K-12 STEM Outreach Community

Community Mission

The K-12 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) Outreach Community of Interest’s mission is to promote and support pathways to STEM degrees and STEM careers for K-12 students as part of the national strategic effort to produce more STEM professionals for the nation.

Vision

The K-12 STEM Outreach Committee provides for the security of the nation by ensuring a robust STEM workforce.

Scope

K-12 students need to be exposed to STEM activities, degrees, and careers as they move up the academic ladder. The committee will work with the network of Posts, individual members, sustaining members, service branches, and strategic partners to increase opportunities for STEM exposure for K-12 students. The COI will also promote the Society’s STEM programming at local, regional, and national events, as resources allow.

Activities

• Categorize different examples of how the Post/individuals support K-12 STEM at the local level
• Identify and provide guest speakers/webinars on relevant topics
• Serve as a clearinghouse of STEM information
• Provide a calendar of STEM (SAME/Post and external) events and points of contacts

To learn more about the K-12 STEM Outreach Community of interest, contact a member of the Steering Committee, or reach out to Amy McGeever, STEM Coordinator.

Community Chair

Victoria Hernandez
Program Manager, AFCEC

Immediate Past Community Chair

Joshua Graham, P.E., PMP, F.SAME
Project Manager, HDR

View Joshua’s leadership profile.

Upcoming National Webinars

• 
  March 11, 2026

  Webinar

  Navigating the Federal Budget Cycle Under Persistent Continuing Resolutions

  In an era where “standard” budget cycles have become the exception rather than the rule, federal agencies and contractors must understand the federal budget cycle and the limitations imposed by one Continuing Resolution (CR) after another.
• 
  March 18, 2026

  Webinar

  Successful Microgrid Projects for Dept. of War

  This webinar shares practices which are proven to provide successful outcomes on Garrison (fixed) microgrid projects for the Department of Defense (Department of War). Based on real-world expertise, the presenter will discuss various perspectives including that of supplier, integrator, microgrid owner, and specifier.
• 
  April 2, 2026

  Webinar

  New Nuclear Power Market Overview

  This webinar presents an overview of the new nuclear power market, including the leading technologies and their proposed applications. This in-depth discussion will span technological advances and overviews on the latest Generation 3+ Advanced Light Water Reactors, Generation 4 Non-Light Water Reactors, and Micro Reactor innovations.

Related TME Articles – K-12 STEM Outreach

• 

  Conducting Thermal Remediation Under Active Railroad Tracks

  January 26, 2023

  As part of the cleanup at a Superfund site that was previously used as waste storage by the Department of Defense, a carefully orchestrated thermal remediation project was conducted that targeted the groundwater plume located underneath a pair of active railroad tracks.
• 

  Extracting and Purifying Rare Earth Elements from Waste

  January 26, 2023

  A project underway to develop proteins capable of extracting rare earth elements used in critical defense systems from manufacturing and post-consumer waste aims to secure this vulnerable supply chain and increase national resilience.
• 

  Composting Bioplastic Waste in Expeditionary Environments

  January 26, 2023

  A research team at the U.S. Army Engineer Research & Development Center’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory studied the compostability of bioplastics under expeditionary conditions in order to help reduce plastic waste and support policy targets for source reduction and diversion.
• 

  Reducing Waste Through Soil Sorting

  January 26, 2023

  Soil sorting systems capable of screening the debris generated at remediation projects for the presence of contaminants can greatly reduce the volume needed for off-site transport and disposal.