What is STEMM?

Opportunities. New knowledge. Moving forward.

Our planet is changing faster than it ever has before, and it doesn't show signs of slowing any time soon. As scientists, we have to keep up with the world we live in and we believe STEMM is the way forward. 

STEMM: Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, Medicine.
The five components which have truly shaped the way we function as a human race.

But why are they so important, and why do we need STEMM to continue growth?

Science has allowed us to create and use things today that we consider to be the norm; lighting, electricity, kitchen appliances, safe drinking water, and even the device you're using to read this on. Science is an ongoing battle, and without it the rate of ozone depletion would be far higher than it currently is. Science is also improving the environment around us, especially in areas such as the Arctic and Antarctic, where the icebergs are melting as a result of climate change.

Technology is all around us, and we are more than aware of it. Modern day life has become so reliant on it that can hardly function without it, whether we like to admit it or not. Think of a place and technology is there: the TVs in our homes; the telephone boxes on our streets; the satellites orbiting our planet and the calculators on our desks. Some seem to think it's hindering us as a species, but truthfully it's helped us thrive; not only as social beings but as scientists. Look beyond Facebook and Snapchat and think more outside the box - fuel cell cars, dialysis machines and airport security merely scratch the surface, yet give an insight into how technology enhances our everyday lives.

The word 'engineering' is derived from the Latin ingenium, meaning "cleverness" and ingeniare, meaning "to devise". From this, we can see that engineering isn't just the study of things with engines. It is the utilisation of our entire mathematical knowledge in order to invent, design, build, and improve our infrastructure. If it wasn't for the world's engineers, we would not have our roads, plumbing systems, buildings, or our things with engines, for that matter. As unappealing as it may sound, it is a crucial part of our everyday lives, and provides some of the most valuable (and well paying) jobs

Unless you're a maths student, the subject may seem boring and pointless. However, this isn't often the case. Maths is the basis to the other STEMM subjects, and is used in everyday life all the time, even if you don't realise it. The Golden Ratio, for example, is in every essence of nature, it is in flower petals, DNA, hurricanes, and more obviously, shells. The ratio is said to give the most aesthetically pleasing structures, hence why the Pyramids of Giza were, unknowingly, built to fit it. Studying mathematics is also said to allow you to think logically, and decision mathematics gives you greater problem solving skills.

Medicine is obviously important, it has prevented the wide-spread of deadly diseases, such as Ebola which had an outbreak in West Africa in 2015, and has worked to wipe out others, such as Smallpox, as well as working to eradicate other diseases, such as Polio, which currently only exists in 3 countries: Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Nigeria. Without medicine, our life spans would be considerably less, and the death rate in every country would be far higher.

All in all, the world of STEMM is vastly important and has many more applications to our daily life, many of which we take for granted, or fail to recognise.

- Olivia and Imogen

Popular posts from this blog

Getting to know a pharmacist

Galloper Internship - Week 3

The Galloper Project