How the UH STEM Center Continued its Outreach During COVID-19

When COVID-19 threatened the UH STEM Center’s STEM Zone Saturday, their team, led by Interim Director Dr. Heather Domjan, knew they had to pivot to a more creative medium.

Founded in 2013, the UH STEM Center, a collaborative effort between NSM and the UH College of Education, seeks to improve local, state and national teaching and learning for STEM students. The STEM Center unites UH’s STEM programs through community outreach projects.

One such project is STEM Zone Saturday, a program that provides real-world experience and academic rigor. It also serves to foster relationships between K-12 students and representatives from various area school districts, as well as UH undergraduates, faculty and industry partners.

“Engaging all levels of the K-12 pipeline is vital to the infrastructure of our industry,” said Domjan. “The STEM Zone Saturday program provides opportunities for participants to explore STEM career fields while connecting with UH students and faculty members.”

However, with COVID-19 cases still growing exponentially in the Houston area, the decision was made to move STEM Zone Saturday completely online.

Then, employees at the UH STEM Center went a step further. Recognizing the challenges and burden unique to kids in the areas neighboring the UH campus, they worked to hand-deliver STEM kits to students prior to the event. These kits contained everything the kids would need to actively participate and learn throughout the program.

For some, the excitement to get back to learning was palpable.

“As I delivered the UH STEM Center kits, I was encouraged by the excitement students displayed at returning to the types of activities held in our classrooms prior to the pandemic,” said Errol Larkins, STEM Coordinator at Killough Middle School.

Read more about STEM Zone Saturday and the students involved.