San Diego, CA—The Fleet Science Center

A groundbreaking collaboration among community organizations has been awarded a prestigious grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Leadership Collaborative, composed of the Fleet Science Center, WorldBeat Center, Project New Village, Elementary Institute of Science, NERDS RULE INC. and Valencia Park/Malcolm X Branch of the San Diego Public Library, will use the $3.7 million dollar award to launch a four-year initiative focused on local stories of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

The STEM in Your Neighborhood (SiYN) initiative will engage residents from neighborhoods of Southeastern San Diego (NSSD), to bring forward stories of the communities’ rich history of and continued participation in science, technology, engineering, and math. Through storytelling, participatory research, and innovative approaches, the Leadership Collaborative will work with community members as they redefine their community’s STEM narrative for the future.

“This project reflects the strength of community partnerships and the power of story sharing to create lasting change,” said Dr. Mwenda KudumuBiggs, Vice President for Community Service and Engagement at the Fleet Science Center. “By collaborating with trusted partners and the residents of NSSD, we aim to reshape STEM narratives and ensure they reflect the lived experiences and aspirations of all communities.” The Leadership Collaborative will engage NSSD residents in sharing their STEM stories to surface community strengths and experiences and work with residents in participatory analysis to develop Community-Authored STEM Narratives. By centering the voices of those historically marginalized in STEM, the project will help dismantle barriers and inspire a future where STEM identities are inclusive and diverse.

Community impact research components of the project will be led by the Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education at the University of San Diego, participatory action research by Cynthia Kurtz, and project evaluation by Drs. Karyl Askew and Monifa Beverly (Karyl Askew Consulting and Beverly Consulting Group). The project will include leadership and direction from Makeda Cheatom (Executive Director, WorldBeat Center), Diane Moss (Executive Director, Project New Village), Yanet Lopez (Community Collaborative Grants and Engagement Manager, Fleet Science Center) and Dr. Mwenda KudumuBiggs (Vice President for Community Service and Engagement, Fleet Science Center), all serving as co-principal investigators. United in their commitment to creating equitable opportunities in STEM and fostering a sense of belonging for all community members, the Leadership Collaborative aims to produce a toolkit to help other communities create localized STEM narratives and advance equity in STEM and STEM education.