DoD STEM, TGR Foundation announce third cohort of national educator ambassadors
After a rigorous selection process, TGR Foundation and DoD STEM, recently announced its third cohort of DoD STEM Ambassadors with 22 STEM educators from across the country. Bringing decades of experience, the ambassadors will share and support the DoD’s educational outreach efforts through the Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC). TGR Foundation began managing the collaborative partnership between academia, industry, not-for-profit organizations and government in 2021 and will continue to lead the program for a second year. The DoD STEM Ambassador program aims to broaden STEM literacy and develop a diverse and agile workforce with the technical excellence to defend our nation.
Jessica Bibbs-Fox and Beverly Berekian, STEM educators from Compton, CA and Anaheim, CA, respectively, have participated in professional development programs through TGR Foundation since 2014, and are among the educators selected for the 2022 cohort.
“TGR Foundation has been committed to STEM education for 25 years, both with students and teachers like Jessica,” said Eric Moore, senior director of digital programs. “We’re proud to have the opportunity to manage the second year of the STEM Ambassador Program and expand our work with educators across the country.”
A notable addition this year is educators from community colleges and state universities, as well as a representative of NAVAL STEM who joins middle and high-school teachers, district curriculum specialists, program coordinators and administrators – all dedicated to raising the bar for STEM instruction with special focus on military-connected students and those traditionally underrepresented in STEM fields.
STEM Ambassadors will present at national and regional educational conferences, including The National Science Teachers Association meetings and the Educating for Careers conference. Each Ambassador will each be responsible for publishing a Planning for Impact project – example subjects include: “Providing Coding Opportunities to Underrepresented Students;” “Increasing the Number of Students Enrolling in AP STEM Classes;” and “Helping First-Generation College Students Navigate Their First Year as a STEM Major.” The STEM Ambassadors will also publish a first-person blog and join efforts to build a STEM Ecosystem of like-minded educators in their community.
Learn more about the DoD STEM on the DoD STEM website at dodstem.us/meet/ambassadors. Educators interested in receiving information about applying to future cohorts should contact Eric Moore at EMoore@TGRFoundation.org. The application period will begin in the spring of 2023 for a fall start date.
ABOUT DOD STEM AND DSEC
DSEC is a collaborative partnership of STEM-focused organizations dedicated to addressing and prioritizing our Nation’s STEM talent. DSEC aims to broaden STEM literacy and develop a diverse and agile workforce with the technical excellence to defend our Nation. Through strategic investment in STEM education and outreach activities, the effort will provide students with more exposure to educational and career opportunities, as well as DoD research. DSEC is led on behalf of DoD STEM by RTI International. For more information, visit https://dodstem.us/stem-programs/partners.
