 Seaborg Center Promotes STEM Education
NMU's Seaborg Center is participating in the Michigan STEM Partnership to promote the education and awareness of science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The Seaborg Center hosted a meeting last month that brought together local community and NMU leaders to discuss how they could increase STEM education in the Upper Peninsula.
“We’re working toward creating interest in STEM education and STEM careers. We feel students are unaware of what a STEM education can do,” said Debra Homeier (Seaborg Center), co-chair of the Superior Hub of the STEM Partnership.
The partnership was established after Gov. Rick Snyder asked the Michigan Mathematics and Science Centers Network, which includes the Seaborg Center, to head efforts to promote STEM education in Michigan.
The Seaborg Center’s meeting was one of five in the region that comprise the Superior Hub.
Collectively, they developed a list of goals and ideas about what the Superior Hub will do to promote STEM in the Upper Peninsula. The goals include securing funding and locations for STEM-learning field trips, involving businesses in mentoring support and opportunities in and out of schools, engaging families in STEM activities that include knowledge of STEM careers and economic realities, and incorporating STEM concepts into all areas of curriculum at all ages. The Superior Hub's plan is to host at least one event in the next year for local students.
“The main effort is to let students know about opportunities and what’s available in STEM fields and make it fun. We don’t have a lot of our students going into STEM,” Homeier said.
Michigan organizations that promote the STEM fields in any way can register their organization on the Partnership website under “Share your STEM assets” or “Share your STEM resources.” The partnership would like to gather information about all businesses, organizations and individuals who can contribute to STEM awareness.
“If we can find out what’s out there, we’ll have synergy for STEM education,” Homeier said. |
