There are two big issues facing STEM: 3 million STEM jobs will go unfulfilled in the U.S. by 2020 and the STEM workforce is no more diverse than it was 14 years ago. Shyno Mathew ’17SEAS and her team at qLogiX Entertainment are tackling those problems by getting children from diverse backgrounds excited about STEM from an early age through educational tools that teach STEM concepts through play.
Many children lose interest in STEM as early as 3rd or 4th grade, so qLogiX’s tools aim to be entertaining, to eliminate any social fear associated with learning STEM subjects, and to represent a racially and gender-diverse STEM population to an equally diverse, young audience. The team has been working for the past year on its first product, “BooMEE”, a STEM video game which is currently in beta testing. The team is also customizing content after school programs for Ascension School in Manhattan, and magazines like Parents, Nickelodeon Magazine, American Girl, National Geographic for Kids, Family Fun, and Highlights for Children.
qLogix has its sights set on engaging 95% of the city’s 290,000 children, ages 7-9 this year, in part by working with organizations like Boys & Girls Club, Philanthropic Educational Organization, and charter and parochial schools. Keep up with the team here.