Informal STEM Education Opportunities Newsletter
December 2023
Welcome to the Informal STEM Education Opportunities Newsletter: a collection of opportunities, funding, and other programs of interest for folks in informal STEM learning spaces, brought to you by Improved Insights.
In addition to our existing monthly newsletter (which goes in-depth on an informal STEM learning evaluation topic), this newsletter highlights a selection of upcoming opportunities of interest to those working in informal STEM education.
In 2024, we’re relaunching our newsletters with your feedback and a new, more reader-friendly format. Thank you to everyone who gave their thoughts, and we look forward to continuing to provide valuable opportunities and insights each month. Stay tuned!
Here are a few things that caught our eye this month:
Funding/RFPs:
The Glenn W. Bailey Foundation's STEM Stars program invites organizations supporting Middle and High School students participating or interested in advanced STEM programs and who ultimately want to pursue a college degree in a STEM-related field to apply for funding up to $50,000. Various STEM interest areas are supported by the grants, including Enrichment Activities, Assessment and Evaluation, and Parent and Community Engagement. Applications are considered on a rolling basis.
Many Hands invites nonprofits in the Washington, D.C. community to apply for their 2024-2025 grant cycle. Many Hands currently makes annual grants in four focus areas: empowerment, education, health, and housing. Grants of up to $100,000 will be awarded to selected applicants. Applications will be open January 2-19, 2024.
The National Science Foundation's Advanced Informal STEM Learning (AISL) Program is seeking project submissions from organizations that contribute to the research and practice of informal STEM learning’s role in equity and belonging in STEM, personal and educational success in STEM, advancing public engagement in scientific discovery, improving community vibrancy, and enhancing science communication and the public’s engagement in and understanding of STEM and STEM processes, among other impacts. Up to $3.5 million in funding over five years is available in certain project categories. Submissions are due January 10, 2024.
The San Diego Foundation’s Level Up SD 2024 Summer Grant program (conducted in partnership with San Diego Unified School District) invites nonprofit organizations in the San Diego area to apply. Grants up to $500,000 will be awarded to organizations that provide summer programming for local San Diego students to experience unique summer enrichment, including STEM and STEM-related experiences while combating summer learning loss. Applications will be accepted through January 9, 2024.
Fellowships:
The Association of Science and Technology Centers’ Civic Science Fellow for their Seeding Action program is currently accepting applications. The 18-month, full-time remote position is focused on leading collaborative planetary health action projects. The Fellow will lead the design, planning, and implementation of a project that builds capacity for science centers and museums to inspire widespread participation in planetary health action. Fellows will receive a $90,000 base salary.
Harvard University's Center for Education Policy Research is seeking a Strategic Data Project Fellow. Researchers, analysts, and professionals with strong analytic capabilities, familiarity with research design, and evidence of leadership are encouraged to apply. The fellowship is a two-year placement, and fellows will participate in high-impact professional development with Harvard-affiliated faculty, using their data and leadership talent to improve students' lives. Fellows will receive a salary of $75,000-$90,000. Applications are currently open through February 12, 2024.
Jobs
Cleveland Metroparks Zoo in Cleveland, OH is hiring a Director of Education and Engagement. The Director will be responsible for directing and implementing the Zoo’s community engagement and conservation education programming, mission-based messaging, and graphic/exhibit development, along with library/multimedia/digital resources and volunteer training and evaluation. The salary range is $99,000-$124,000 annually.
Gather New Haven is seeking an Executive Director (ED). The ED will provide the leadership and direction for the organization’s performance over time and will have expertise in program operations, community engagement, and donor relations. Salary range is $100,000-$125,000 annually, based on experience level.
The Hispanic Access Foundation is seeking a remote Program Manager (PM) for their STEM-focused program. The PM will oversee and coordinate all access of the program's activities. The position requires an understanding of STEM education and strong project management skills, and candidates must be bilingual in English and Spanish. Salary range is $60,000-$70,000 per year.
Michigan State University is hiring a Great Lakes Sea Grant and GLERL Liaison. The Liaison will provide regionwide leadership and programming expertise on Great Lakes coastal resilience as a liaison between the Great Lakes Sea Grant (GLSG) network and the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL). They will identify, design, implement, and evaluate research-based programs that meet current and projected outreach needs. Starting salary is $56,100 annually, and applications should be submitted by January 5, 2024.
Strategenius is seeking two Co-Directors for their Field Semester program. The Field Semester is a new immersive semester program in Port Costa, CA for high school juniors and seniors. The Co-Directors will help shape, pre-launch, launch, and successfully grow and develop the program that will accept its first cohort of students in Fall 2025 or Spring 2026. The salary range is $75,000-$100,000, and an additional housing stipend or free on-campus housing will be provided. Applications are being accepted through January 2, 2024.
Professional Development:
Expanding the Bench is recruiting Practicum Host Sites for the LEEAD Program. Practicum sites are evaluation firms, foundations, think tanks, universities, nonprofit agencies, and others committed to advancing culturally responsive and equitable evaluation (CREE). Practicum Sites will contract with LEEAD Scholars to complete discrete components of an evaluation project, executed virtually over several months. Selected Practicum Sites will have the opportunity to have a CREE thought partner and collaborator around a specific evaluation project. Site applications are open through December 22, 2023.
The Oregon Museum of Science and Industry (OMSI) is seeking participants for a paid study involving engineering exhibit development. Exhibit developers who have done or will do engineering design challenge exhibits are invited to contact Claire Quimby (claire@rockman.com) if they are interested in participating. The study will involve reviewing a set of design challenge resources created by OMSI that address topics such as Measuring Success, Designing Graphics, and Accessibility. Eligible participants should contact Claire Quimby no later than December 20, 2023. Selected participants will receive $200 in compensation upon completion of the study.
The University of Calgary is now accepting applications for its Critical Approaches to Environmental Education program. The program, which will be hosted virtually, focuses on current concerns regarding environmental challenges; associated racism and other societal inequities; related protest, activism, advocacy, and action; and implications for environmental education practice and research. Educators and administrators in early childhood, K-12, post-secondary, outdoor, community, non-profit, and government educational settings are all welcome to apply by March 1, 2024.
Conferences:
The 2024 American Association for the Advancement of Science's (AAAS) Annual Meeting will be held in person in Denver, CO, February 15-17, 2024. The Annual Meeting theme, Toward Science Without Walls, will explore the consequences of barriers that frequently fragment communities and consider solutions to these barriers, envisioning a seamless ecosystem that will drive more innovative, equitable, and rapid open science and technology.
The 2024 Informal Science Education Association Conference: Under the ISEA, Discovering the Depths of Informal Education will convene over 125 educators from across the state of Texas on February 14-16, 2024. The convening will occur at the Texas State Aquarium in Corpus Christi, TX. Early-bird registration ends on January 12, 2024.
LibLearnX, a professional development experience for library professionals hosted by the American Library Association, will be hosted in Baltimore, MD, from January 19-22, 2024. Attendees will participate in hands-on workshops, bite-size sessions, and other learning sessions focused on experiential learning.
The Visitor Studies Association (VSA) has called for session proposals for their 36th Annual Visitor Studies Association Conference. This conference will focus on capitalizing on the strengths of current practices while unearthing areas that require redefinition in order to advance quality and equity within Visitor Studies. Submissions should be made no later than January 12, 2024.
Other opportunities we should highlight? Jot them in the comments. If you liked this newsletter, please share it with a colleague.
