Insights in 2025
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, jobs, professional development, informal STEM learning research, evaluation tips and resources, and so much more! We hope you find it valuable. Now, let’s get started.
Insights in 2025
In this edition of the newsletter, we want to hear from you! As we put together our Insights in 2025, we want to keep your top priorities in mind. We’ve put together a brief poll to better understand what you find valuable and interesting in the world of informal STEM education evaluation.
Thanks so much for sharing your perspectives with us. We are excited to incorporate your areas of interest as we move into 2025!
In the meantime, check out our Insights page for more about informal STEM education and evaluation.
60-Second Suggestions
Here are a few of our favorite things this month, usually pertaining to informal STEM education and evaluation, but occasionally some fun personal stuff, too.
This podcast episode from The Wild with Chris Morgan focused on the coral reef in Biscayne National Park and the impacts that climate change and coral bleaching have on the ecosystem. A team of researchers discussed their efforts to preserve the reef and prepare for a warmer future.
An article from the University of Louisville reflects on a recent study of 257 preschool and elementary school-aged children that found a significant shift in how young girls view women in STEM fields. The study centered on children’s perceptions of race and gender as related to scientific competency in adults, and found that children tended to favor adults that shared their gender. Researchers who conducted the study reflected on the importance of increased representation in media and the impact of language on young people’s perspectives.
The Modeling Zoos and Aquariums as Inclusive Communities of Science (MoZAICS) project, a joint collaboration between the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, Oregon State University, and Vanderbilt University supported by the National Science Foundation, is focused on developing an evidence-based framework of inclusive practices for zoos and aquariums that support science learning for people with autism. As part of the four-year project, MoZAICS has developed a toolkit of inclusive practices for zoos and aquariums that encompasses the full zoo/aquarium experience, including programs, exhibits, internships, volunteering, and employment opportunities.
Opportunities
Check out these new opportunities for the informal STEM learning community.
Funding:
2025 NOAA Pacific Northwest Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) Program, NOAA Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, up to $150,000. The 2025 NOAA Pacific Northwest Bay Watershed Education and Training (B-WET) program is currently accepting applications. The program supports locally relevant environmental education programs for students and teachers in grades K-12. These programs engage youth in meaningful watershed educational experiences (MWEEs) that provide memorable hands-on, experiential learning and that positively impact coastal, marine, and watershed ecosystems in the Pacific Northwest. Applications are due March 7, 2025.
Aim High Grant Program, New York Life Foundation via the Afterschool Alliance, up to $100,000. Nonprofits are invited to apply for one- and two-year grants ranging from $20,000-$100,000. Grants will be awarded to organizations that support the ability of community-based afterschool and summer learning programs to provide the foundational skills and guidance that middle school students need to be prepared for the critical transition into high school. Applications are due March 7, 2025.
Frank Hadley Ginn & Cornelia Root Ginn Foundation Grant Cycle, The Cleveland Foundation, up to $15,000. Organizations in the Cuyahoga County area are invited to apply for grants ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 in support of 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 are due March 1, 2025.
Garden Grant Program, Whole Kids Foundation, $3,500. Schools and nonprofit organizations will be awarded grants of $3,500 to turn outdoor spaces into hands-on learning gardens that connect kids with food, spark their curiosity, and support classroom curriculum. The program supports both new and existing edible educational gardens. Applications are due by March 5, 2025.
Gulf Research Program, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine, up to $750,000. Nonprofits, state, and local entities (excluding federal agencies) are invited to apply for grants up to $750,000 for programs that increase the scientific and environmental literacy and problem-solving skills of children and youth (K-8) in the Gulf of Mexico region. Applications should be submitted by March 19, 2025.
YLACES Grants, Youth Learning as Citizen Environmental Scientists (YLACES), $5,000. US environmental educators and organizations may apply for grants of up to $5,000 for initiatives to engage students in the environmental research and inquiry process. Specifically, these funds are intended to support students doing science and progress students beyond making environmental observations. Applications are due February 28, 2025.
Jobs and Fellowships:
Character Education Manager, Museum of Discovery and Science (Fort Lauderdale, FL), $60,000. The Character Education Manager will integrate positive character development into educational experiences, fostering critical thinking, caring, cooperation, and confidence in learners of all ages. They will develop character-based curricula for current and new exhibits and programs, create training materials, and participate in staff training and evaluation processes.
Director of Museum Operations, Space Foundation (Colorado Springs, CO), $95,000. The Director of Museum Operations will lead the Space Foundation Discover Center by shaping the center's strategic vision, enhancing exhibits, and delivering exceptional visitor experiences. The Director will oversee the center's daily operations, lead exhibit and program development, and engage with the community and build partnerships with local schools, businesses, and other organizations.
Director of Strategic Philanthropy, Montshire Museum of Science (Norwich, VT), $85,000. The Director of Strategic Philanthropy will serve as part of the senior management team and will actively manage Montshire's portfolio of major gift-level donors, identify new donors, conduct donor research, and steward relationships with key donors. They will plan, coordinate, and implement special fundraising campaigns and other associated activities. Applications are due February 14, 2025.
Summer Student Fellowship, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (Woods Hole, MA), $700 weekly stipend. Summer Student Fellows will be awarded to undergraduate students who have completed their junior year by the start of the fellowship period. Fellows will pursue an independent research project under the guidance of the Scientific or Senior Technical Staff related to ocean sciences and engineering. The fellowship will take place during the summer of 2025. Applications are due February 5, 2025.
Youth Education Programs Intern, Coastal Maine Botanical Gardens (Boothbay, ME), $16.00/hour. The Youth Education Programs Intern will gain hands-on experience supporting and implementing youth and family programming at the Botanical Gardens. They will learn the art and science of live interpretation, increase gardening knowledge, and learn what it takes to maintain a children's garden. They will assist with the implementation of summer camp programs, assist visiting art instructors, and carry out daily informal educational activities. Applications are due February 18, 2025.
Professional Development:
Science for All Summit, Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, February 20-21, 2025 (Chapel Hill, NC). The third annual Science for All Summit, hosted by Morehead Planetarium and Science Center, will take place in Chapel Hill, NC February 20-21, 2025. The Summit provides an opportunity for educators, practitioners, researchers, thought leaders, and other change agents to advance inclusion, diversity, equity, and access in STEM.
Museum Assessment Program (MAP), American Alliance of Museums. 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 aimed at strengthening their operations, plans for the future, and standards. Museums are invited to apply through February 15, 2025.
Techbridge Girls STEM Equity Learning Community: Spring 2025, Million Girls Moonshot. Techbridge Girls is now accepting applications to join their Spring 2025 STEM Equity Learning Community. All out-of-school time (OST) supervisors and administrators for programs that serve Black, Indigenous, and Latina girls and gender-expansive youth are encouraged to apply. Applications are due February 17, 2025.
Science Talk '25, Science with Society, April 3-4, 2025 (Raleigh, NC). The Association of Science Communicators' annual conference will take place April 3-4, 2025 in Raleigh, NC. The 2025 conference will highlight the importance of ecosystem building over a wide spectrum of science communication activities, and explore how various areas of scicomm can come together to span boundaries and problem-solve.
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!
