On May 31st, ORAU announced plans to lead a new, national initiative focused on advancing STEM education and workforce development. They are naming this initiative the ORAU STEM Accelerator (OSA). The vision is to be the nation’s leading catalyst for advancing STEM education through transformative and innovative approaches that strengthen the national economy, technological leadership, national security, and quality of life. The strategic direction is a solutions-based approach to determining the STEM workforce gaps through collaborations with public and private partners, driving research and development, advocating for innovative training and education solutions, shaping policy, and delivering tangible outcomes that will strengthen the overall capacity of the nation’s workforce.
ORAU is inviting ORAU University Consortium members to attend a virtual Listening Session for the STEM Accelerator with the goal of soliciting input that will help shape the planned Accelerator, which they expect to launch at the end of August. Four dates are available: July 19th, August 1st, August 15th, and August 17th.
These Listening Sessions will bring together university stakeholders with expertise and interest in STEM education to identify key themes, barriers, and issues related to recruiting and retaining STEM students, incorporating emerging technologies, establishing key partnerships, and influencing policy. The sessions will focus specifically on the K-12 level. Input from the listening sessions will be used to shape the ORAU Stem Accelerator (OSA) FY24 priorities, and will be presented and further discussed at the 2024 ORAU Annual Council of Sponsoring Institutions Meeting.
All four sessions will have the same format and cover the same material. You are encouraged to bring your partners to the session to share your best practices and lessons learned. All registered attendees will receive a list of the discussion questions the week before the session.
