STEM Global Action
SCIENCE • TECHNOLOGY • ENGINEERING • MATH
STEM Global Action is a network and campaign that pursues the advancement of STEM education for children and communities everywhere. SGA is a resource for every individual, organization, government agency and others seeking to expand STEM education, especially in communities that have historically been under-resourced. SGA is where you come to learn more about the benefits of STEM and how these skills can change your life, and the lives of those in your community. We have state-of-the-art design and delivery of STEM-based activities, programs and events for K-12 students, families and communities. Our STEM Global Action programs provide unique interactive, hands-on learning experiences that help students of all ages deepen their knowledge of STEM skills, gain confidence in their abilities and chart a course for career opportunities in STEM-related fields.
STEM Global Action Podcast
Let’s Talk STEM with SGA’s Dr. Calvin Mackie
STEM GLOBAL ACTION in Your Community
Community Learning Programs
STEM NOLA Receives Prestigious Presidential Award For Excellence In Mentoring STEM Students
NEW ORLEANS, LA—President Joe Biden has awarded STEM NOLA the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). The New Orleans-based non-profit is a national leader in breaking down racial, ethnic, and gender barriers in teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to K-12 students.
The PAESMEM recognizes the nation’s top teachers and organizations for their efforts in mentoring students from underrepresented groups. “These awards honor the vital role that America’s teachers and mentors play in shaping the next generation of technical leaders, including scientists, engineers, explorers, and innovators,” said the presidential message announcing the awards. STEM NOLA is celebrated for its exceptional impact on the future of STEM education and workforce development. The award includes a $10,000 prize.
STEM NOLA celebrates six Fellows advancing in the National STEM Challenge
New Orleans, LA – STEM NOLA is proud to announce that six students from our STEM Fellows program have been selected to advance in the prestigious 2025 National STEM Challenge presented by EXPLR. This incredible achievement is a testament to the dedication, creativity, and innovation fostered by STEM NOLA, which continues to inspire and prepare the next generation of STEM leaders. These six exceptional students—representing a diverse range of disciplines and solutions—are now one step closer to showcasing their groundbreaking projects at the National STEM Festival in Washington, D.C.
Calvin Mackie, Ph.D., Honored as Winner of the AARP Purpose Prize Award for STEM NOLA
Dr. Mackie and Six Other Nonprofit Founders Over Age 50 Will Receive $50,000 to Support Their Organizations
Yesterday, AARP announced the winners of the AARP Purpose Prize award which includes Calvin Mackie, Ph.D., CEO and Founder, STEM NOLA.
This annual award recognizes extraordinary nonprofit founders age 50 or older who are using their knowledge and life experience to make a difference. AARP will award each Purpose Prize winner $50,000 for their organization. Honorees will also receive a year of technical support to help broaden the scope of their organizations’ work. From voter advocacy and health equity to STEM education and post-release support, the work of this year’s honorees affects a variety of communities.
“I’m truly honored to receive the AARP Purpose Prize and grateful for the recognition of our work. This award reaffirms our mission to expose, inspire and engage young minds through interactive, hands-on STEM activity. It also motivates us to further enlighten children and communities throughout the country with our events and programs to opportunities in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math,” said Dr. Calvin Mackie, CEO and Founder, STEM NOLA.
Calvin Mackie: Steering Kids Into STEM Careers
Creating opportunities and filling a need
By Beth Howard, AARP
Published September 03, 2024
Calvin Mackie, 57, grew up in a house with no books in New Orleans’ working class Lower 7th Ward. But when he was 9, he built a working car from an Erector set his uncle gave him.
“My uncle jumped up and said, ‘That boy’s going to be an engineer!’ ” Mackie says. “I didn’t know what that was — I never met one — but from that point in my life, whenever somebody asked me what I was going to be, I said I was going to be an engineer.”
The experience planted a seed, and despite many obstacles, Mackie earned a PhD in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 1996, one of just 11 African Americans to receive the degree that year. The lack of people of color in the field has bothered him.
Jamira Hunter Finds a Path in Nursing with the Help of STEM NOLA
Dedication, self-discovery, and a passion for learning are the hallmarks of Jamira Hunter’s remarkable journey. Her introduction to the world of STEM began in seventh grade when she first encountered STEM NOLA. This New Orleans program shaped her career path and influenced her approach to making a meaningful contribution to society.
Guided by her mother’s wisdom, Jamira and her brother, Jamal, embarked on a journey of exploration, immersing themselves in the hands-on STEM activities at STEM NOLA that would play a pivotal role in defining Jamiri’s desire to achieve academically and her ultimate decision to pursue nursing. They grew up and went to school in Baton Rouge, but their parents drove them nearly 100 miles to participate in STEM Saturdays in New Orleans.
SGA Founder Dr. Calvin Mackie Attends White House Space Stem Forum With Amazing New Orleans 9th Grader On Path to Becoming an Astrophysicist
WASHINGTON – STEM Global Action (SGA) was represented at the White House Space STEM Forum by CEO and founder Dr. Calvin Mackie, Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Lawrence Jackson and a brilliant student – Raleigh Brock, an amazing 9th grader, who is an aspiring astrophysicist. They participated in a Biden-Harris Administration forum where organizations from across the country discussed possible solutions to today’s space-related STEM education and workforce challenges.
LET’S TALK STEM WITH DR. CALVIN MACKIE DISCUSSES RACIAL INEQUITIES IN EDUCATION
Dr. Calvin Mackie, host of the Let’s Talk STEM podcast, talks with Kate Ayers, director of STEM education and outreach at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, about the challenges advancing science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education for Black and Hispanic students in Memphis.
“We take a variety of approaches to addressing issues of equity and access to STEM learning experiences,” Ayres says. “A lot of our work focuses on developing school partnerships to offer afterschool programs within the school or hosting curriculum collaboratives to really work with the educators to co-create and integrate more science into the learning day. And that’s especially true at the elementary school grade levels.”
Ayres is frank in acknowledging that the education system in Memphis and many other urban areas do a disservice to children of color.
STEM Global Action Engagement
Dr. Calvin Mackie Introduces STEM GLOBAL ACTION
STEM Global Action Engagement
K-12 Students
Families
Community & Professional Volunteers
Schools
College Students
What We Do
Through a network of school-time, out-of-school programs, community-based groups, parent organizations, businesses and STEM professional organizations, STEM Global Action leads the way with proven, high-quality STEM programs that can be deployed anywhere.
Inspire
We inspire youth to develop an interest in STEM-based learning activities and value the opportunities and possibilities of STEM-based careers.
Engage
Our programs are designed to engage directly with students and meet their needs where they are best able to learn including at home, in school and in their communities.
Expose
We expose students to high-quality STEM programs and a network of like-minded peers and professionals where they benefit from camaraderie as well as expertise from scientists and engineers as mentors.
Helping Kids Experience STEM
Our programs are designed to be easily implemented in your school system and community. We offer hands-on, inquiry-based activities and events designed to supplement STEM curriculum requirements at every grade level, as well as teacher development packages.
Our team is ready to guide and support you from start to finish – from program design, community organization, partnerships, class supplies, event organization, and more.
In the Community
At School
professional development.
At Home
Upcoming SGA Affiliate Events
STEM Global Action Affiliates
STEM Education and Opportunity for All
STEM skills are in high demand in today’s rapidly changing world. These skills are –and will continue to be– the tools necessary to address the complex challenges of today and tomorrow. Unfortunately, many students from minority and low-income communities have been underserved in STEM education and underrepresented in STEM careers.
STEM GLOBAL ACTION is committed to eliminating this disparity by expanding high-quality STEM education and opportunities to all students, regardless of their race, socioeconomic status or zip code. We offer an array of cost-free programs for students designed to build interest and knowledge in STEM at all ages and experience levels to develop a diverse STEM-literate workforce.
Featured
STEM NOLA Receives Prestigious Presidential Award For Excellence In Mentoring STEM Students
NEW ORLEANS, LA—President Joe Biden has awarded STEM NOLA the prestigious Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (PAESMEM). The New Orleans-based non-profit is a national leader in breaking down racial, ethnic, and gender barriers in teaching Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) to K-12 students.
Our Approach
STEM Global in Action
The Power of Chemistry
A STEM Saturday Sponsored by Chevron
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