Leaders of dozens of the nation's top businesses - from Apple and Facebook to Target, Walmart and AT&T - are calling on Congress to help provide computer science education in all K-12 schools, arguing that the United States needs far more students who are literate in the technologies that are transforming nearly every industry. They worry that the United States could lose its competitive edge without significant efforts to boost computer science among the nation's youth. A bipartisan coalition of 27 governors has joined the effort, saying they see teaching coding and programming as a way to draw middle-class jobs to their states, and dozens of school system superintendents and nonprofit leaders say they see computer science courses as essential for giving children the skills they'll need to be successful in the modern economy.

Global studies have shown that women are underrepresented in some science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects and fields. Even in countries with higher gender equality, sex differences in math and technical scores persist. Now, using international data, a team of psychologists from the University of Missouri, the University of California-Irvine and the University of Glasgow in Scotland, have determined that, overall, girls experience negative emotions about mathematics that can result in avoidance of math topics. Often called ''mathematics anxiety'' scientists believe that several factors other than math performance are resulting in higher mathematics anxiety in girls compared to boys.

For years humanities and social science Ph.D.s have faced a dismal academic job market. As the number of tenure-track positions in these fields dwindle, many dedicated teachers and research have begun to search outside of academia for employment opportunities. Industry and institutions have beckoned these alt-ac Ph.D.s for a while. Enter Stanford Computer Science with another option for Ph.D.s, who prefer to stay in education and pursue a teaching career: A year-long Masters of Computer Science Education that prepares recipients of doctoral degrees from diverse fields with excellent teaching records to teach beginning programming courses for students in higher education and beyond. Programming instructors are in high demand: With this new degree, humanities and social science PhDs would find ample employment opportunities to teach programming, and they would be able to bring their understanding of academic values and student learning needs, acquired during their own doctoral study, into the programming classroom.

Google has launched a new education site, which gathers programming tools and other resources for you or perhaps your kid to learn computer science, a hot subject these days. You might be familiar with many of these, such as Google's Made with Code, which helps inspire girls to learn to code, and CS First, a computer science clubs initiative for teaching kids in communities around the country. The site, however, puts all of the CS educational resources in one place. You can explore scholarships, for example, in the ''Participate in Academic Opportunities'' section or join a programming contest in the ''Access Career Opportunities'' section. Perhaps it's one more site to bookmark.

It's rare that a scientist's name becomes a household one, no matter how great his or her discovery is. And yet, a handful of brilliant American innovators in rocket science still enjoy name recognition: Werner Von Braun, Homer Hickam, Robert Goddard, among them. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California, is where many of the brightest rocket scientists collaborated on the early achievements of the space program, and JPL's website is quick to hail the men behind the missions. Even lesser-known figures, such as Frank Malina, Jack Parsons and Ed Forman, who founded the lab in the 1930s, are remembered fondly as ''rocket boys'' and ''rocketmen.'' What's missing from an otherwise detailed history online, however, is major part of the story: the rocket girls. Thanks to a new book, these female pioneers who helped the U.S. win the space race are finally getting their due.

Techbridge, a leader for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programming for girls, announced during a convening of national STEM leaders the release of a white paper that provides best practices to encourage girls in STEM education and ultimately STEM careers. The white paper, made possible by support from Chevron, provides solutions to help expand opportunities and increase diversity in the STEM workforce.

The U.S. Department of Education issued a Dear Colleague Letter to states, school districts, schools and education partners on how to maximize federal funds to support and enhance innovative science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education for all students. The letter serves as a resource for decreasing the equity and opportunity gaps for historically underserved students in STEM and gives examples of how federal funds -through formula grant programs in the Elementary and Secondary Education Act, theIndividuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Carl D. Perkins Career and Technical Education Act - can support efforts to improve instruction and student outcomes in STEM fields.

Research shows that children's interests, ambitions, and skills can be shaped early on by the media they consume and the toys with which they play, potentially influencing everything from the subjects they choose to study to the careers they ultimately pursue. Consequently, those early experiences can affect not just their development and life choices, but the composition of our workforce and the strength of our economy for decades to come. For example, right now, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) industries offer some of the highest-paying, most in-demand careers - there are over 600,000 unfilled jobs in information technology alone - yet women hold only 29 percent of STEM jobs. Communities across America are also experiencing teacher shortages, and nursing is one of the fastest-growing professions - yet fewer than 25 percent of public school teachers and only 9 percent of nurses are men. In order to help close these gender gaps in our workforce, children need to be exposed to diverse role models and taught a variety of skills so they can develop their talents and pursue their passions without limits.

Two University of Florida engineering students have combined their passions for science, design, and education into an online shop that's selling some of the coolest science jewelry and accessories out there. Last fall, Erin Winick and Emily Huber launched Sci Chic with the goal of providing fashionable science and engineering accessories that can act as a conversation starter about these fields.

As the science community reels from ongoing revelations of sexual harassment and discrimination, a new study in Psychology of Women Quarterly, by Wellesley College researcher Linda Carli, offers important clues as to how women scientists are perceived and how stereotypes might lead to prejudicial treatment. The paper, entitled ''Stereotypes About Gender and Science: Women is not equal to Science,'' shows that despite significant progress made, women are still thought to lack the qualities needed to be successful scientists, and the findings suggest this may contribute to discrimination and prejudice against women in those fields. Carli is a senior lecturer in psychology at Wellesley and is an authority on gender discrimination and the challenges faced by professional women.