While many of our collaborators are individual community members, STEMCAP has initiated and maintained collaborative relationships with a wide array of community groups and organizations from the arts, humanities, science engagement and communication sectors. Community partnerships allow us to broaden the scope of our programming by bringing in a multitude of perspectives that extend beyond academia and offer YIC students insight into the large variety of ways to contribute to the scientific community and communicate about science and nature in an impactful way.
The Salt Lake City Mosquito Abatement Commission (SLCMAD)
was organized in 1924 under state law. SLCMAD Employees inspect, treat, and drain nuisance areas in which mosquitos thrive in Salt Lake City and educate the public about reducing mosquito populations. SLCMAD gave a career presentation about hands-on conservation careers and the pathways for getting involved in ecological monitoring. This workshop included a hands-on activity involving live mosquitos.
Utah Museum of Fine Art (UMFA)
is dedicated to engaging the public with art from around the globe while highlighting the local art community. They also work to demonstrate the power of art in social change and environmental action. Education specialists from the UMFA will lead an Art-science workshop as part of Mission STEMCAP: Pollution in which they will discuss the role of art in communicating science and inspiring change. Students will create painted clouds incorporating representations of air pollution. Some of their clouds will be included in an upcoming pollution exhibit at the UMFA.
The Seed Library at the Salt Lake City Public Library
offers a public space for community members to donate seeds from native and garden plant species for other community members to use in their own yards. Project leader Emmett Wilson is collaborating with STEMCAP to provide an on-going seed-saving conservation project at multiple YIC centers on the importance and process of saving seeds, as well as methods for planting and harvesting.
Clever Octopus
is a non-profit organization that works to foster creativity and environmental awareness through art, science, technology, engineering, and math. Clever Octopus staff members are collaborating with STEMCAP to lead an Art-Science workshop as part of the Mission STEMCAP: Overconsumption. In the workshop students will use non-traditional materials to produce a work of art and discuss waste, the value of reuse, and the importance of reducing consumption.
Hawkwatch International
Hawkwatch International’s mission is to protect the environment through public education and engagement as well as species monitoring. Hawkwatch employee Nikki Waymen worked with STEMCAP to teach students about birds of prey and the role that monitoring raptor populations plays in monitoring ecosystem health. Nikki also taught students about ways to get involved in conservation efforts.
Clark Planetarium
Clark Planetarium provides unique educational experiences designed to inspire the public to learn more about space and promote public awareness that science is a part of everyone’s daily lives. The Clark Planetarium presented a four-part robotics program with STEMCAP, in which students used computer coding skills to program simple tasks into their robots in order to get them to accomplish certain tasks. Clark Planetarium outreach specialists also partnered with Natalie Gotter, a dance instructor at the University of Utah, to provide an art-science workshop. As the planetarium guided students through navigating their robots, Natalie translated computer coding principles into human-to-human connection and movement.
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is committed to providing science education that aims to provide an enhanced interest in the field of science and the study of life on earth and beyond. NASA scientist Daniella Scalice, visited three YIC facilities with STEMCAP and spoke about NASA’s mission to find evidence of life on other planets. She then led the students through a board game that incorporated logistics, budget, cost/benefit analysis, the features of planets and moons, and life-finding technology NASA employs in their missions.
American Conservation Experience (ACE)
American Conservation Experience (ACE) provides meaningful work while also helping conserve natural spaces around the country through internships and hands-on volunteer experiences for young people in the United States. ACE employees led a career workshop as a component of Mission STEMCAP: Extinction and taught students how they can get involved in conservation corps type jobs.
Grand Prismatic Seed
Grand Prismatic Seed is an organization that helps support sustainable farming through their distribution of genetically diverse seeds and work to educate the public. Their farmer, James Young, partnered with STEMCAP to introduce students to horticulture and facilitated the care-taking of milkweed plants within the greenhouse throughout the 2019 Monarch Project.
Southwest Monarch Study
Southwest Monarch Study researches Monarch Butterfly breeding and migration patterns in the southwestern United States and provides the public with useful resources about the butterflies, the data they’ve collected, and ways that the public can get involved in conservation efforts. Southwest Monarch Study Research Associate, Rachel Taylor, worked with students as part of the Monarch Project. She introduced students to Monarch biology and the threats that Monarchs face and led the effort to disseminate Milkweed once it was large enough to be transplanted around the Salt Lake Valley.
Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU)
Natural History Museum of Utah (NHMU) is dedicated to providing inspiring and immersive natural history education through museum exhibits, symposiums, seminars, and youth and adult programs. NHMU is collaborating with STEMCAP on the creation of informational signs that will share information about STEMCAP conservation projects with the public.