On February 28th, the Chicago STEM Pathways Cooperative (STEM Co-op) convened virtually.
Dr. Nichole Pinkard of Northwestern University spoke to attendees about the South Side STEM Learning Landscape Survey, the goals and potential of the project, and its synergy with the Co-op’s Citywide Surveys. Dr. Pinkard stressed the importance of relationships and connections between a wide variety of stakeholders as we work to provide STEM opportunities to youth. You can view yesterday’s full presentation at the link below.
Next, Co-op leadership shared how our work as a Cooperative fits into the national framework coming out of the White House. In alignment with the work of the Executive Branch’s Office of Science and Technology Policy and the STEMM Opportunity Alliance, we have identified six Action Areas that we hope to focus on in 2023 and beyond: Capacity Building, Direct Service, Dismantling Barriers in College Admissions, Research, Workforce, & Youth Voice. These scopes of work will help guide our meetings and initiatives going forward.
Finally, attendees split into breakout groups organized by sector, which served as a precursor to March’s Sector-Specific Meetings. These conversations helped orient each sector around the aforementioned Action Areas, and allowed attendees to discuss potential areas for expansion of their work and opportunities for further collaboration.
