WM STEM Educators’ Council

Mission/Purpose
The Waste Management Symposia (WM) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) Educators’ Council (WMSEC) has a two-fold mission:

1. Enhance STEM educators’ capabilities and effectiveness by providing a venue for educators to network; share best practices; and access resources, including subject-matter experts, teaching materials, and classroom enhancements.
2. Enable WM to better understand ways to effectively develop and promote STEM education initiatives.

Key to the success of the nuclear industry is ensuring a pathway for qualified individuals to support ongoing and future missions. The WM STEM initiative, which includes WMSEC, helps ensure that pathway by focusing on education programs that attract and foster skills needed in the nuclear industry.

Goals/Objectives
To achieve its mission, WMSEC must benefit both WM and educators:

• Benefit to Educators
  • Expanded network with other educators as well as STEM professionals
  • Opportunity to highlight innovative programs and approaches on WM website
  • Access to classroom resources including curricula and educational items and an inventory of resources available across the nuclear industry
  • Access to chat rooms/blogs, contacts, and other professional development resources
  • Professional recognition through membership and active participation
  • Continuing education credits
• Benefits to WM
  • Network of educators to provide input to WM programs (including STEM)
  • Closer ties with DOE and international programs and sites
  • Increased visibility of WM and its partners
  • Broader promotion of scholarship opportunities

Description
WMSEC will:

• Serve as a central point of contact to identify resources for educators
  • Maintain a list of resources, including regional outreach offices and ambassadors, and serve as a conduit to connect educators with those resources
  • Provide an avenue for council members to reach out to other council members including through meetings and an online directory
  • Provide online access to materials from past STEM Zone content and demonstrations
• Provide virtual and in-person networking opportunities throughout the year
  • Provide opportunities for professional development and continuing education credits
  • Host WMSEC educator program at the annual WM Conference that features sessions, opportunities, and recognition for educators
  • Some grants will be available to help offset the costs associated with attendance

Membership
WMSEC has two components: a Steering Committee and Council members. The WMSEC Steering Committee is a subcommittee of the WM STEM Committee. The steering committee aims to include at least:

• Subcommittee Chair
• WM BOD Representative
• K-12 Representative
• Higher Education Representation
• Alternative Education Representative
• International Representative

New Steering Committee members are selected by existing Steering Committee members.
New council members apply by submitting a WMSEC application or by being nominated via the application. The steering committee reviews and approves the applications. Applicants must:

• Be involved in some fashion in STEM in K-12, higher education, and career/technical education
• Have a demonstrated sphere of influence
• Have shown a visible commitment to STEM education

There is no minimum or maximum number of members in WMSEC.