Smithsonian Science Education Center – PHENND https://phennd.org We are a network of over 25 colleges and universities that strengthens service learning in Philadelphia, connecting academics with community involvement. Mon, 01 Dec 2025 15:41:45 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 Smithsonian Science Education Leadership Summit (SSELS) – Apply by Jan 5 https://phennd.org/update/smithsonian-science-education-leadership-summit-ssels-apply-by-jan-5/ Mon, 01 Dec 2025 15:41:45 +0000 https://phennd.org/?post_type=update&p=87069 We are now accepting applications for the Smithsonian Science Education Leadership Summit, taking place at Drexel University in Philadelphia from March 27 to March 29, 2026. This free three-day summit focuses on empowering teams from schools, districts, state organizations, or STEM education non-profits to develop strategies to recruit or retain K-12 STEM teachers in the classroom.

Applications are open until January 5, 2026.

Learn more and apply.

]]> 2025 Diversity in STEM Education Summit: Building a Coalition for Attracting and Retaining a Diverse STEM Teaching Workforce – Dec 13 https://phennd.org/update/diversity-in-stem-education-summit-building-a-coalition-for-attracting-and-retaining-a-diverse-stem-teaching-workforce-dec-13/ Mon, 02 Dec 2024 16:15:47 +0000 https://phennd.org/?post_type=update&p=84945 The Smithsonian Science Education Center in collaboration with Shell USA, Inc. is hosting an annual STEM Education Summit to engage leadership teams throughout the US who have identified problems of practice related to attracting and retaining a diverse STEM teaching workforce. This Summit is a highly interactive experience, with a clear outcome at the end – giving education systems the tools to develop district-specific “action plans” for addressing this problem, with support from Smithsonian Science Education Center mentors, coaches, and advisors.

The 2025 Diversity in STEM Education Summit will be held between March 21 – 23, 2025 in Washington, DC.

The deadline to submit a team application is Friday, December 13, 2024 at 5:00pm Eastern.

Learn more and apply.

]]> 2024 Diversity in STEM Education Summit – Feb 23-24 (Application Deadline Extended) https://phennd.org/update/2024-diversity-in-stem-education-summit-feb-23-24/ Thu, 02 Nov 2023 14:46:25 +0000 https://phennd.org/?post_type=update&p=82615 ***Deadline to apply has been extended to December 21, 2023***

The Smithsonian Science Education Center in collaboration with Shell USA, Inc. hosts an annual STEM Education Summit to engage leadership teams throughout the US who have identified problems of practice related to attracting and retaining a diverse STEM teaching workforce. This Summit is a highly interactive experience, with a clear outcome at the end – giving education systems the tools to develop district-specific “action plans” for attracting and retaining minority STEM teachers to leadership roles while remaining in the classroom.

The 2024 Diversity in STEM Education Summit will be hosted in Washington, D.C. PLEASE NOTE: Summit dates have been changed to February 23 – 25, 2024. 

The deadline to apply as a team or mentor is 5:00 PM Eastern, Friday, December 15, 2023.

Learn more.

]]> STEM Education Summit: Building a Coalition for Attracting and Retaining a Diverse STEM Teaching Workforce – Jan 20 https://phennd.org/update/stem-education-summit-building-a-coalition-for-attracting-and-retaining-a-diverse-stem-teaching-workforce-jan-20/ Thu, 12 Jan 2023 23:35:25 +0000 https://phennd.org/?post_type=update&p=80689 To continue to confront the underrepresentation in STEM teaching and leadership, Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) is hosting the 2023 Diversity in STEM Education Summit between March 3 – March 5, 2023, in-person at Dillard University in New Orleans, Louisiana. Like previous cohorts, selected teams will have access to a mentor and experts in industry and education, to develop a plan of action that will drive change toward increased diversity among educators in their STEM ecosystem.

The deadline to apply as a team or mentor is January 20, 2023.

Learn more.

]]> The Zero Barriers in STEM Education: Accessibility and Inclusion Program – May 27 https://phennd.org/update/the-zero-barriers-in-stem-education-accessibility-and-inclusion-program-may-27/ Wed, 04 May 2022 17:03:05 +0000 https://phennd.org/?post_type=update&p=78959 The Smithsonian Science Education Center’s Zero Barriers in STEM Education Accessibility and Inclusion Program is an initiative focused  on increasing the prevalence of accessible and inclusive practices in STEM education and school culture for students with disabilities.  The program convenes teams of educators representing schools, districts, and state education agencies across the US together for an education summit, to develop logic models that focus on a problem of practice related to accessible and inclusive STEM programs and school culture within their context for students with disabilities. The program also provides mid-year professional development to educators selected for the program.

The Summit: Over the course of 2 ½ days between July 12 -14, 2022 in our nation’s capital, teams, and their assigned mentor, work together to identify their problem and develop their plan of action to be implemented for 18 months following the summit. Developing a logic model at the summit is the first of many steps that educators take to serve as change agents in their organizations, when participating in this program. As team members build their capacity to be leaders and initiate change in their educational ecosystem, we also want them to understand the importance of engaging all stakeholders in decision-making processes, especially when addressing systemic issues. To that end, teams must also be comprised of a diverse group of individuals that operate within different areas of the organization, that include a teacher or administrator who has expertise in working with students with disabilities.

The deadline to apply as a team or mentor is Friday, May 27, 2022 at 5pm Eastern.

Learn more.

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