The STEM Program’s goals are to:
STEM stakeholders including parents, educators (PK-16/college/university) and representatives of business, government, and community organizations meet to gather resources, connect with potential STEM partners, share ideas, and network.
Envision the Future is a five-day residential program for girls, ages 11-13, who are STEM enthusiasts. The program is designed to foster interest in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) fields by modeling effective practices.
It provides opportunities for girls to engage in challenging STEM activities, explore career options with STEM professionals, meet female role models in STEM fields, and connect with other girls who have similar interests and aspirations.
Massachusetts STEM Week 2022 will take place from October 17 – 21.
STEM Week is organized by the Executive Office of Education and the STEM Advisory Council in partnership with the state’s Nine Regional STEM Networks. STEM Week is a statewide effort to boost the interest, awareness and ability of all students to see themselves in STEM opportunities.
On June 13, 2022, the SE MA STEM Network hosted a virtual event, Addressing the STEM Gap & Wealth Inequities. More than one-hundred participants registered for the event which highlighted effective programs, practices, and models designed at mitigating STEM gaps that are currently facing our students. Lt. Governor Karyn Polito served as the keynote speaker for the event. Students Yvangi Jacques as well as Isabel Stacco also shared their experiences regarding STEM programs and opportunities that have emerged which have impacted their course of studies.
October 2021
During STEM Week, 2021, the SE MA STEM Network, in collaboration with CONNECT institutions of higher education hosted its first Virtual Wind Symposium. The event, which highlighted effective partnerships between CONNECT institutions of higher education and business/industry leaders. Virtual Wind Symposium- final agenda 10.19.21
To check out what’s planned for STEM week 2022, please click here!
Educating for the Future 2022
On Wednesday, September 21st, the SE MA STEM Network hosted, Educating for the Future. This event featured MA Education Secretary, Jim Peyser, as well as Dr. Jean VanderGheyst, UMass Dartmouth’s Dean of the College of Engineering, and Allison Morin, student speaker, 2015 Envision the Future participant, and current higher education student who is pursuing her degree in chemistry, so she can become a teacher. The event also featured PK-12 professionals, as well as business and community leaders who discussed their STEM Week plans. A video featuring the keynotes can be found here.
SE MA STEM Network Advisory Board
The Network hosted its STEM Advisory Board meeting, virtually, on December 15th at 4PM. During the meeting, we had the opportunity to hear from a variety of speakers who shared information about their successful STEM Week actitivies. In addition, participants had the opportunity to learn about STEM updates at the State level, from Colleen Maloney, MA STEM Council Director. An additional meeting highlight was Chelsey Skeete, Ph.D. Candidate in Boston University’s Program in Biomedical Sciences, participant in the Afro-Academic, Cultural, Technological and Scientific Olympics (ACT-SO) and Region V Science and Engineering Fair. Chelsey shared her insightful experiences about the importance of getting her STEM start early in her education career.
A recording of our STEM Advisory Board meeting may be found here.
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math. You should be interested in STEM because these subjects affect our lives every day. Do you ever wonder how your cell phone works, how your doctor can take pictures of your internal organs, how countries can send people into space, or how bridges are constructed? STEM is the answer!
Also, many of the best-paying, lowest-unemployment jobs in our country are based in STEM fields. STEM professionals such as engineers and scientists work to solve real-world problems like coming up with cures for cancer and inventing new forms of energy to power our buildings. STEM professionals are motivated by a spirit of innovation and discovery, they like to help people, and often work in teams.
There are opportunities for entering STEM careers at all educational levels—some don’t even require a college degree! But you SHOULD take four years of high school math and three years of high school science, so that you can be ready for any field of study or employment.
Are you ready to think deeper about what kind of work you might enjoy, what jobs might fit your personality, and what majors you might want to study further? Your next stop should be to the Massachusetts Career Information System (MassCIS) site. Click here to continue your education and career investigation.
Click on the section for middle school students. This site has surveys, games, and interactive tools to help you answer questions such as “Who am I?”, “Where do I want to go?” and “How do I get there?”
Do you think you are getting a sense of what kind of work you’d like to pursue? Then it’s time to think about which colleges and programs of study can get you there.
The MassCIS site also has a section for high school students to deepen their exploration of job interests and employment goals and the post-secondary (after high school) pathways they can take.
You’ve landed! Now that you know what kind of work you’d like to do, and what kind of education you’ll need, aren’t you interested in knowing what kinds of jobs are available in Southeastern Massachusetts? Here is a partial list of Southeastern MA companies that offer STEM jobs.
STEM Education Teams are groups of educators, community leaders, and other STEM stakeholders who have committed to developing their school’s/community’s STEM plan and giving more students an opportunity to become inspired by and proficient in STEM subjects. These are our current STEM Education Team communities: Attleboro, Barnstable, Brockton, Canton, Dartmouth, Dennis-Yarmouth, Fall River, Foxborough, Freetown-Lakeville, Hanover, Mansfield, New Bedford, North Attleboro, Norton, Old Rochester, Pembroke, Plainville, Plymouth, Provincetown, Sandwich, Taunton, Weymouth, Westport and Whitman-Hanson.
STEM Education Teams recognized by the Southeastern MA/Cape and Islands STEM Network are eligible to receive specialized support from the Network, including technical assistance in developing STEM programming and access to our Corporate Partners program. To start a team in your community, fill out the following application: School District Community Team Application.
Interested in building your school, district, or community’s STEM plan? The SE MA Network has developed this STEM Plan Template, aligned with the commonwealth’s statewide STEM goals. Use this tool to gather an inventory of programs your community currently sponsors, and to identify areas for development and future growth.
Stem Education Teams are eligible to use our Corporate Partners program to request STEM professionals from our region’s companies to make classroom presentations, participate in Career Fairs, offer tours of plants/facilities, or other educationally-focused activities. To request a volunteer, fill out this form and email it to stemcorporatepartner@connectsemass.org.
Join a community of corporate partners to help drive our STEM programming and initiatives for students and young professionals in Southeast Massachusetts.
A STEM professional from one of our region’s companies can visit your school for classroom presentations and/or Career Fairs, offer tours of plants and facilities, or engage in other educational activities.
Stacey Kaminski, Ed.D
Executive Director, 66 Hooper St.
Bridgewater, MA 02325
Stacey.Kaminski@connectsemass.org
© 2024 Connect.
