Connecting People. Strengthening Institutions. Advancing STEM.
Philosophy of Initiative:
Across the United States, universities, community colleges, professional societies, nonprofit organizations, federal agencies, foundations, industry partners, educators, and researchers are working to strengthen STEM education and research. Each contributes valuable expertise, resources, and experience. However, opportunities often remain for these groups to communicate more effectively, learn from one another, and develop lasting partnerships.
This initiative is designed to help build those connections.
Our goal is not to create another organization that duplicates existing programs or competes for resources. Instead, we seek to strengthen the national STEM ecosystem by bringing people and organizations together, encouraging shared learning, and supporting collaborations that expand opportunities for students, faculty, institutions, and communities.
Our goal is not to build another organization. It is to build stronger connections among the outstanding organizations and institutions already working to advance STEM education and research.
Our Mission
To strengthen the national STEM ecosystem by improving communication, fostering collaboration, promoting institutional learning, and building long-term relationships among organizations and institutions committed to advancing STEM education, research, workforce development, and student success.
Our Vision
We envision a national STEM community in which institutions and organizations routinely share knowledge, learn from one another, combine their strengths, and work together to address complex educational, research, and workforce challenges.
Rather than asking only, “What can our organization accomplish?” we encourage participants to ask:
What can we accomplish together?
What We Do
The initiative creates opportunities for leaders, educators, researchers, organizations, and institutions to connect around shared goals and challenges. Activities may include:
National conversations and listening sessions
Communities of practice
Institutional and organizational partnerships
Faculty and leadership mentoring
Strategic planning discussions
Campus-based and virtual engagement
Undergraduate research and student-success collaborations
Research-capacity and workforce-development initiatives
A National Expert Resource Network
Sharing successful practices, resources, and institutional models
These activities will be shaped collaboratively by the advisory council, participating organizations, and the institutions and communities the initiative seeks to serve.
A Relationship-Centered Approach
We believe meaningful and lasting progress begins with relationships.
Strong relationships allow institutions to share challenges openly, identify common priorities, and develop solutions that reflect their individual missions and circumstances. They also make it possible for organizations to coordinate their efforts, reduce unnecessary duplication, and extend the reach of successful programs.
The initiative therefore emphasizes listening before advising, collaboration before prescription, and long-term engagement rather than one-time assistance.
What Makes This Initiative Different
This initiative is not intended to become a professional society, consulting company, accrediting body, grant-making organization, or competitor to existing organizations.
It is a collaborative framework intended to:
Convene people and organizations around shared priorities
Connect institutions with expertise, resources, and potential partners
Catalyze collaborations that may not otherwise occur
Facilitate shared learning across institutional and organizational boundaries
Strengthen the work of organizations already serving the STEM community
Success will be measured not by the size of the initiative itself, but by the quality of the relationships, partnerships, and opportunities that emerge from it.
Who We Hope to Engage
The initiative welcomes participation from organizations and individuals across the STEM ecosystem, including:
Colleges and universities
Community colleges
Minority-Serving Institutions
Professional societies
Nonprofit and educational organizations
Federal and state agencies
Foundations and philanthropic organizations
Industry and workforce partners
Faculty, administrators, staff, and students
Retired and emeritus educators and researchers
Community and regional partners
Every organization has something to contribute, and every institution has something to learn.
Our Guiding Principles
Communication
Open and sustained communication helps organizations better understand one another’s work, challenges, and priorities.
Collaboration
Complex national challenges require the combined strengths of multiple institutions, organizations, and sectors.
Relationships
Trusting relationships provide the foundation for long-term cooperation, mentoring, and institutional progress.
Shared Learning
Institutions become stronger when they exchange ideas, experiences, successful practices, and lessons learned.
Respect for Institutional Context
Each institution has a distinct history, mission, student population, and set of opportunities. Effective collaboration must recognize and respect those differences.
Complementarity
The initiative seeks to support and amplify existing organizations rather than replace, duplicate, or compete with them.
Join the Conversation
The initiative is currently being shaped through conversations with leaders from higher education, professional societies, nonprofit organizations, government, philanthropy, industry, and other sectors of the STEM community.
We invite individuals and organizations to help refine the vision, identify important national priorities, recommend potential partners, and explore ways that stronger communication and collaboration can benefit the broader STEM ecosystem.
Together, we can build stronger institutions, expand opportunities for students and faculty, and create a more connected and effective national STEM community.
Current Makeup of Advisory Council
Dr. Eugene Billiot - Chemistry Professor at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
Afzal Hassan - QEM, Staff Associate and Senior IT Specialist
Dr. Mercy Mugo - QEM, Executive Director
Dr. Diana Marinez - former Dean of the College of Science and Technology, Texas A&M Corpus Christi
Dr. Maggie Werner-Washburne - Regents Professor Emerita and Founder, STEM Boomerang, UNM
Dr. Maria Elena Zavala - Professor of Biology, U-RISE and Bridges to the Ph.D. Program Director; CSU Northridge
Dr. Sherrie Green - retired NSF program Director
Dr. Elsa M. Gonzalez - Assistant Provost for Strategic Educational Partnerships - Texas A&M University, former NSF program Director
Advancing Key STEM Pillars
We drive progress in critical areas that strengthen the entire STEM ecosystem, fostering institutional synergy and collective impact through our guiding principles.
Student Success & Faculty Development
Workforce & Research Capacity
AI & Institutional Partnerships
Empowering the next generation of STEM leaders and ensuring educators have the resources to innovate.
Building a robust STEM workforce and enhancing institutional research capabilities for national innovation.
Integrating cutting-edge AI frameworks and fostering strategic partnerships for ecosystem alignment.
100+
Institutions Connected
12+
National Collaborations
2000+
Students Impacted