Building Omaha Future Leaders
July 2017
A STEM Professional You Should Know!
Jim Collison -Gallup
I am a Director of Talent Resourcing at Gallup’s Omaha, Nebraska office. Clifton StrengthsFinder Top 5: Arranger | WOO | Maximizer | Communication | Activator
In my current role for Gallup, I oversee a team of intern software developers in Omaha NE as well as partner with Gallup’s Talent Resources team to recruit and retain world-class system and database administrators and software developers who support Gallup’s clients and the company’s internal systems. I also oversee both the College and High School internship programs year around. I have recently taken on the role of producer and Strengths Community Manager for Gallup’s Called to Coach and Theme Thursday Webcast found at http://coaching.gallup.com
Outside of Gallup, I am the voice behind The Average Guy Network. I host the weekly Home Gadget Geeks and Home Tech Tips as well as Cyber Frontiers at http://TheAverageGuy.tv and is a regular co-host on the http://HomeServerShow.com podcast as well as http://askthepodcastcoach.com. I was named a Microsoft MVP in April 2011.
Prior to joining Gallup, I served as the director of Enterprise Information Management for Omnium Worldwide. While there, I deployed a new business intelligence platform for the company. I was also a long-time employee of Commercial Federal Bank, which became part of Bank of the West in 2005. While with the bank, I helped build an enterprise data warehouse and supported the marketing group.
I grew up in San Jose, California, was enlisted in the US Army from 1986 to 1992, and moved to Nebraska when discharged. I received a bachelor’s degree from Grace University in 1997 and currently serve on the Gallup Federal Credit Union Board as President.
Girls Summer S.T.E.A.M. Camp
The Urban League of Nebraska’s Girl’s Summer S.T.E.A.M. Academy was a hit!. The six-week program exposed girls of color to careers in science, technology, engineering, arts/agriculture and mathematics through hands-on experiment, meeting women in STEAM careers, touring local companies and institutions, and job shadowing. The objective of the Girl’s Summer S.T.E.A.M. Academy is to raise awareness of S.T.E.A.M. careers, increase the representation of women of color in S.T.E.A.M. careers, promote, and prepare youth for post-secondary educational opportunities.
The girls of the academy have visited the University of Nebraska Medical Center, NET in Lincoln, Union Pacific, DLR Group and the Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. Vanessa Shutte, of DLR Group, said Omaha is an excellent place to be an architect or engineer because three large firms –DLR Group, HDR, and Leo A. Daly, were founded here. “I want to get them excited about architecture and engineering”, said Shutte.
STEAM Academy at DLR STEAM Academy at Omaha’s HD Zoo and Aquarium
Professional Development Opportunities:
Improvement of Instruction: Tools for STEM Learning –Fall Semester 2017
In partnership with the Omaha STEM Ecosystem, UNO and Prairie STEM, this 3-credit, blended learning graduate course is designed to provide students with an understanding of principles and practices utilized in STEAM based curriculum planning with today’s multifaceted students. This course is for educators with no STEM experience as well as those with more extensive experience in STEM. The class meets four Friday evenings at the Education Building at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, the rest is on-line.
For more information contact: Dr. Grandgenett ngrandgenett@unomaha.edu
Professional Development Workshops
Workshops are open to all educators. Explore new curriculum, participate in hands-on activities and build your knowledge of the natural world. Workshops are available at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium and Wildlife Safari Park, located off Nebraska’s I-80, Exit 426
For more information, go to: http://www.omahazoo.com/education/educator-corner/professional-development/
Mark Your Calendar for Upcoming STEM Events!
Pink Hardhat Days August 10 -12, 2017
Omaha and Lincoln area high school students (grades 9-12) are invited to participate in a three-day engineering camp full of activities and seminars.Learn how cool women are in construction!The event incorporates interaction with female industry professionals and hands-on activities focused on engineering and design. Participants also get the chance to tour active construction sites throughout the Omaha area to see how engineering concepts are applied during the building phase.
For more information, contact: Terri Norton, Ph.D., associate professor of construction engineering: tnorton3@unl.edu
Registration fee: $50 To register: go.unl.edu/pinkhardhatdays2017
Solar Eclipse Day August 21st 11am-2pm
On Monday, August 21st, 2017 a Total Solar Eclipse will be visible in parts of Nebraska. For the first time in 63 years, we will be fortunate enough to view this most wondrous event. Join us before, during and after the event as we discover how a Total Solar Eclipse occurs, listen to Native American Folklore Stories about such events, pick up your eclipse safety viewing glasses, create a pinhole viewing card and witness how animals behaviors may change during this time. Relax and enjoy this phenomenon in the peace and quiet of the Wildlife Safari Park away from the hustle and bustle of the city. You won’t want to miss it. For more information, email: scouts@omahazoo.com
Eclipse Across America: Celebrate the Sun and Moon August 21st, 2017
Ready to view the Great American Eclipse on August 21st, 2017? Join us for this special event at Fontenelle Forest Nature Center, designed for children ages 5-11 to celebrate and learn about this unique solar event. Activities will be focused on STEM activities related to the eclipse, and informative solar energy walks will be offered every 20 minutes.
Saturday August 12, 2017 10:00am-12:00pm
This event is free for Fontenelle Forest members or with daily admission.Viewing glasses and other eclipse-related merchandise is available in the Nature Center gift shop.
Members of youth groups (ecology clubs, scouts, 4H, church related groups, Boys and Girls Clubs, etc.) are invited to attend at a special discounted rate. Registration is required for this special group rate.
Contact: Kate Murphy kmurphy@fontenelleforest.org
Lab Girl Author to Headline Omaha Public Library Fundraiser
Meet New York Times-bestselling author Hope Jahren on Tuesday, September 19, 2017, when the Omaha Public Library Foundation welcomes the Lab Girl author to Omaha. The evening fundraiser will be held at the Institute for Culinary Arts Building on the Metropolitan Community College Fort Omaha Campus.
For more information, go to : https://www.omahalibraryfoundation.org/hope-jahren/
Lights On Afterschool Celebration
Please join Collective for Youth and our partnering agencies at the Sapp Fieldhouse on UNO’s campus, September 30, 2017 between the hours of 10 and 2 p.m. This event will highlight the activities and the providers that are in all 30 of CFY after school programs on each school day between the hours of 3 and 6 p.m. This event is free and open to the public.Lights On Afterschool is an annual event that takes place in hundreds of locations throughout the country. These events highlight the importance of high quality afterschool programs and the youth who attend them. Each year, CFY has hosted this event with great success. Over 1500 youth and adults gather to enjoy lunch, hands on activities, community exhibits, parent activities, and performances by local talent and youth from various afterschool programs in the community.Click here to watch Gwyn Williams and Tyrome Williams from Building Dreams talk about LOA 2016.
WOW! That’s Engineering!
The 5th Biennial Outreach Event in Omaha is aimed at encouraging young women to pursue careers in engineering. Saturday, September 30th, from 8:30 am to 3 pm at the College of St. Mary Campus in Omaha. Girls will participate in hands-on activities with local female engineers. Lunch will be provided, and the event is FREE. Local middle school and high school girls are encouraged to attend. Parents will be invited to an afternoon session to discuss additional ways they can encourage their child to consider a career in engineering.
For more information, contact: Shannon DeVivo, SWE Eastern Nebraska Outreach Chair at outreach@swe-nebraska.org Or check out the website: http://www.swe-nebraska.org/wow-thats-engineering.html
Do you have STEM related news or program to share with the Omaha STEM community? Contact us to find out how to get your story or program featured, or how to become a member.
Info@omahastem.com
Website: OmahaSTEM.com Facebook: OmahaSTEM
