The 49ers have come a long way, technologically speaking, since the days of panning for gold in rushing streams.
Today, the San Francisco NFL team has a particular interest in promoting STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education in the Bay Area. The organization launched the inaugural Football and STEM Academy summer camp this week, which blends STEM education with football training. The goal? To better understand how the two disciplines intersect.
The camp is part of the team’s ongoing efforts to provide STEM education to the Bay Area community. The 49ers Museum STEM Education Program gives 60,000 students an opportunity to discover STEM and football science, while the STEM Leadership Institute provides extra hours of STEM learning to a group of 60 students, according to a 49ers news release. As part of the Institute, students have access to an engineering lab with cutting-edge technology.
Muscles up! That’s a wrap for Day 2 of the @49ers Football & STEM Academy! #STEAM49ers pic.twitter.com/ODngL6aexz
— 49ers Museum (@49ersMuseum) June 23, 2016
The 49ers museum STEM efforts focus on topics such as health, metrics in football, equipment technology and stadium engineering, per 49ers.com. In the past, the STEM program has also teamed up with local Silicon Valley tech companies, such as Wonder Workshop robotics.
Due in part to their commitment to STEM education, the 49ers are finalists for ESPN’s “Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year Award”.
49ers players are also involved, both on the football field as well as the STEM fields of study. Joshua Garnett, drafted by the Niners 28th overall out of Stanford in 2016, studied Biology at Stanford and looks to become a trauma surgeon when his career in football is over.
It seems the 49ers are planning to strike gold, but not in the literal sense. This time, they’re looking to give a bright kid with a passion for STEM a “eureka” moment. Perhaps, that kid will be the next Garnett.