Seaborg Center participates in promotion of STEM college and career readiness

Northern Michigan University’s Seaborg Center is participating in the Michigan STEM Partnership to promote the education and awareness of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). The Seaborg Center and the four other U.P. Math and Science Centers hosted a meeting on Thursday, Nov. 3 that brought local community and NMU  leaders together to discuss how they could increase STEM college and career readiness 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, director of the Seaborg Center and co-chair of the Superior Hub of the STEM Partnership.

The Michigan STEM Partnership began after Governor Rick Snyder asked the Michigan Mathematics and Science Centers Network, of which the Seaborg Center is a part of, to head efforts to promote STEM college and career readiness in Michigan. The Seaborg Center’s meeting was one of five similar meetings across the State of Michigan that makes up the Michigan STEM Partnership.  The meetings were held at five Michigan Mathematics and Science Centers Network locations and, like the Seaborg Center’s meeting, called upon local leaders to brainstorm ideas for making STEM an integral part of the community. 

Collectively the Superior Hub has come up with a list of goals and ideas about what it will do to promote STEM in the U.P. Those goals include finding 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 is hoping 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 need more students to go into STEM careers,” 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 STEM Partnership hopes to gather information about all businesses, industries, organizations, individuals and more that can contribute to STEM awareness which will make STEM outreach as effective as possible.

“If we can find and coordinate what’s out there, we’ll have synergy for increasing STEM interest,” Homeier said.

The next Superior Hub meeting will take place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Jan. 20 at the Seaborg Center, Room 2609.