Establishing Partnerships for Science Outreach Inside and Outside the Undergraduate Classroom

Abstract

STEM outreach experiences provide aspiring scientists and healthcare professionals with opportunities to grow into new roles, integrate knowledge, and acquire soft skills. While STEM outreach publications often describe the outreach performed, few focus on how to establish strong partnerships, which are essential for outreach endeavors to succeed. Information on this is more important than ever before—grant agencies commonly require education and outreach plans that will reach a broader audience. Consequently, principal investigators who are not trained in education or outreach need tools to set up strong partnerships. To help fill this gap, here we outline the recommended steps for developing robust interdisciplinary STEM outreach programs that leverage institutional resources and community partnerships. This process yields strategic and sustainable opportunities for undergraduate students to learn as they engage with the STEM outreach team (students, faculty, university staff, and community partners) and the lay public. The outlined ideas broadly apply to creating outreach programs for trainees at any stage, not just undergraduates.