By MARISA PEÑALOZA
Earlier this month, National Grid, the electricity and natural gas company, announced that it’s honoring Juneteenth as a paid company holiday.
“Declaring Juneteenth a company holiday is a symbol of our dedication to honoring Black Americans who have suffered the impacts of racism throughout U.S. history,” notes Natalie Edwards in a press release. She is chief diversity officer of National Grid.
Read the full article here. … Read More >>
by Brandon Paykamian
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy signed legislation last month requiring the state’s secretary of higher education to develop guidelines for colleges and universities to identify and address “cultural barriers” keeping many students of color and women out of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs.
The order took effect amid an ongoing national discussion about a lack of diversity in the current tech workforce, where multiple researchers have noted little progress in addressing the underrepresentation of non-white and non-male workers over the last few years.
“Over the next decade, demand for STEM jobs is expected to increase … Read More >>
Professor of Marine Science and Geosciences Laura Wetzel will gather a team of Eckerd College faculty and staff to create a detailed plan on how to recruit, support and encourage Black, Indigenous and Latinx high-schoolers to attend Eckerd and then go on to pursue Ph.D.s in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). This work is made possible by a $49,960 grant from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
“To start, we will work on diversity training and professional development,” Wetzel said. “We have hired a consultant on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives, and we will be reading books and having … Read More >>
by Lauren Lumpkin
The Energy Department will direct $17.3 million to support research and internship opportunities, with a focus on increasing the number of students of color in science, technology, engineering and math fields, Secretary Jennifer Granholm said at Howard University on Monday.
More than $5 million will fund research projects at 11 universities, including Howard and Florida A&M — both historically Black schools — and the University of Texas at El Paso, where the majority of students are Hispanic.
“The data makes it clear that we need diversity in science, technology, engineering and math,” Granholm said at a roundtable … Read More >>
On May 6, the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), The Solar Foundation, and the Interstate Renewable Energy Council released the 2020 National Solar Jobs Census. Solar jobs in Wisconsin held steady throughout 2020, despite the 6.7% decline in the national workforce from 2019.
Nationally, the solar industry employed 231,474 workers in 2020. The report tracks all solar jobs in residential and utility-scale construction, as well as all supply chains. It includes anyone who spends 50% or more of their time working on solar-related activities.
Diversity in the workforce increased, mainly among women but also among Blacks, Asians, Latinos, and Hispanics. … Read More >>
by David Jones
by Ernie C’Debaca
When President Biden came into office, one of his first agenda items was implementing a moratorium on new oil and gas leases on federal lands and waters through executive order. The impact of the president’s action is widespread across several states, one of the hardest hit being right here in New Mexico.
An unintended adverse impact of the leasing ban will be its effect on 134,000 good-paying jobs and tax revenue for education in New Mexico. As president & CEO of the Albuquerque Hispano Chamber of Commerce (Hispano Chamber), I find this particularly concerning as oil and … Read More >>
by Stacy M. Brown
National Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA) President and CEO Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis, Jr., has become the new Chair of the Energy Action Alliance (EAA).
EAA was created by the American Petroleum Institute (API) in 2012 to bring together diverse national non-profits to help strengthen relationships between people of color communities and the natural gas and oil industry, which provides economic opportunities and reliable and affordable energy to communities across the nation.
Dr. Chavis affirmed, “I am professionally and personally committed to environmental justice and equity, and as well I am equally committed to the sustainable economic … Read More >>
by Natalie Kochanov
In the border city of Juárez, Mexico, it is not uncommon for students not to continue their education beyond middle school. Because of that harsh reality, David Chavez says, his middle and high schools offered technical programs to equip students early on with sufficient knowledge to succeed in the workforce.
“Before even going to college, I had the equivalent of two associate’s degrees,” explains Chavez, who was able to pursue his bachelor’s degree and begin working for Big Four accounting firm Ernst & Young (EY) concurrently. “By the time that I graduated, I had not only gained … Read More >>
Engineers face challenges on the job
By Patricia Guadalupe
Houston native Yvonne Trejo calls herself a problem solver, and that’s exactly what got her and her family through the deep freeze in February that left many in the dark and with no water for several days.
“We already had an emergency plan, since we have hurricanes around here. We stocked up on bottle water, fruits and vegetables that can last longer and we also have a small generator. All of that is what we used to hold us over during that time,” says Trejo. “Math and science are fascinating to … Read More >>
