InterMountain STEM
The InterMountain Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Launch Pilot (IM STEM).
IM STEM is a network of STEM educators and leaders across six states (CO, ID, NM, NV, UT, and WY) working to support STEM equity at key transition points (middle school to high school and high school to college).
Who we are
We work together to support academic pathways and workforce development programs that encourage increased participation by females and underserved populations (women, members of underrepresented racial and ethnic groups, persons with disabilities, and persons with low socioeconomic status). The National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (NAPE) serves as the backbone for the network.
What we do
- Foster new partnerships to amplify the impact of organizations working on STEM equity
- Support and grow a robust network across six states using a collective impact model
- Develop an asset map of current STEM programs in our network
- Create a data dashboard to monitor STEM equity in the region
- Identify, share and scale best practices and successful programs
- Share lessons learned from successful pilot projects across the network
- Deliver NAPE’s professional development program with educators, including counselors and advisors
IM STEM: Using Collective Impact to Broaden Participation in STEM and CTE through a Multi-State Systems Approach
This report shares the experiences of the members of the IM STEM network as they piloted the use of collective impact as a model for creating state level systems change to impact equity gaps in STEM and CTE. The authors share the success, challenges and recommendations for those who would want to consider implementing a similar model.
STEM Equity Program Evaluation Rubric
A tool for evaluating the factors that influence access and success for underrepresented students in STEM education.
Network Meetings
The IM STEM Network meets quarterly to learn about best practices in broadening participation in STEM for students in middle school, high school, and community college programs in the participating states. Presentations include a focus on outreach and recruitment events, in-school programming and state and local policy supporting STEM equity. Recommend a program to be highlighted by sending an email to lriegel@napequity.org.
9/24/20: Make the Future™ – Connecting Girls to Advanced Manufacturing. This IM STEM Network Meeting focused on strategies for recruiting women and girls into Advanced Manufacturing pathways and included effective programs from the IM STEM states. Click here for a recap of our Sept 2020 Network Meeting.
5/21/20: LET’s TALK: A Path to Educational Equity – IM STEM Continues the Conversation. As a follow-up to the initial LET’s TALK webinar, the IM STEM Network hosted a continuation of the conversation on Thursday, May 21 at 2pm MT with two IM STEM network members: Snehal Bhakta, CTE Administrator, Clark County School District, Las Vegas, Nevada and Lauren Jones, CTE Program Director, Colorado Community College System, Denver, Colorado. Click here for a recap of our May 2020 Network Meeting.
3/19/20: Broadening Participation in STEM in Rural Communities.This quarterly IM STEM Network Meeting focused on strategies for increasing the participation of underrepresented students in STEM in rural communities. Programs that have been successful in working in rural communities to expand STEM education opportunities for students at the state, regional and local level were also highlighted. Click here for a recap of our March 2020 Network Meeting.
12/12/19: Using the STEM Equity Program Rubric for Program Improvement: Learn how you can use the STEM Equity Program Evaluation Rubric to improve your program. Three STEM practitioners share how they used the rubric to be more inclusive and support access and success for students who historically have not engaged in STEM. Click here for a recap of our December 2019 Network Meeting.
9/18/19: Set Your GPS to Student Success: Promoting Positivity Through Micromessaging and Evaluating the Factors that Build Equity in STEM Programs. Click here for a recap of our September 2019 Network Meeting.
5/22/19: English Learners in STEM Subjects: Transforming Classrooms, Schools, and Lives. The imperative that all students, including English learners (ELs), achieve high academic standards and have opportunities to participate in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) learning has become even more urgent and complex given shifts in science and mathematics standards. Click here for a recap of our May 2019 Network Meeting.
2/20/19: Jeff Weld, Ph.D., Executive Director for the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council and STEM Education Policy consultant for the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy shared information about the development of a national strategic plan for STEM education and took questions from participants. Click here for a recap of our February 2019 Network Meeting.
11/13/18: After hearing about our growing numbers and how the network is expanding throughout each state, members from each state shared an example of a program in their state focused on broadening participation in STEM. Workgroup leaders shared their goals and progress and network members were encouraged to join a workgroup and share information about the network to their contacts. Click here for a recap of our November 2018 Network Meeting.
8/9/18: IM STEM’s asset mapping teams aims to support the development of asset maps in all IM STEM network states. Some states already have maps, including Idaho and Wyoming, and representatives from these states shared their asset maps and how they developed them. Click here for a recap of our August 2018 Network Meeting.
5/2/18: After a short introduction of steering committee members, staff, and network members, members from each state shared an example of a program in their state focused on broadening participation in STEM. Click here for a recap of our May 2018 Network Meeting.
1/29/18: Steering committee members and network members were introduced. There was a review of NSF INCLUDES and the IM STEM Project. An overview of the workgroups was presented along with suggestions for how to get involved. Click here for a recap of our January 2018 Network Meeting.
Newsletters
Our network is open, free and inclusive for anyone interested in STEM equity.
How you can engage
Our members have the opportunity to engage in a number of ways.
Networker level
Benefits
- Join our online community and network with other professionals interested in STEM equity
- Receive monthly newsletters where you can learn about STEM programs
- Attend virtual quarterly network meetings for professional development, program sharing and discussion
Expectations
- Engage in discussions, post resources and build your network on social media
- Keep us informed of the initiatives and programs happening in your community to help us expand our asset map
- Help us grow the IM STEM network by sharing our work with your contacts and inviting them to join
Influencer level
Benefits
- All the benefits of a networking member
- Voice into the regional agenda related to equity in STEM and STEM initiatives
- Input into the design of high-quality STEM programming
- Opportunity for leadership in the IM STEM network
Expectations
- All expectations of a networking member
- Help IM STEM connect with key leaders in your states and communities through personal outreach
- Serve on a workgroup and lead the evolution of our work. Click here to download descriptions of our workgroups.
Join IM STEM today!
This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1744472. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
