Outreach Programs
The STEM TRAIL Center supports UNO’s broad array of outreach programs for STEM activities.
The STEM TRAIL Center directly operates several community outreach programs. We consider these programs as part of our research infrastructure, since much of our programming serves as sandboxes for innovations in K-12 STEM education research and undergraduate service learning. Disciplinary and education researchers create, pilot, refine, and assess innovations through summer camps, afterschool, and community programming for youth. These programs also serve as recruitment and retention tools for UNO STEM majors.
Outreach Programs Run by the STEM TRAIL Center | ||
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Aim for the Stars | Aim for the Stars in an innovative STEM summer camp that has provided experiences for >30,000 3rd - 10th graders since 1999. Each summer this program provides 1-week summer camps for 2,000 Omaha metro kids, while training 15+ teachers and 20+ undergraduates on engaging kids with STEM. | |
Mallory Kountze Planetarium | The Mallory Kountze Planetarium provides standards-based programming for school and community groups in our 10-meter dome with its dual 4k projection system. We also offer engaging public shows. The planetarium utilizes an innovative and nationally-recognized "Interactive Immersion" model to provide experiences to >10,000 visitors per year. | |
NE STEM 4U | NE STEM 4U is an afterschool program where UNO, UNL, and UNK undergraduate students bring exciting STEM activities to elementary and middle schoolers in Omaha, Kearney, and Lincoln public schools. The program had provided after-school experiences for >8,000 K-8 students across 18 urban and rural Nebraska schools, and service learning opportunities for >200 undergraduate students since 2012. |
The STEM TRAIL Center also provides logisitcal support for other programming across the UNO campus. We have an experienced informal education staff that provides support sevices for faculty running programming centered on STEM education.
Outreach Programs Supported by the STEM TRAIL Center | |
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WiSTEM |
WiSTEM stands for Women in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. The WiSTEM organization advances the full and successful participation and inclusion of all persons within academic professions by addressing gender equity, recruitment and retention, awards and recognition, and career advancement and satisfaction. |
Teacher-Researcher Partnership Program (TRPP) | The Teacher-Researcher Partnership Program (TRPP), which gives an opportunity for teachers from surrounding public schools to assist in research while paired with research faculty from UNO. |
EUREKA! | EUREKA! is a STEM camp for girls that begins for them the summer before eighth grade and supports them throughout high school while continuously strengthening their interest in STEM. UNO emphasizes outreach programs that share interest in STEM with surrounding area public schools. |
Nebraska GenCyber | Nebraska GenCyber Camp (NGC) for middle school students is a free 5-day summer camp for students in the 5th to 8th grades. NGC has a theme of female empowerment and is funded by a federal grant from the National Security Agency and the National Science Foundation. |
Much of this work is supported by grants initiated through collaborations with STEM TRAIL Center personnel; see our research page for information on these grants.
If you’re interested in volunteering, participating in outreach via research projects, or are looking for collaborators, please contact us!