Qualcomm for Good STEM initiatives are designed to promote a​nd improve STEM education at all levels and to expand upon opportunities for underrepresented students. Our Qualcomm® Thinkabit Lab™ inspires students of all cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds to imagine future careers in STEM by designing an invention that uses an Internet of Things solution to solve real-world problems.

Failure can be a painful experience for anyone, but is especially tough for teens who are still forming a sense of self. When people experience failure, they often report feelings of embarrassment, shame and depression. Teens can perceive failure as a judgment – final, condemning and irreversible.

The path from Amgen Scholars to working at a major pharmaceutical company has been anything but linear for Jan Botthof. Between his undergraduate work, PhD program, and now as a trainee in the International Future Leadership Program for Product Supply at Bayer, Botthof has taken time to try different roles and figure out the best balance of science in his career. Through his journey, Botthof has learned that many career options are available to those with science skills that go beyond traditional benchwork.

Khalid Jennings’ eyes are hidden behind a VR headset as he grips and maneuvers controllers with both hands. He’s focused on correctly arranging planets in the solar system. Confident, Khalid circles the galaxy to “grab” Mars and place it between Earth and Jupiter.

Hands down, VR is his favorite activity in the 5G Innovation Learning Lab at Entrepreneurship Prep (Cliffs Campus). “VR is really cool because it’s like stepping into a n­­ew universe,” Khalid says, sticking his face into the virtual sun for fun. “It feels like technology on top of technology.”