STEM Learning Ecosystems Summary

The 2024 SLECoP Convening boasts an impressive lineup of featured speakers, bringing together visionaries and leaders from across the STEM education ecosystem. From innovative educators and policymakers to industry experts and community advocates, this diverse group of speakers promises to deliver invaluable insights and spark transformative discussions on the future of STEM learning.

With only 10 days left until this groundbreaking event, time is of the essence - if you haven't registered yet, now is the moment to secure your spot and join these incredible minds in shaping the future of STEM education. Register Today!

News & Opportunities

Adapting Improvement Science Tools and Routines to Build Racial Equity in Out-of-School Time STEM Spaces | Frontiers in Education

This study examines how the STEM PUSH Network, an NSF-funded alliance of 40 precollege STEM programs, integrated equity into improvement science practices to increase participation of Black, Latina/o/e, and Indigenous students in STEM pathways. The network embedded equity through professional development, "living" norms, and restructured inquiry cycles prioritizing marginalized voices. Initial results show improved equity practices and culture, while revealing challenges and demonstrating the potential for networked improvement communities to effectively incorporate equity. The STEM PUSH Network's experience offers valuable insights for other improvement networks seeking to prioritize equity in their practices.

Leveraging the National Climate Assessment to Empower Communities: A Workshop | National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

The National Academies hosted a virtual workshop focused on utilizing the National Climate Assessment to empower communities in addressing climate change. This event brought together experts to discuss strategies for making climate information more accessible and actionable for local decision-makers. Interested individuals can now access the workshop recording to gain insights on leveraging climate data for community-level planning and adaptation efforts.

Baldrige Executive Fellows Program | National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)

The Baldrige Executive Fellows Program is a one-year leadership development experience for rising senior executives, focusing on performance excellence and organizational sustainability. Participants learn from Baldrige Award winners and peers, gaining insights into innovative leadership strategies and best practices. The program offers a unique opportunity for executives to broaden their perspectives, stimulate innovation, and build lasting professional relationships with other high-level decision-makers.

Demand-Driven Training: Reimagining Sector Partnerships to Build Career Pathways | U.S. Department of Labor

The Employment and Training Administration has released an updated Sector Strategies Framework to guide the creation of impactful sector partnerships in workforce development. This new framework incorporates key elements such as engaged partnerships, data-driven decisions, worker input, and job quality to better address industry workforce needs. The initiative aims to connect people to good jobs and employers to skilled workers, fostering economic mobility through improved sector strategies and partnerships.

Advocacy & Funding Highlights

Bridging the Future: Defining and Empowering the STEM Workforce of Tomorrow | NSF

The NSF explores the evolving definition of the STEM workforce, emphasizing its expansion beyond traditional roles to include emerging fields like AI, cybersecurity, and environmental sciences. The article discusses innovative approaches to close the skills gap, including K-12 STEM programs, micro-credentialing, and blended learning models in higher education. NSF's Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) program is highlighted as a key initiative in developing a highly skilled, adaptable STEM workforce capable of addressing global challenges.

EDC Awarded $15 Million to Lead National Effort to Advance Elementary Science Education | EDC

EDC has received a $15 million joint investment from IES and NSF to lead the Center for Advancing Elementary Science through Assessment, Research, and Technology (CAESART). This national research and development center will address the need for high-quality science instruction and assessment for young elementary students. CAESART aims to develop innovative assessments, explore integrated science-literacy curricula, and engage stakeholders to improve elementary science education across the country.

FY24 Basic Research Challenge (BRC) Program | Office of Naval Research (ONR)

This program aims to support promising basic research that could lead to revolutionary advances in areas of science and technology relevant to naval capability needs. It seeks to stimulate new, high-risk basic research projects in topic areas that are not already supported by existing ONR programs. The goal is to foster innovative, multidisciplinary basic research that could enable revolutionary advances.

Eligibility: All responsible sources from academia, industry, and the research community

Award: ONR anticipates 6-10 awards; Award amounts will vary, with a typical range of $500,000 to $1,500,000 per year for 3 years; Total funding available is approximately $45 million, pending budget appropriations.

Submission Due Date: April 4, 2025

Spotlight on STEM Ecosystems

2024 Arizona STEM & Innovation Summit | SciTech Institute and Arizona Science Center

The 2024 Arizona STEM & Innovation Summit, scheduled for October 22, 2024, from 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM, is the largest gathering of Arizona's STEM community at the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix. This day-long event brings together educators, industry professionals, and stakeholders to showcase emerging trends, share best practices, and foster collaboration in STEM education and innovation. To register, visit the event website at?https://scitech-institute.idloom.events/2024-arizona-stem-summit.?

LASTEM

The 2024 LASTEM Summit took place on October 9, 2024 and featured a packed agenda with keynote speeches, breakout sessions across four tracks (preparing students for the future of work, teacher professional development, access in education, and innovations in education and workforce development), as well as exhibits, demonstrations, and networking opportunities. The event brought together educators, students, industry partners, and STEM advocates to share best practices, showcase innovative programs, and advance STEM education and workforce development across Louisiana, exemplifying the great work of Ecosystems to bring people together to learn from one another and advance the collective work.

PBC STEM Ecosystem

Jeremy Shorr, Senior Director of Emerging Technologies and Digital Innovation at TIES, recently delivered a keynote address and conducted workshops on emerging technologies and STEM for teachers and administrators at the PBC STEM Ecosystem event this week. This collaborative alliance of private, public, and nonprofit sectors aims to cultivate a robust and equitable ecosystem that provides world-class STEM opportunities for all learners. By hosting experts like Shorr, the PBC STEM Ecosystem furthers its mission of fostering critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity skills necessary for success in a global economy, while also providing valuable professional development for local educators. Ecosystem Website