Creating Collective Impact

The Greater Newark STEM Ecosystem serves the counties of Essex, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union, and Warren in New Jersey. We are a Connector, Collaborator and Central Resource for educators & industry supercharging STEM & career-connected learning.

Through understanding the work and activities of our cross-sector partners (our 'shareholders'), we co-design an educational support system that cultivates STEM and Career Ready Skills, to increase the likelihood that all students will be able to join the workforce as STEM literate citizens.

Newark STEM is part of STEM Ecosystems, community-based collaborations that transform how students learn and connect to future opportunities. They bring together cross-sector partners—schools, afterschool programs, colleges, businesses, community organizations, and government agencies—to create powerful STEM learning experiences.

CONVENING DETAILS - FREE EVENT

4.0 CEU available through GNSE and NJIT's Collaborative for Leadership, Education, and Assessment Research (CLEAR)

Creating Collective Impact

Our education system needs to produce graduates that have the skills needed for success in higher education and the workforce.

Every STEM ecosystem is unique to its local challenges and opportunities. Our time together will explore the current state of STEM and career-connected learning in Northern New Jersey, and collectively uncover opportunities to address common challenges as an ecosystem.

Using STEM Ecosystem's "Five Pillars of Success", we will frame these opportunities, and establish cross-sector working groups with Newark STEM helping to connect, collaborate, and be a central resource of support.

AGENDA OUTLINE

9:00-10:30am - Networking and exhibit time. Meet with STEM program providers and educators in the classroom. Sign up to exhibit.

Partial list of scheduled table presenters include: Bergen Community College, Black Inventors Hall of Fame, Civil Air Patrol, Drizzle Weather, IEEE Try Engineering, National Inventors Hall of Fame, Rutgers-Newark NewGEO , Students 2 Science, students from NJSBA's STEAM Tank program.

10:30-11:45pm

• Presentation: Ecosystem Update and 2025 Success Stories
• Panel Discussion: The Workforce Skills Gap

11:45-12:30 - Lunch

12:30-1:30

Small Group Collaborations

• Identifying and Solving Common Challenges
• Creating Pillars for Success
• Moving from Disucssion to Collaboration and Implementation

Day includes:

• Morning beverages & lite breakfast
• Lunch will be served around noon.

2:00-3:00 (New) - Free professional development for PreK-8 educators (add-on during registration

I Can Invent®: A STEM Mindset for PreK-8

An interactive workshop for educators to brainstorm, sketch and prototype

• Experience the National Inventor Hall of Fame® Invention Education pedagogy
• Explore how the I Can Invent® Mindset empowers students from an early age
• Enable essential STEM skills like critical thinking, creativity, and collaboration
• Alignment with NJSLS for Career Readiness, Life Literacies and Key Skills.

You Will Gain

• Immediate strategies to engage and empower students
• Access to free videos, digital resources
• FREE sample of Invention Project kit from the National Inventors Hall of Fame.

Minimum of 10 participants, maximum of 40

Stay after the convening, or arrive anytime before 2p to participate

If your company wishes to sponsor this event or exhibit, please contact GNSE through our website.

(By registering for the convening, you will receive follow up emails on the event, general information on Newark STEM Ecosystem, and be invited to join the Newark STEM Google Group for collaboration opportunities.)

Location:

January 15th, 2026

9:00am-1:00pm

New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT)

Campus Center Building - Free parking will be provided (see directions below)