Launched in 2010, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow is our national science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) competition that challenges young minds to address some of the challenges, from projects focused on the environment. It has evolved into a multi-dimensional, project-based learning initiative that seeks to: The most pressing issues in the community and society as a whole. In that 11-year period, the primary social issues addressed by his 6th to 12th graders in the participating public schools have changed, but none as dramatically as those observed in the grades before and after the pandemic hit. There was no.
While the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 cohorts believe the environment, accessibility, and health are among their top five priorities, the rest of Gen Z’s concerns vary widely. Mental health and personal safety round out the rest of the major social issues to be addressed in 2019-2020. By comparison, COVID-19-related issues and social justice were the top challenges for the 2020-2021 cohort to address through real-world, STEM-driven solutions.
“Through Samsung Solve for Tomorrow’s 11 years of work, we have helped students solve new problems caused by a variety of social, cultural, economic, technological, communal, familial, and personal factors. We’ve seen them discover new challenges for the year. Their entries reflect exactly what classrooms across the country are thinking at the top of their minds, making COVID-19 a priority. was no surprise. In fact, for many years we have observed social issues such as e-cigarettes on the rise before entering the public consciousness, while other themes such as the environment I’ve seen it continue consistently.” said Anne Woo, senior director of corporate citizenship for Samsung Electronics America.
The two sets of middle school and high school students have different positions on what the major social issues are, highlighting that even just one year can make a difference in their perspectives.
- it’s not surprising COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) That was the most important issue for this school year. His 29% of submissions were directly related to the pandemic, such as solutions specific to disinfection and social distancing techniques. social justice has also become paramount. 9% feel STEM can help address racism, prejudice, and discrimination and promote a just society.
- Last school year, 11% of students investigated the link between bullying and developmental disorders. mental health Through several wellness-based applications, we uncover issues as well as how conditions such as depression increase the risk of suicide.and 8 percent were identified personal safety These are so important that they primarily focus on the epidemic of human trafficking and school shootings through innovations such as silent alert mechanisms to alert authorities and bulletproof desks that act as protective shields.
Digging deeper into the remaining social issues, the two Solve for Tomorrow cohorts have similarities, but different underlying focuses.
- Last year, 13% of middle school and high school students felt an unprecedented sense of urgency regarding this issue. environment 12% of students in the current year focused on climate change, compared to plastic waste and air pollution.
- accessibility Ten percent of the previous cohort developed assistive technology for people with vision and mobility impairments, while nine percent of the current cohort helped older adults combat social isolation and become more independent. They used technology to make a living.
- Be fully aware that e-cigarettes can cause serious problems and should be avoided. health At risk, 10 per cent of final year youth in 2019-2020 used STEM to devise solutions. Meanwhile, food insecurity and screen time, necessitated by the pandemic, were at the center of 12 percent of this year’s student projects.
Check out the five 2019-2020 contest winners and 20 national finalists, and the current 75 2020-2021 contest semifinalists to learn more about student STEM-based projects.
Mr. Wu added: “The Samsung Solve for Tomorrow initiative is a voice for the next generation, directly and authentically expressing what matters most to us. After analyzing the submissions, we found that other generations have never had to deal with things that mattered most to us. It has become clear that there are many social issues facing today’s teens. But what surprises us about this latest Gen Z cohort is their passion for exploring new ideas. , a willingness to rise to the challenge of tackling big problems, and a vision of what the world should be. And STEM plays a central role in this bold move.”
Members of Gen Z have survived a pandemic, recession, climate crisis, and racial injustice all before reaching adulthood. Rather than buckling under pressure, Samsung Solve for Tomorrow students are demonstrating resilience and ingenuity by leveraging STEM to confront these salient challenges head-on. This helps reaffirm her importance of STEM education: encouraging curiosity, instilling empathy, teaching creativity, and unleashing innovation.