Envisioning Rural Futures

Research often focuses on urban centers to improve STEM education, but rural communities are frequently left out of the conversation. This is a missed opportunity, as 9.5 million students attend school in rural contexts. While these districts face distinct challenges, like funding gaps and teacher shortages, they also possess an abundance of ingenuity, resourcefulness, and community spirit.

We are launching Envisioning Rural Futures, a one-year initiative to bridge the gap between research and practice by bringing together the people who know rural communities best—educators and local workforce leaders—and connecting them with STEM researchers. Together, we will tackle the pressing problems in rural K-12 STEM education and explore how local ingenuity can shape the way we teach and bolster rural communities.

Our goals for this project are to:

Over the next year, Envisioning Rural Futures participants will…

• Participate in a virtual convening, exchanging ideas and brainstorming novel approaches to rural STEM education
• Have the opportunity to further collaborate and advance rural STEM education projects
• Be part of a new network of rural practitioners and researchers that advance knowledge in rural STEM education practices

Click each button to learn more and apply!

For Educators   For Workforce   For Researchers