STEM goes beyond the obvious — direct sciences and mathematics, and applied sciences like agriculture, natural resources, computer science, health care and engineering — to also encompass everyday science and engineering tasks like cooking and car repair. STEM is everywhere!

The Minnesota STEM Ecosystem

The Minnesota STEM Ecosystem is a statewide STEM Network. It was created through a cross-sector, cross-system collaboration of business, education, government, afterschool programs, museums, non-profit and community organizations, policy leaders. The Minnesota STEM Ecosystem is dedicated to closing the STEM learning and workforce opportunity gap. With equity as our cornerstone, we’re bringing together expertise and resources to expand pathways, mindsets and workforce opportunities for young people across Minnesota.


What is a STEM Ecosystem? 

A STEM Ecosystem encompasses schools, community settings such as after-school and summer programs, science centers and museums, and informal experiences at home and in a variety of environments that together constitute a rich array of learning opportunities for young people in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) related opportunities in their community.

STEM Ecosystems can advance policy and create systems alignment solutions that improve STEM career pathways, coordination, and learning, helping to close the STEM opportunity gap among young people, women and people of color, and other populations marginalized by inequitable systems of the past.