Bill Nye: A Positive Role Model

Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill! Bill Nye the Science Guy! Everyone knows the chant from the introduction of the show Bill Nye the Science Guy. For some, Bill Nye is the reason they became interested in science in the first place to make a career out of it. Positive role models like Bill Nye can make a huge difference in a child’s interest in STEM education. STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. Sometimes Arts is included, changing the acronym to STEAM. Although there are many circumstances that contribute to choosing a STEM career, positive role models are the most influential in empowering adolescents to choose an education in STEM.

Currently in the United States, while the dependence on STEM workers is increasing, the interest

She was one of the first female applicants to be an astronaut and ended up being the first American woman to go into space. Her feat has been an inspiration for women to pursue their dreams of STEM careers. This is why she founded Sally Ride Science in 2001. Her nonprofit organization sought to inspire women in STEM. Before she died, the organization accomplished organizing science festivals, running an engineering design competition, writing STEM books, holding the Sally Ride Science Academy, and more. It even “helped spark the national discussion and shift the national perspective on the importance of involving girls and underrepresented minority students in STEM as they go through school and beyond.” (About - Sally Ride Science) Now run by the University of California at San Diego, Sally Ride Science still serves to empower young women to pursue their

According to a study published in the Career Development Quarterly, “Findings suggest that students’ confidence level in their academic and mathematics abilities makes a significant difference in their initial STEM major choice.” Although this study may suggest confidence level is the most influential aspect in choosing a major, the existence of positive role models is much more important. Role models can empower students to be confident in their abilities in the first place, which directly empowers them to choose a major they feel confident in