Dare: The Stories of Ten African American Women, that’s when I found my passion for writing for children.

CTB: You hold a Bachelors degree from Princeton and a Master’s degree from Columbia. It might surprise people to know that both degrees are not in history or literature, but in Slavic Languages and Literatures with an emphasis on Russian.  I’ve been advocating for children to learn more than one language. My daughters, for instance, studied Latin, Italian and Japanese. But there is often push back, especially in urban communities. Where did your interest come from?

Tonya: I was 17 when I made that decision. In high school, I fell in love with works by Anton Chekov. It might have had something to do with the fact that I grew up during the Cold War. I’ve always loved languages. I was the first in my family to go to college. Back then, there wasn’t as much pressure on young people because of college costs. You could dabble and follow your bliss. My parents didn’t pressure me to follow a certain career. Their philosophy was “Do whatever you want, but find a way to make a living at it.”

It’s so much harder today for young people to explore their interests in the same way. The stakes are higher because of the high cost of education. But it’s still important for young people to learn languages outside of their own culture and learn about the broader world around them.

Changing The EquationCTB: Your book, Changing the Equation: 50+ US Black Women in STEM is such an important addition to children’s literature. You cover an enormous amount of information. What did the research process look like? Were you able to speak with any of the women you included?

Tonya: It started when I wrote Pathfinders: The Journeys of 16 Extraordinary Black Souls. My research included a profile of Katherine Johnson. Most people know her as one of the original “Hidden Figures.”  After I wrote that profile I was curious to know more about black women in STEM so my research grew out of that curiosity.

PathfindersThere’s a saying, “When a student is ready the ‘teacher appears’.” I read newspapers, books, oral histories and conducted web research to identify people to profile. I was surprised by how much I was able to find when I searched for specific professions. I discovered so many women, I didn’t have room to profile them all.  There were a lot of outtakes. If I had the opportunity, this book would have featured more than one hundred woman but it would have been too big a volume for the industry.

“We still have this stereotype that STEM is for boys and men and that’s not true,” – Tonya Bolden, Amsterdam News

Rebecca Crumpler

Rebecca Crumpler

One thought behind the book – I wanted girls to see how wide the world is. Even in science. Not everyone is in a lab coat. I liked the idea of presenting a Black woman who is an astrophysicist. Or a robotics engineer. I wanted girls to know that if they were going towards something that is tough, that there were people who have done it before them. For example, the first woman in the book, Rebecca Crumpler, was a physician. If this woman could go to Medical school before slavery was abolished then anything is possible.

I was lucky to be able to communicate with a number of the women. They were all very generous with their time. Those women included Mamie Parker (Biologist), Aprille Joy Ericsson (NASA Aerospace Engineer), Pamela McCauley (Industrial Engineer), Ayanna Howard (Roboticist), Treena Livingston Arinzeh (Biomedical Engineer), Paula T. Hammond (Chemical Engineer), Lisa D. White (Geologist), Emma Garrison-Alexander (Cybersecurity), Aomawa Shields (Astronomer and Astrobiologist), and Donna Auguste (Computer Scientist–and more!).

CTB: What advice do you have for young people who might want to follow in your path one day.

Tonya: Read. Read. Read. Master the language in which you want to write. Knowing other languages also helps a writer. Know your own culture and other cultures. If you want to write professionally, be prepared for lean days. It’s hard to get into publishing. I started writing under “write for hire” contracts. That means I wrote books other people wanted done and I took the work I was offered. It was helpful because it kept me flexible and nimble. In the industry it became clear I was open to other people’s ideas and I was offered additional work. It’s harder to get published now. Back in the day, publishers nurtured “house authors”. You would write several books and be given time to find an audience. Now books have a shorter shelf life. If you don’t hit it out the park with that first or second book it may be Game Over! There was a time when publishers focused on helping to build a long-term careers. Having said that, perseverance is key. Follow your passion and don’t give up. A young woman once wrote me to say, “You may not know me, but you have paved a path for me in this industry, and I wanted to personally thank you.”

CTB: So in a way, you’re passing on the dream through your writing.

Tonya: Yes. Doors started to open for many of us in the 1960’s. We grew up hearing about giving back. The work that I do is my way of saying “Thank you” to those people who opened the doors for us. People like Fannie Lou Hamer, Charlayne Hunter-Gault, Katherine Johnson, for example.

I always wanted to be useful. In elementary school, I thought I wanted to be a classroom teacher. But in a way that’s what I’m doing now. Teaching young people through the books I’m writing.

Dovey Johnson Roundtree

Dovey Johnson Roundtree

CTB: So what’s next for Tonya Bolden. Are there any books we should be looking for in the future?

Tonya: I have a new book coming out in June 2021: Dovey Undaunted. It’s the biography of Dovey Johnson Roundtree, civil rights attorney. She lived a life of service and was one of the first Black women to enter the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps (WAAC). Dovey was born in Charlotte, North Caroline which is where my father was born. When I was a kid, our family would go down south to visit. I have so many vivid memories of Charlotte. This book seemed like a natural fit for me to write.

How to Build a MuseumAuthor’s note. Tonya Bolden is featured twice on our list this month. Her other book, How to Build A Museum: Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture is a must read, featuring little known details about African American history. For those unable to make a visit to Washington, DC, this book is an important addition to your collection.

Changing The Equation

Win a FREE copy of Changing the Equation: 50+ US Black Women in STEM.

Enter the giveaway by leaving a comment below. The randomly-chosen winner will be contacted via email and asked to provide a mailing address (within the U.S. only) to receive the book.

Good luck!

Tonya Bolden

photo by Hayden Celestin

Tonya Bolden has authored and collaborated on more than forty books. Holding degrees from Princeton and Columbia Universities, she originally intended to complete a PhD and teach Russian literature. But her path lead elsewhere. Her first book for young people, an adaptation of the musical, Mama I want to Sing, lead to more contracts to write books for children. The rest is history. Her book, 33 things Every Girl Should Know was praised by Hillary Rodham Clinton in a speech on the 150th anniversary of the first Women’s Rights Convention. Her awards and recognition are too numerous to list in their entirety but include, the Childrens Book Guild Nonfiction award for her body of work, the James Madison Book Award, ALA’s Coretta Scott King Honor Award, NCTE’s Orbis Pictus Award, ALSC Notable Book and multiple nominations for the NAACP Image Award. To learn more about Tonya, please visit www.tonyaboldenbooks.com

Christine Taylor-Butler headshot

photo by Kecia Stovall

Your host is Christine Taylor-Butler, MIT educated STEAM nerd and author of Bathroom Science, Sacred Mountain: Everest, Genetics, and many other nonfiction books for kids. She is also the author of the middle grade sci-fi series The Lost Tribes. Follow @ChristineTB on Twitter and/or @ChristineTaylorButler on Instagram

STEM Tuesday– Celebrating Diversity in STEM– Writing Tips & Resources

Author’s Purpose

Why do authors write what they write? I’ve thought about this question a lot lately. Authors explain their purpose in prologues, epilogues, introductions, or author’s notes. For me, these parts of a book are often as interesting as the main text.

This month’s Celebrating Diversity in STEM– Book List reminds me of why it’s important to have perspectives from diverse authors. As nonfiction authors, we always put ourselves — our passions, our personalities— into our books. Our race and cultural background is part of what makes us who we are. It can influence what stories —and whose stories — we choose to tell. And it also affects how we write our books, adding authenticity and heart. 

A Closer Look at Author’s Purpose

Let’s look at what four of this month’s authors say about their purpose for writing.

In HIDDEN FIGURES, Margot Lee Shetterly writes that growing up she “assumed the face of science was brown,” because her father and people in her community worked in science, math, and engineering. Shetterly soon learned the world was very different when her father was a child. And when Shetterly discovered African-American women mathematicians had worked at NASA Langley Research Center for decades without recognition, she was determined to spotlight their contributions to American history. As Shetterly writes in her prologue, “The contributions made by these African-American women have never been heralded, but they deserve to be remembered and not as a sidetone in someone else’s account but as the center of their own story. …This is their story.”

In WHAT COLOR IS MY WORLD, Kareem Abdul Jabbar also aims to inform readers about overlooked historical figures: “Unfortunately, many of the greatest American inventors have been ignored by history textbooks based on the color of their skin or their gender. …By telling of their unsung but vital contributions, I hope to celebrate these overlooked role models so that we can all appreciate one another in meaningful ways.”


William Kamkwamba (THE BOY WHO HARNESSED THE WIND) writes to persuade other youth, especially Africans, to pursue their dreams, “I want you to know your ambitions just as important and worth achieving, however big or small. …Think of your dreams as tiny miracle machines you can tough. The more faith you put into them, the bigger they get, until one day they’ll rise up and take them with you. (Epilogue)” In her introduction to PATH TO THE STARS, Sylvia Acevedo has a similar purpose for telling her story, to inspire young people to “dream big dreams and make those dreams come true.”

Whether the book is a biography or an autobiography, each author’s deep personal connection and passion shine through in their writing. They’ve crafted stories only they can tell.

FINDING YOUR PURPOSE – Story Sparks

That deep, personal connection that ignites our writing is something every good writer aims for. And it starts with the stories or angles we choose — our story sparks. So pull out your writer’s notebook, and let’s get going.

Turn to a clean page in your notebook, and title it “STORY SPARKS.” Now let’s fill it up with ideas.

  • First, what subjects excite you? They could be school subjects like biology, hobbies like knitting or building robots, pets, or your favorite sport. 
  • What kind of books do you like to read? What about TV shows, movies, and music?
  • Are there certain news stories you find most appealing?
  • Maybe there are special places you like to visit, like the beach or a quiet forest.
  • Next think about themes and ideas that interest you. Is it underdogs? Bullies? Being the youngest? Are you interested in social justice or the environment?
  • Finally, like the authors on this month’s book list, think about your personal history, traditions, culture, and community. Do they give you inspiration for stories to tell? If so add them to your list too.

As you make your list, see if you notice any patterns, similarities, or connections that fire up other ideas. If not, try smashing two ideas together like environmental issues plus your favorite spot— the beach? After a little digging, you add ocean pollution to your list.

Here’s the good news. You can use your story sparks to find focus even if your teacher assigns topics for informational writing. Have to write a presidential biography? Is space your jam? Why not pick John F. Kennedy, who launched the U.S. into the Space Race?

Whenever you learn something new and find yourself thinking, “Hmmmmm, that’s interesting,” jot it down. You’ll never run out of ideas. Happy writing!

O.O.L.F.

 


Kirsten W. Larson used to work with rocket scientists at NASA. Now she writes books for curious kids. She’s the author of WOOD, WIRE, WINGS: EMMA LILIAN TODD INVENTS AN AIRPLANE, illustrated by Tracy Subisak (Calkins Creek, 2020), A TRUE WONDER: The Comic Book Hero Who Changed Everything, illustrated by Katy Wu (Clarion, 2021), THE FIRE OF STARS, illustrated by Katherine Roy (Chronicle, Fall 2022), along with 25 other nonfiction books for kids. Find her at kirsten-w-larson.com or on Twitter/Instagram @KirstenWLarson.