Helpful Tools: AEA365
Welcome to Insights & Opportunities: A Hub for Informal STEM Education!
Insights & Opportunities is a twice-monthly newsletter for educators, administrators, legislators, and advocates who recognize the importance of informal STEM learning.
This newsletter is brought to you by me, Sarah Dunifon, and my team at Improved Insights. I’m a long-time STEM educator, researcher, and equity advocate. Along with my team, I now work on cutting-edge informal STEM learning research and evaluation.
Each edition of this newsletter offers exciting insights, resources, and opportunities for informal STEM learning professionals, including funding opportunities, informal STEM learning research, evaluation tips and resources, and so much more! We hope you find it valuable. Now, let’s get started.
Helpful Tools: AEA365
Welcome back to our Insights! In 2024, we will be sharing a series of helpful tools, resources, and deep dives that focus on informal STEM education (ISE). These will include websites, podcasts, research briefs, news on emerging technologies in the ISE space, and other items that we think you’ll find valuable.
In this edition, we’ll be highlighting AEA365.
AEA 365 is a tip-a-day blog for evaluators to discuss their practice. This helpful blog is hosted by the American Evaluation Association, a professional organization for evaluators. Each post is authored by an evaluator who wants to contribute their professional knowledge to the larger community. With posts ranging from social work to data visualization, AEA365 has content available for any evaluation interest area.
Themed weeks, including some on STEM education, often make their appearance. For example, the week of January 7-13, 2024, was dedicated to Social Impact Measurement, and June 25 - July 1, 2023, was dedicated to STEM Education and Training. Check out this post on STEM career interest from that week.
To read the full article, check it out in our Insights.
Our Updates
Check out our refreshed Improved Insights website. We’ve reorganized our content and updated our branding, all aimed at making it more navigable and informative for you. Here’s a peek:
60-Second Suggestions
Here are a few of my favorite things this month, usually pertaining to informal STEM education and evaluation, but occasionally some fun personal stuff, too.
The Association for Women in Science Virtual Career Fair will occur on March 14, 2024, from 1:00-4:00pm EDT. Whether you're an informal STEM learning professional looking to help increase career awareness among your audiences or a graduate student or early career professional considering a career change, this virtual career fair will give you great insight into STEM careers and being a woman in STEM.
I’ve been following this fun Instagram account, @california.shelling. Rebecca regularly posts gorgeous and informative photos and videos about Pacific sea life. The account is a great follow for anyone interested in biology or marine life. Check out her recent post on shark eggs!
This article by Athena Jones, CNN, discusses a new Gallup poll conducted by the Walton Family Foundation, which found that Gen Z girls significantly lag behind boys in the level of interest expressed in STEM subjects, suggesting more must be done to close the gender gap. The article focuses on the important role that mentors play in engaging more young women in STEM subjects.
Opportunities
Check out these new opportunities for the informal STEM learning community.
Funding:
The Cleveland Foundation invites proposals from organizations in the Cuyahoga County area for the Frank Hadley Ginn & Cornelia Root Ginn Foundation. Grants ranging from $2,500 to $15,000 will be awarded to support efforts focused on education, including programs that promote academic success, social-emotional growth in students to help them excel in school, and in-school and after-school programs that supplement academic learning. Applications must be submitted by March 1, 2024.
The Los Angeles Dodgers Foundation (LADF) invites Los Angeles-area nonprofits to submit applications for funding. The LADF invests in proven programs that improve education, health care, homelessness, and social justice for all Angelenos. Submissions must be made by March 1, 2024, for the March-May review cycle.
The 2024 NOAA Great Lakes Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program is currently accepting applications. The program supports environmental education programs for thousands of students and teachers. These programs engage youth in meaningful watershed educational experiences (MWEEs) that provide memorable, hands-on, experiential learning that is not typically available within traditional classrooms. Applications are due February 29, 2024.
NOAA's Ocean Acidification Program (OAP) Education Mini-Grant Program is now open for submissions. The grants will provide federal financial assistance to develop ocean and coastal acidification education tools and programs in underserved and/or Indigenous communities or Tribes. Full proposals are due February 23, 2024.
Jobs and Fellowships:
The American Evaluation Association welcomes applications for its Graduate Education Diversity Internship Program. Interns will be assigned to a site near their home institution and will work on single or multiple evaluation projects at the site. All work will focus on building skills and confidence in real-world evaluation practices. Selected interns will receive a stipend of $15,000. Applications are due March 8, 2024.
Lancaster Science Factory is seeking a talented leader to chart new pathways for growth and engagement as its next Executive Director. The incoming Executive Director will demonstrate a passion for STEM education and be a strategic thinker, team builder, fundraiser, networker, and leader adept at translating vision into action to deepen community engagement, expand visibility, and enhance the organization’s social capital and mission. Annual salary starts at $120,000, and applications are due by February 23, 2024.
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, located in Concord, New Hampshire, seeks a talented and energetic Executive Director to lead the organization into its next chapter of success. The Executive Director will inspire a dedicated team of staff and volunteers alongside a 16-member Board to achieve strategic goals. The starting salary for the position is $120,000 annually. Applications for the position are due February 28, 2024.
Professional Development:
The Museum Assessment Program (MAP), supported by the American Alliance of Museums, is currently open for applications. MAP has supported over 5,000 small and mid-sized museums through a one-year process of self-assessment, institutional activities, and consultative peer review to strengthen their operations, plans for the future, and standards. Museums are invited to apply through February 15, 2024.
The Visitor Studies Association (VSA) is seeking applications for its Visitors Studies Association Conference Awards. The award will support attendance at the annual conference for newcomers who show great potential to contribute to the growth of VSA and the field of visitor studies. Applicants should have not yet attended the VSA in-person conference, will be in the early stages of their career, and have some experience in visitor studies but still need support and exposure to the field. Applications should be submitted by February 16, 2024.
Thanks for tuning in to this edition of Insights and Opportunities. While you’re waiting for the next edition, tell your friends! We appreciate you sending along a blog post you enjoyed, a job opportunity you think a friend should apply for, and resources you found valuable. Sharing this newsletter is the best way to support this work. Until next time - thanks!
