August 16, 2017
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Eman Ghanem, PhD
Director of Membership, Chapters, and Programs
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society
eghanem@sigmaxi.org or 800-243-6534 ext. 212
RESEARCH TRIANGLE PARK, N.C. ― A new partnership will make strides towards the goal of ensuring that every science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) professional has career support, and that every child is given a fair opportunity to pursue a career in STEM.
The partnership is between Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society and STEM in the Park. STEM in the Park will provide meeting space and consult on programming for American Scientist’s Pizza Lunches, which are monthly, public presentations about cutting-edge scientific research. The Pizza Lunches, made possible by funds from the N.C. Biotechnology Center, Sigma Xi, and the Research Triangle Park Chapter of Sigma Xi, are held at The Frontier at 800 Park Offices Drive, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina. To sign up for Pizza Lunch announcements, see the event listing page here: http://bit.ly/2wIa0CG.
Additionally, STEM in the Park will become a consultant on Sigma Xi’s K–12 programming, which currently includes a scientific journal for high school research, an opportunity to network with professional researchers as a Sigma Xi Explorer, an in-person research presentation competition, and an online research presentation competition.
STEM in the Park will also provide Sigma Xi’s members with new opportunities to mentor and reach out in other ways to 5th through 12th grade students, especially minority groups, girls, and students from low-income backgrounds. STEM in the Park, a program of the Research Triangle Foundation and a US2020 city coalition site, has as its mission to unlock and share STEM knowledge and experiences from local STEM companies and higher education institutions to K–12 students and educators in the Triangle region.
“Sigma Xi members are researchers, teachers, and university students, and many are eager to help K–12 students who are interested in STEM,” said Jamie L. Vernon, executive director and CEO of Sigma Xi. “We are looking forward to working with STEM in the Park to create new outreach opportunities for our members and to help increase diversity in STEM.”
“STEM in the Park is excited to work with Sigma Xi and their members to provide an avenue for sharing STEM knowledge and experiences with underserved youth,” said Sarah Windsor, program manager of STEM in the Park. “This partnership will go far in utilizing Sigma Xi members, who are distinguished in their own fields, to mentor and participate in STEM outreach in the Triangle and beyond.”