When reflecting on the SciTech Institute and the recent 2019 Arizona STEM and Innovation Summit, I am both humbled and filled with gratitude for the synergy of dedicated collaborators, investors and staff.
Since moving back to Arizona in 2010 to launch the Arizona SciTech Festival, the number of interested businesses, non-profits, schools, and universities has grown significantly. This is evident in the more than 3,000 quality events during the 2019 Festival. From maker spaces and da Vinci Robots to UAVs and rocket launches, the activities afforded to Arizonans continue to diversify and grow by the year. As Arizona transitions to a more STEM-based economy, the number of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) organizations choosing to make the investment of “time, talent, and treasure” to grow Arizona’s STEM capital has been remarkable.
We extend a heartfelt thank you to our 900+ collaborators for providing the approximately 560,000 attendees with experiences that help them understand how STEM is part of their daily lives and its importance to Arizona’s economic future. We are also extremely grateful to our long-time supporters–Cox, ACA, ABOR, SRP, Intel, Freeport, MAC6, Arizona Renaissance Festival and State Farm and welcoming newer supporters such as CISCO, Arizona Community Foundation, ViaSat, ON Semi, USAA, AccountabilIT, Univision, Southwest and Verizon, Traction2, and Lane Terralever–for sharing our vision.
Finally, I am so appreciative to have such an amazing team. In addition to excelling at their diverse skills, our staff share a common thread of viewing their jobs at the Institute as part of their life’s work and passion. This shows daily in the extra steps they take, in their creativity, and their dedication to our many collaborators and participants in Arizona and beyond. All combined, we are lucky to have this connected community around STEM or STEM Ecosystem working to make Arizona a better place to live today and tomorrow.
Sincerely,
Dr. Jeremy Babendure
Executive Director, SciTech Institute
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Thank you for the support of the 2019 Arizona STEM and Innovation Summit at the Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts on Tuesday, September 17, 2019. The participants truly helped to cultivate STEM engagement in Arizona and we appreciate your willingness to showcase what the Ecosystem has to offer. Attendees, exhibitors, and presenters were able to spark connections and truly engage in topics of meaningful conversation to encourage action.
Let’s keep the energy and momentum going! If you would like to have an encore or meet to brainstorm other ways to get involved please let us know! Listen in on a few conversations from the day here.
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Coming soon – Join us for the 2020 Festival Season!
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We are excited to announce that this year’s Arizona SciTech Festival print program will be featured in Bear Essential News and will be distributed to their network of over 300,000 readers monthly. Keep an eye out for additional print programs, stickers, and bookmarks being distributed to schools and community hubs starting in January.
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Join us for the annual kickoff event, Connect2STEM on Saturday, January 25 at the University of Arizona in Downtown Phoenix.
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STEM Learning Ecosystems Convening in Cleveland
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SciTech Institute team members joined over 500 STEM Learning Ecosystem collaborators at the fall convening held at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland. Sessions focused on how to represent different communities within the greater state ecosystem, challenging discussions on how to track community engagement and the impact of informal STEM education. It is important that we listen to those we serve in order to strengthen our state’s STEM ecosystem. If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions about STEM and community, please connect with our STEM Learning Ecosystem Lead – Lisa Gallagher Schromm at lgallagher@scitechinstitute.org
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Rural Activation and Innovation Network
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Shout out to the RAIN network in Cochise County! Willcox Middle School students helped plant trees during the Tree Planting Drive on October 10th at Willcox Cemetery.
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“Gracias a los estudiantes que hoy nos visitaron en los estudios para participar en “Univision Arizona Media Technology Day” – Un evento para promover carreras en #STEM e inspirar a los pequeños por nuestro equipo de noticias e ingenieras de General Motors.”
Univision Arizona hosted over 60 Dual Language 3rd & 4th graders from Laveen Elementary School District. The Laveen Chief Science Officers served as small group leaders during the day focused on increasing STEM career awareness.
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Governor’s Celebration of Innovation
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Congratulations to the Arizona Technology Council team for hosting the 2019 Governor’s Celebration of Innovation! Arizona Commerce Authority joined Governor Ducey and more than 850 Arizona business and community leaders at the Phoenix Convention Center. The Governor highlighted Arizona’s first-in-the-nation accomplishments in emerging technology. He encouraged the crowd to celebrate the incredible momentum in our state’s economy.
Click here for a list of winners.
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Chief Science Officer’s International Summit
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Read CSO blogs at ChiefScienceOfficers.org
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October 6th – 12th proved to be an incredible week for 19 Chief Science Officers. Delegates from 7 CSO regions, including Kuwait, Mexico and Arizona, gathered in Washington, D.C. for the 2nd Annual CSO International Summit.
The 19 delegates completed over 75 Congressional visits, interacted with STEM professionals at the DIA and NASA, communicated goals for STEM Education at NSF and built a stronger network of globally connected 6th-12th graders!
Read CSO Marissa’s Blog Article for more details.
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Iron Mountain celebrated International Data Center Day with a VIP tour on October 29th at the Phoenix location! Parents and students had questions for the sales team as they toured the 30 acre facility.
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Opportunities are available to support the Arizona Science and Engineering Fair!
MARCH 26 & 27 2020
PHOENIX CONVENTION CENTER
Click here for more details!
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The Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers hosted its 45th annual national convention from Oct. 30 to Nov. 3, bringing thousands of people from across the nation together at the Phoenix Convention Center.
SHPE is an organization dedicated to empowering the national Hispanic community to realize its academic and professional potential in order to impact the world through STEM awareness and development.
Click here to read more – SHPE News
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On November 9th, students of all coding skill levels in the Phoenix area gathered on the campus of University of Advancing Technology (UAT) for CodeDay, a 24-hour event hosted nationally by SRND. Students are immersed in coding, build games and apps, learn a variety programming languages, participate in a cyber competition, attend workshops, present projects, and compete for awards and code-master bragging rights. The event is held three times a year to promote interest in programming and related STEM studies at a young age.
Read more on UAT – Click Here!
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