Arctic STEM Communities

Empowering NPA Communities by Implementing STEM Ecosystems as a Tool for Navigating Change.

What we do

We Empower Communities! Due to the rapid changes rural NPA communities face, there is an urgent need for skill-building and adaptation. High-quality STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) experience, skills and knowledge, with a special emphasis on equity and access can help to empower and equip communities facing the challenges of the future. This project proposes to use the evidence-based U.S. STEM Ecosystems model to strengthen the organizational capacity among NPA communities and empower communities to build skills for the 21st century.

Follow the project timeline

1. Connecting Community Leaders

Following the start of the project in June 2023, three community leaders, one from each community (Húsavík, Galway and Rovaniemi) met virtually with an expert on the STEM Learning Ecosystems model the to identify possible members (stakeholders) of the ecosystem in each community, that would then be invited to take part in establishing an ecosystem at the community level.

2. Establishing STEAM Galway

In late August Ecosystem leader from Húsavík and NPA project manager, Huld Hafliðadóttir, along with Bridget Burger, expert in STEM Learning Ecosystems, visited Galway to guide the establishment of STEAM Galway Ecosystem.

3. Establishing LUMA Rovaniemi

In early November, Ecosystem leader from Húsavík and NPA project manager, Huld Hafliðadóttir, along with Bridget Burger, expert in STEM Learning Ecosystems, visited Rovaniemi in Lapland to guide the establishment of the LUMA Rovaniemi Ecosystem.

4. NORTHERN SKILLS Conference - Being the change!

As part of the INTERREG Northern Periphery and Arctic programme annual event in Skellefteå in Sweden in November 2024, Huld took part in the panel discussion: Change is happening right here, right now! Where she talked about the skills needed to navigating the future NPA, where she introduced the model and how important it is to include the whole community in the education of children and youth for the benefit of all.

5. NORTHERN SKILLS Conference - Work with us!

As part of the INTERREG Northern Periphery and Arctic programme annual event in Skellefteå in Sweden in November 2024, Bridget participated in an interactive session, a platform to pitch current projects and potential project ideas and partners for future collaborations and partnerships, where she shared to journey of our amazing pilot project Arctic STEM Communities.

Ecosystem Expansion in Húsavík

In late November 2023 The advisory board of the existing STEM Learning Ecosystem in Húsavík met and did an asset mapping for the expanded region around Húsavík. The advisory board also conducted a needs assessment around girls and women in STEM.

Choosing of Pilot Projects

During the period of December 2023 to May 2024 each of the three ecosystems went through the process of evaluation and choosing a pilot project to implement in their community as the newly established/expanded Ecosystems.

Implementing Pilot Project in Rovaniemi

The Pilot Project chosen was: Fun STEM digitally delivered activities for after-school programs. The pilot project was aligned with the newly drafted vision of LUMA Center Finland and took the form of an after-school online science club. The project was chosen because it was something new for the ecosystem and the whole of Finland. The club was accessible to children living in Lapland's most remote areas. Other regional LUMA Centres were invited to create material so that the workload was distributed. All 21 municipalities in Lapland were invited through email and hundreds of children could join in hands-on STEM activities.

Implementing Pilot Project in Galway

The pilot project chosen was: An evaluation tool to measure the impact of STEAM projects. The evaluation toolkit was designed to support users to evaluate their events, building on literature and practical experience. A nested evaluation tool was developed that can have three different lengths building on the varied public engagement work by the Galway STEAM learning community, using questions that were trialled as part of the We Built This City on Rock and Coal climate change show, the CÚRAM Superhuman exhibition, and others.

Implementing Pilot Project in Húsavík

The pilot project chosen was: STEM School Council. Since STEM and the awareness about STEM in the community is relatively new to the residents of Húsavík, starting within and between the schools, by aligning curricula and advising across different school stages seemed to be the right way to start. The Champion reached out to the administrators of the three schools of Húsavík, Grænuvellir preschool, Borgarhólsskóli elementary school and FSH upper secondary school.