Building a STEM community Through Communication, Collaboration and Connection
Thank You for Attending the Last Virtual Roundtable Discussion
As we close this series of Roundtable discussions for 2021, we thank everyone that participated in the discussions. Each of these Roundtable events allowed our community members an opportunity to build a stronger STEM community by connecting education and business development for tomorrow’s workforce. The October 28th session highlighted the key influencers and engagement experiences that spark innovation for students in their career exploration through the STEM Community Platform. Dr. Levi Thiele, Director of Career Development at University of Nebraska Omaha, opened with a detailed description of why the STEM Community Platform was developed and its role in building our future workforce. Tony Veland, AIM Institute’s Director of Business Development, served as moderator to explore the role that the STEM Community Platform plays in support of that innovation journey. A special thank you to our Roundtable Series sponsors: UNO/ STEM TRAIL Center, BVH Architects, Avenue Scholars, Clarkson College, and Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium.
Be sure to post your program offerings for educators and/or students, including Internships on the STEM Community Platform: STEM Portal (aiminstitute.org)
Theory of Success
By Garret Higginbotham and Heather Daubert
Through our partnership with University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO), we have the opportunity to work with many undergraduate and graduate students. This semester we had the honor to work with two Doctoral students, Garret Higginbotham and Heather Daubert. They focused their Education Dissertation on the Theory of Success for the Omaha STEM Ecosystem. They concluded, “The collective voice of all stakeholder groups concludes that through Networking, Collaboration, Diverse Opportunities, and Community Awareness, OSE will foster success by bringing people to the organization, holding them active, growing the participation and producing opportunities which support the pipeline”. We appreciate all the work that our community partners do to help advance the STEM community in Omaha. To read the whole report click here.
Featured Founder
We are grateful to have the University of Nebraska at Omaha (UNO) and their STEM Teaching, Research and Inquiry-Based Learning Center (STEM TRAIL Center) as a Founder. UNO is one of the initial founders that helped launch the Omaha STEM Ecosystem nearly five years ago, and continues today to support various critical elements. UNO has been a wonderful collaborator and friend to many organizations and stakeholders within the OSE as we all strive to build a stronger STEM community. UNO’s Glacier Creek Prairie Visit program allows students and classes to enjoy the beauty and diversity of eastern Nebraska’s historic natural environment. Learn more about this program and other upcoming programs that UNO has to offer by visiting the STEM Community Platform at https://aiminstitute.org/member/offering/
Omaha Leadership Conference
The Omaha STEM Ecosystem had the opportunity to present to the Leadership Omaha Group hosted at Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium. We would like to thank Jocelyn Harrison, Lead Education Manager, for the opportunity to share the OSE’s role in building a stronger STEM community by connecting education and business development for tomorrow’s workforce.
Heartland Developers Conference
We had the pleasure of presenting two days at the Heartland Developers Conference hosted by the AIM Institute. This opportunity allowed the OSE to highlight the partnership with AIM
Institute, and sponsored by Cox Business, in developing the STEM Community Platform and the role it plays in ensuring access to high quality STEM resources. A special thank you to our panelist who spoke of their work to bridge the digital divide and their role in developing a competent and innovative workforce: Cox Business, CyncHealth, AIM Institute, University of Nebraska Medical Center, and University of Nebraska Omaha GenCyber. As a collective impact organization, we are the strongest when the community collaborates and communicates through a mutually reinforcing plan.
Boosting Omaha Area STEM Efforts
“Millions of STEM jobs go unfilled each year due to an ongoing nationwide shortage of STEM professionals.” The OSE is committed to transforming the Greater Omaha area into a robust center of STEM Innovation. The STEM Community Platform (SCP) is an online clearinghouse of information about program offerings, career information, internships and STEM resources.
The SCP will continue to grow throughout Nebraska thanks to our ongoing partnerships with Metropolitan Community College, Cox Communications, Facebook, AIM Institute, Clarkson College, CyncHealth, First National Bank of Omaha, Iowa West Foundation, Nebraska Department of Education, Nonprofit Association of the Midlands, Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Nebraska Tech Collaborative, Beyond School Bells, Prairie STEM and Million Girls Moonshot.
Learn more about how we’re building the area’s future workforce in Omaha World-Herald:https://omaha.com/opinion/columnists/midlands-voices-online-platform-boosts-omaha-area-stem-effort/article_5dddef60-3b41-11ec-9cdc-6bd7fc35034c.html.
Join our efforts to ensure five more years of STEM excellence and innovation. Your time, talent and treasure will help move our work forward as we transform Omaha into a robust STEM community where our talent pipeline can grow.
From all of us at the Omaha STEM Ecosystem, thank you for your continued support in making STEM Learning and STEM careers a priority in the Omaha area!
Julie Sigmon, Director of the Omaha STEM Ecosystem
