Thank you to everyone who participated in - and contributed to the success of - our 2024 STEM Equity Week “STEMposium”, which was held on Wednesday, October 30 at the Quorum at University City Science Center. The symposium brought together members of the Philadelphia STEM Equity Collective (PSEC), the Philadelphia STEM Ecosystem, and collaborators in STEM education, policy and industry, for an opportunity to recognize the work being done by the Collective and Ecosystem members. Plenary sessions shared reflections on a Partnership Community of Practice at William Cramp Elementary School, centered the experiences of young people on STEM pathways entering the workforce, and looked towards the future landscape of STEM careers.?
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With NBC10 Meteorologist, STEM equity advocate, and children’s book author, Brittney Shipp as event emcee, attendees had the opportunity to hear from Councilmember At-Large Nina Ahmad as she shared her own personal connection to the importance of STEM education and presented an official City Council citation recognizing the work of PSEC and honoring the 2024 Philadelphia STEM Equity Week!?
Running concurrently to the Plenary Sessions, PSEC hosted a DEIB Best Practices Forum for STEM Employers, led by Jennifer Fei of ōen studios. Human resources and DEIB representatives convened to discuss the practices they sustain or the barriers they face in their efforts to recruit, develop and retain diverse talent. The forum explored areas of existing alignment or opportunities across employers, talent and workforce development organizations and job seekers exploring the criteria each value most.?
STEMposium Keynote Speaker, Dr. Joeletta Patrick, who is currently serving on a two-year detail assignment to NASA Langley Research Center as the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Champion, shared her personal journey that brought her to NASA, including what inspired her during childhood. Dr. Patrick also spoke to her current work on DEIA initiatives and reflected on best practices as well as “promising practices”.?
The afternoon concluded with a reception and recognition ceremony, honoring individuals within the Ecosystem or Collective for the impactful work they do through their organizations. Congratulations to Satoia Wright, Maya Heiland, Francesca Tuazon, Ph.D., Hannah Farrell, Renee Harris, MSEd, Jamie Shuda, EdD, Atiyah Harmon, Betsy Payne, and Launchpad Philly for being nominated by their peers to be celebrated on this occasion!
To learn more about PSEC, visit https://lnkd.in/eQpq6MJc
#STEMEquity #STEMEquityWeek #DiversityInSTEM
