811: Always Call, It's the Law

So we had the great pleasure of having a Mr. Cliff Swoape come into our class last week for a gas safety demonstration. Mr. Swoape works for the Middle Tennessee Natural Gas Utility District as the Manager of Safety & Training, so he knows his stuff.

He gave us the spiel he typically does for the 4th graders he visits in the utility district his company services. It may sound boring, some engineer coming in to talk about gas pipelines and infrastructure, but you'd be surprised. Using methane gas, oxygen, and a spark, he illustrated the 3 ingredients needed to create fire (Fuel, Oxygen, and Ignition Source).

 And it was SO. COOL.

While much of what Mr. Swoape discussed with our class was familiar territory for me*, I don't think I could have enjoyed his presentation more. What a fantastic way to engage kids in STEM areas at an impressionable age with FIRE of all things.
Something I found interesting, however, was that Mr. Swoape made the comment that around 4th grade is the age when girls begin to turn away from interests in the STEM fields, which is one reason he feels that demonstrations like his are so vital to bring into a classroom at that age . While I couldn't find research to support that statement, I did find that a study published in 2011 that found a definitive gap between the amount of women in a STEM career versus men (4:1, men to women). And that makes me so sad.

Growing up, I was surrounded by individuals immersed in the STEM fields; it has always been confusing to me why we seem to have fewer and fewer women professionals in the harder sciences. However, I can't help but feel a little hypocritical feeling that way as I myself, with my family of engineers, math teachers, and machinists, have gone the route of hippotherapist then school teacher (however, I do intend on pursuing an Ed.S. and a PhD, so maybe that will get my back on track). Hopefully I can have an impact on my future students, girls and boys, and inspire them (somehow!) to stay interested in the STEM subjects.

*Some background: my dad, a mechanical engineer, has worked in the Natural Gas industry for all of his adult life, and is currently a Senior Project Manager of a major US energy company. I have had the fortune of growing up in a family of engineers, and the 811 sticker was a common sight in my house, along with with the logos of various gas and mineral companies and associations such as the American Gas Association, Tennessee Gas Association, Nashville Gas Co., Caddum Inc., Southern Natural Gas Co., and others branded in one way or another on stickers, lanyards, notepads, pens, and ball caps- these chachkis evidence of my dad's work in his field (his extras were often my playthings; I'm pretty sure you might find a few hard hats sitting next to careworn dolls on the shelves of my childhood room). One of my brothers is also a mechanical engineer in the automotive industry (he designs performance tires), while the other is an AGS Specialist for a mineral rights company (he makes topographical maps). My mom was a high school Calculus and English Comp teacher, and holds degrees in both Math and English.