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Generation STEM, Empowering Scientists of the Future
Year Published: 2024
The New York Academy of Sciences STEM Education 10-Year Report outlines the impact of its pipeline programs, which have reached over 450,000 individuals globally. The core strategy is to use research-based methods and engage scientists as mentors to provide students with inclusive, active learning experiences. The report highlights a significant impact: 50% of participating scientists show increased interest in education careers, and students demonstrate increased self-efficacy and workplace skills. Key outcomes include a 62% increase in students' interest in science and a 78% increase in their understanding of what it means to be a scientist.
Program Name: The New York Academy of Sciences Education Program
Program Description:
The New York Academy of Sciences is dedicated to delivering impactful, top-tier Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) programs. Their primary objective is to bridge the opportunity gap that prevents students from entering the STEM workforce. Through a variety of programs, they work to “cultivate a deep and long-lasting interest in STEM among student scientists, empowering and equipping them to actively develop the essential STEM skills necessary to shape the future of science.” Key programs include the Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program (ASMP), Scientist-in-Residence, The Junior Academy, and more.
Scope of the Evaluation: Statewide
Program Type: Summer, Afterschool
Location: New York
Grade level: Elementary School, Middle School, High School
Program Demographics:
More than 16,000 K-12 and higher education students in New York City and abroad annually enroll in their programs. The Afterschool STEM Mentoring Program works to reach underserved communities. Through virtual programming, students in more than 100 countries have participated in the New York Academy of Sciences' programs.
Program Website: https://www.nyas.org/
Evaluator: The New York Academy of Sciences
Evaluation Methods:
Methods include the longitudinal tracking of program participation and the administration of surveys focusing on student self-efficacy, interest, knowledge acquisition, and mentor career progression.
Evaluation Type: Non-experimental
Summary of Outcomes:
The 10-Year Impact Report highlights the following key outcomes across the Academy’s programs:
- Building STEM identity Participants show a high degree of positive growth, including a 62% increase in interest in science, a 77% increase in acquiring new knowledge, and a 78% increase in their understanding of what it means to be a scientist.
- Supporting skill development: Students develop essential behavioral and workplace skills, including self-efficacy, leadership, teamwork, problem-solving, and creative thinking. For instance, nearly 9 in 10 students who participated in the Junior Academy Innovation Challenges say they learned to collaborate and communicate in diverse teams (88%) and to apply the goal-setting skills they’ve developed through the experience in their own lives (86%).
- Developing educators: 50% of scientist mentors involved in the programs reported an increased interest in education as a profession, with 10% ultimately pursuing a career in education. The programs also increased confidence in teaching, mentoring, and communication skills for early-career scientists, with one scientist-turned-educator saying, “So many of my assumptions about high school teaching were wrong. In 10 weeks, my perspective on education changed…I fell in love with the students. The joy I experienced gave me the confidence that I could overcome challenges I may encounter as a public school teacher.”
