Author: Brittany Sweeney-Lawson

Student Voices at the Center: CSOs Shine at 2025 SLECoP Convening

When a group of student leaders from across the country gathered in Washington, D.C. for the STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice (SLECoP) 2025 Convening, they didn’t just attend — they led. These students, known as Chief Science Officers (CSOs), represented the next generation of STEM thinkers, problem-solvers, and innovators through involvement in event sessions […]

Bridging STEM Ecosystems: A Journey from Arizona to Kenya

By Arizona STEM Ecosystem Director Claire Conway and Chief Science Officers International Program Director Eileen Healy Two SciTech Institute STEM leaders, one incredible journey. This past September, Arizona STEM Ecosystem Director Claire Conway and CSO International Program Director Eileen Healy traveled to Kenya to meet with educators, students, and community partners from the Kenya National […]

Blue Origin: Pioneering the Future of Space Exploration

By Sarah Cundiff, Chief Science Officer Program Manager, SciTech Institute Did you know the Sun is so big that one million Earths could fit inside it — and it’s still only considered an average star? Space is full of amazing facts like this, and scientists and astronauts are discovering more about our universe every day. […]

Youth Leading Youth: Great Lakes Bay CSOs Host Leadership Training Institute

On July 29–30, the Great Lakes Bay Region East Chief Science Officers (CSOs) gathered at Saginaw Valley State University for the 2025–2026 Leadership Training Institute (LTI). This year’s sessions focused on action planning, networking with STEM professionals, sharing their CSO vision, telling their story, and exploring the new Moodle platform. A highlight of the training […]

Let’s Grow Clayton: Planting Seeds of Change in Metro Atlanta

By CSO Jasmin, Metro Atlanta Region, Georgia Hi! I’m CSO Jasmin, and I proudly serve as the Chief Science Officer for the Metro Atlanta Region in Georgia. Being part of the CSO program has given me the tools, confidence, and platform to lead with purpose, and my action plan, Let’s Grow Clayton (LGC), is the […]

Pathways to Potential: Making STEAM Accessible for All

By AZ Chief Science Officer Shireen As the world increasingly relies on technology and innovation, the demand for STEAM careers (Science, Tech, Engineering, Arts, and Math) has skyrocketed. From artificial intelligence to brain-computer interfaces, STEAM is crucial to a country’s economics, innovation, security, and competitiveness. Despite this increasing demand, millions of students worldwide lack access […]