Programs and Affiliations

By consolidating and coordinating existing outreach programs and by creating new ones that will have a significant impact on the STEM pipeline, on STEM teaching and learning in GK-16, on GK-12 STEM outreach, and on STEM Education Research, this Center aims to solidify Northeastern University's role as a major contributor to the improvement of K-16 Education in Boston
and the state of Massachusetts.

Current Center for STEM Education Programs

Boston Science Partnership – The Boston Science Partnership (BSP) is an NSF funded program bringing together Northeastern University, University of Massachusetts Boston and Boston Public Schools with the aim of raising student achievement in science, beginning with 6th grade and all the way through the university level.

Boston Summer Advanced Math/Bridge to Calculus -- Boston Summer Advanced Math prepares underserved urban high school students for their calculus course in their senior year in high school. The program also links rising seniors with one-on-one counseling to prepare for college. Reform precalculus prepares students for calculus in their high schools, and for college. Counseling from Bottom Line prepares for college.

Capsule (CAPStone Unique Learning Experience) - Through this NSF-funded ITEST grant, Northeastern University (NU), in collaboration with the Museum of Science (MoS) and the Boston Public Schools (BPS), will develop a replicable model for the integration and implementation of an innovative, engineering design project-based high school STEM curricula within diverse urban school districts. The approach is designed to interest students in STEM careers, involve them in meaningful STEM-based engineering design project-based learning opportunities, and help school districts gear up effectively to meet the national demand for a skilled STEM workforce.

ExxonMobil Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp (BHSSC) – The Bernard Harris Summer Science Camp (BHSSC) is a program of The Harris Foundation, and is currently funded by Exxon Mobil. The foundation takes an active role in shaping education in students in middle and high school through college. The mission of this program is to enable youth, entering grades 6th, 7th, and 8th, to develop and achieve their full potential through support of social, recreational and STEM-based educational programs.

Greater Boston South Shore Science Partnership – A program which provides intensive professional development (PD) and support activities to middle school (MS) and high school science teachers with the goal of improving student outcomes in science. The PD courses lead to a Master's Degree (MEd in MS Science) at NU. Core Partners: Northeastern University, Lynn & Malden Public Schools. Supporting Partners: UMass Boston and the Educational Development Center.

Greater North Shore Science Partnership – A program which provides intensive professional development (PD) and support activities to middle school (MS) and high school science teachers with the goal of improving student outcomes in science. The PD courses lead to a Master's Degree (MEd in MS Science) at NU. Core Partners: Northeastern University, Lynn & Malden Public Schools. Supporting Partners: UMass Boston and the Educational Development Center.

Investing in Tomorrow's Engineering Leaders (ITEL) - This is a 2010-2011 Scholarship program providing financially needy students a scholarship and various resources in collaboration with the Bernard M Gordon Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems.

North Shore Science Partnership (NSSP) – The North Shore Science Partnership (NSSP), a collaboration between the Revere, Somerville, and Saugus Public Schools, and Northeastern University, is a new program funded by the Massachusetts Department of Education offering middle and high school science and math teachers an intensive course of study leading to the completion of 8 out of 10 of the courses required in Northeastern University's Masters of Education in Middle School Science program. Teachers have the option of taking individual courses as needed.

NSF STEP-UP - This five-year Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Talent Expansion Program - University Partnership (NU STEP-UP) seeks to increase the number of students receiving degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) disciplines. Our program will include STEM students from NU and collaborating Community Colleges (CC), with a special focus on recruiting and retaining traditionally underrepresented students in STEM studies in order to help them advance from one level to the next on the pathway to graduation and a successful career. The collaborating CCs include: MassBay Community College (MBCC), Wellesley, MA; Middlesex Community College, Lowell/Bedford, MA; and Northern Essex Community College, Haverhill/Lawrence, MA.

PRISM - PRISM is a National Science Foundation-funded program that seeks to increase the number of students majoring in science and mathematics at Northeastern, by attracting undeclared students in these fields as well as retaining the number of existing majors. Presently in its second year, PRISM provides a variety of offerings throughout the year to first and second year students interested in studying science and mathematics. During the fall semester, PRISM hosts weekly seminars in which leading researchers at the university present their work, engaging students in emerging topics in science and mathematics fields. In the spring, PRISM offers a no-cost one-credit course open to students interested in exploring these topics in further detail through team-based problem solving and, in May, it offers an intensive four-week summer program, which deeply engages students in various Science and mathematics research topics. These experiences lead to co-op opportunities for students to work as researchers in the labs on or off campus.

Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) – The Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program at Northeastern University and University of Massachusetts-Lowell is a six-week summer research experience funded by the National Science Foundation for middle and high school mathematics and science teachers and Community College STEM faculty.

Retirees Enhancing Science Education through Experiments and Demonstrations (RE-SEED) – RE-SEED is a Northeastern University program that prepares engineers, scientists, and other individuals with science backgrounds to work as volunteers, providing in-classroom support to upper elementary and middle school science teachers with teaching the physical sciences.

Step UP - This initiative aims to assist with the design and delivery of STEM professional development and student support for 10 partner schools as identified by the City of Boston and the coordination of programs and services across five university partners--Boston College, Boston University, Harvard University, Northeastern University and Tufts University.

Young Scholars Program (YSP) – The Young Scholars Program offers future scientists and engineers a unique opportunity for hands-on experience while still in high school. The program is open to Boston area applicants who have completed either their sophomore or junior year in high school.

Current Affiliated Centers & Programs
The Awareness and Localization of Explosives-Related Threats (ALERT) Center -ALERT is a multi-university Department of Homeland Security Center of Excellence (COE). The center seeks to conduct transformational research, technology and educational development for effective characterization, detection, mitigation and response to the explosives-related threats facing the country and the world. Taken from ALERT website 1/2010.

The Bernard M. Gordon Center for Subsurface Sensing and Imaging Systems (CenSSIS) - CenSSIS seeks to revolutionize our ability to detect and image biomedical and environmental-civil objects or conditions that are underground, underwater, or embedded within cells or inside the human body. Taken from the CenSSIS Fact Sheet (provided by NSF) 9/2007.

The Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing (CHN) - CHN is focused on developing tools and processes that will enable high-rate/high-volume bottom-up, precise, parallel assembly of nanoelements (such as carbon nanotubes, nanoparticles, etc.) and polymer nanostructures. Taken from CHN's website 9/2007.

Integrative Graduate and Research Traineeship (IGERT) - IGERT Nanomedicine Science and Technology is a new integrated doctoral education program in the emerging field of Nanomedicine, created with support from the National Cancer Institute and the National Science Foundation. Taken from IGERT website 9/2007.

MathPOWER - MathPOWER at Northeastern University is a non-profit organization dedicated to the improvement of math education for urban students. There is a growing need for advanced mathematical literacy, yet many students in Boston are currently struggling to achieve the state's "proficiency" standards. MathPOWER aims to prepare students to not only reach a level of proficiency, but also to achieve competency in advanced mathematics through a variety of programs and services. Taken from MathPOWER's website 9/2007.

National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) - The Center for STEM Education has worked closely with NSTA in planning networking sessions for RET participants at regional and national NSTA conferences.

Robotics: Fundamentals of Information Tehcnology and Engineering -- TechBoston and Northeastern University are working collaboratively in this comprehensive project to integrate an innovative robotics curriculum into science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses in the Boston Public Schools and in other racially diverse and economically disadvantaged Massachusetts school districts. Taken from ITEST website 9/2007.

© 2009 The Center for STEM Education • Suite 520 International Village • Northeastern University • 360 Huntington Ave., Boston, Massachusetts 02115