When wooden bats began shattering at an increasing rate back in 2008, Major League Baseball turned to research engineers at the U.S. Forest Service for solutions. They found the culprit and suggested design changes that has made the nation’s pastime safer even as maple bats grew in popularity.

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Filed under: Special Features | Comments Off on Forest Service Cracks MLB Bat Breaks

Tags: baseball bat, Engineering Design, Forest Products Laboratory, Major League Baseball, research engineer, U.S. Forest Service, wood

This simple catapult activity for students in grades 4 – 8 teaches them how energy is transferred when a plastic spoon is pulled back, then released, rocketing its payload — a single marshmallow.

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Filed under: Class Activities, Grades 6-8, Grades K-5, Grades K-5, Lesson Plans | Comments Off on Activity: Catapult Marshmallow Launch

Tags: catapult, Class Activities, Energy, forces and motion, Fun & Games, Grades 4 - 8, Grades K-5, Newton's Laws, NGSS, Physical Science, Physics, trebuchet

Ever wonder who sets STEM education policy – or yearn to influence it?Apply to become an Einstein Fellow and spend a year at the Department of Energy, NASA, other federal agency, or Congress. Monthly stipend: $7,500. Apply by Nov. 14, 2019,

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Filed under: For Teachers, K-12 Outreach Programs, Special Features | Comments Off on Einstein Fellowship for STEM Teachers

Tags: Congress, Department of Energy, Education Policy, Einstein Distinguished Educator Fellowship Program, federal education policy, NASA, Programs for Teachers, Public Policy, Research, Resources for Teachers, Scholarships and Fellowships