STEM
STEM Occupations F
aster aircraft, bolder video games, bet- ter medicines—technology moves for-
ward every day. And tech-savvy workers make those advances happen. Without the work of scientists, technicians, engi- neers, mathematicians, and other skilled workers, most new products and discov- eries would never be developed. The need for technical work contin-
ues to grow. Technical occupations are often defined as those related to science, technology, engineering, and math- ematics (STEM). Workers in STEM oc- cupations use science and math to solve problems. Educational requirements for STEM occupations range from a high school diploma and on-the-job training to a Ph.D. But all require the ability to think logically. There are several ways to identify
and count STEM occupations. Some researchers, for example, count social scientists and science managers; others include any occupation that uses sci- ence and technology. Adopting a more focused definition, this article describes the occupations that most clearly con- centrate on STEM. On the pages that follow, you’ll find information about STEM occupations, earnings, educational requirements, and job prospects. There are also sug- gestions on how to prepare for a STEM career and where to find more informa- tion:
STEM Jobs There are many kinds of work within
STEM’s divisions of science, technol- ogy, engineering, and mathematics.
Science When you think of science workers,
you might picture a chemist in a white lab coat running experiments – and you’d be right. But science goes beyond the laboratory. Scientists are also in- volved in teamwork, communications, and data analysis. And although many scientists spend time in laboratories, they work in offices, too. Some work outdoors, as when wildlife biologists observe animals in their habitats or geoscientists measure movements in
36 HISPANIC NETWORK MAGAZINE By Nicholas Terrell
Earth’s crust. Scientists design experiments to find
out how things work. They conduct or oversee those experiments, ana lyze the results, and explain what the results mean. They use scientific methods to learn about the world. In 2005, accord- ing to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statis- tics (BLS), 13 percent of STEM jobs as defined here were in natural science oc- cupations. Natural science occupations fall
into three broad groups: life scientists, physical scientists, and natural science technicians. Life scientists. Life scientists study
liv ing systems, from organisms to eco- systems. Agricultural and food scien- tists, for exam ple, study the production and distribution of food. They work to increase food quantity, quality, and safety.
Biological scientists study animals,
plants, and bacteria. They also analyze metabolic processes and other life ele- ments.
Conservation scientists and forest ers
manage natural resources to maximize their long-term economic, recreational, and conservation value; for example, they might decide when and how to plant trees or chop them down. And medical scientists look for both causes of and treatments for human diseases. Physical scientists. Physical scien-
tists study the parts of nature that are not alive. They might ponder the mo- tion of distant suns or the bonds be- tween nuclear particles. Atmospheric scientists, for example, monitor weather conditions to understand trends and to forecast atmospheric changes. Chemists and materials scientists
conduct research to create new chemi- cals and other materials for use in many products. Environmental scientists and hydrol-
ogists investigate environmental haz- ards and pollutants and the circula tion of underground and surface waters. Geoscientists study the composition and structure of the earth, often in search of available supplies of natural resources. Physicists and astronomers explore
Celebrating 18 Years of Diversity
the fundamental laws governing mat- ter and energy in the universe, math- ematically modeling the forces of na- ture.
Natural science technicians. These technicians assist scientists in conduct- ing experiments and analyzing the re- sults. They might prepare experimental apparatus, collect samples or readings, and summarize the results. Biological technicians generally work
as laboratory assistants engaged in bio- logical and medical research. Chemical technicians in research and develop- ment also work as laboratory assistants, and those involved in manufacturing typically monitor industrial processes.
Technology This category could include any oc-
cupation that requires technical skill, but it usually refers to informa tion technol- ogy or computer-related occupations. Work ers in these occupations use logic, mathematics, and computer science to make computers function. Some technology workers create new
software, design computer systems, and develop databases. Others focus on helping people use computers and on keeping computers running well. Designing and developing. Many computer work ers find ways to make computers more useful. Computer soft- ware engineers, for example, create new computer programs or systems. They develop an overall plan for how the pro- gram works. They design algorithms that tell the computer how to complete tasks. And they figure out how to make software work faster. Computer programmers often help
software engi neers implement their plans. They write code to tell the com- puter to do specific tasks. Computer systems analysts help or- ganizations to use computers effective- ly. They choose computer hardware and software that meet an organization’s needs and over see its computer-related policies and plans. Computer research scientists study advanced com puter technology. Data- base analysts design methods of orga-
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