2025 Announcements

STEMNetX Announcements

DECEMBER

STEAM Connections Series Launch – December 5, 2025
STEMNetX will launch its new STEAM Connections series with a virtual public workshop on the Chemistry of Paint, led by Dr. Sarah Smith and Bridgette Dennett of the University of Mary Washington. The workshop will combine hands-on experimentation with a look into the chemical makeup of pigments and paint.

NOVEMBER

Robotics & AI Discovery Day – November 5, 2025
STEMNetX will partner with the Pittsburgh Robotics Network to take part in the Robotics & AI Discovery Day at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. This event will feature interactive STEM demos and robotics showcases for students, educators, and industry professionals across the region.

OCTOBER

SpaceBurgh Festival – October 19, 2025
STEMNetX will participate in SpaceBurgh, a public space science festival held in Market Square, Pittsburgh. The event will feature space-themed activities, tech exhibits, and educational outreach in celebration of innovation and exploration.

2025 S-STEM Scholars Meeting - Oct 2-4, 2025
STEMNetX participates in AAAS STEM scholars meet held in San Diego from Oct 2-4 and conducts workshops to provide insight into STEM learning resources and opportunities. Please click https://sstemrec.aaas.org/event/2025-s-stem-scholars-meeting/ for more information!

SEPTEMBER

Quantum Workshop – September 2025 (Date TBD)
Corey Christenson will lead a Quantum Technology workshop introducing foundational quantum principles and real-world applications. Targeted at college students, this session will support STEMNetX’s mission to expand access to cutting-edge science education.

BioBeat Podcast Feature – Date TBD
STEMNetX will be featured on the Biotechnology Board’s BioBeat Podcast to highlight our educational programs, STEM outreach efforts, and innovative partnerships across the biotech and research communities.

JULY 2025

High School Bridge Program at Washington & Jefferson - July 22, 2025

STEMNetX proudly participates in the Washington & Jefferson College High School Bridge Program, conducting a full day STEM workshop on Electronics, Computers and Robotics

MAY 2025

The 2025 STEMNetX Fellowship Boot Camp successfully conducted during the week of May 12-16

2024 Announcements

    • We are now accepting applications for STEMNetX Fellowship Class of 2025. Application Deadline is Dec 31, 2024. Click HERE for more information

    • STEMNetX Fellows undergo a Project Management Workshopon Sept 25th.,conducted by Bruce Gay, Founder, Trainer, Principal Consultant at Astrevo and Ian Morrison

    • Dr. Rama Bala, CEO of Chance to Change Lives and Executive Director of STEMnetX, facilitates a STEM scholars community workshop at the AAAS meet, on Oct 9, which is designed to equip participants with the skills to create engaging and informative poster presentations. For full details and to sign up, click HERE

    • Dr. Rama Bala, CEO of Chance to Change Lives and Executive Director of STEMnetX, presents Lunch and Learn Session "The Next Trillion – Opportunities in Emerging STEM Fields" at USC, Pittsburgh on Sep 18.

    • STEMNetX welcomes its new Program Development Associate Allyson Holman

    • STEMNetX welcomes its new Business Development Associate Vaani Bansal

    • STEMNetX congratulates Ariel Barreiro taking on a new role at Rainbow Serpent

    • Online fellows complete the QIS boot camp

    • The 2024 STEMNetX Fellows attend the AI and Healthcare Symposium at the University of Pittsburgh

    • STEMNetX welcomes its new Social Media and Marketing Specialist Robert Fornataro

    • The 2024 STEMNetX Fellows attend a Bias Awareness Workshop hosted by STEMNetX

    • Some of the fellows attend “Myth Science of the Gatekeepers” art installation at the Pittsburgh Glass Center

    • The fellows present their first topics for their community engagement projects

    • The online fellows boot camp takes place

    • STEMNetX staff had scheduled vacation time

    • ED Dr. Bala continues to apply for grant opportunities for the fellows

    • ED Dr. Bala travels to Washington D.C. for the STEMM Opportunity Alliance Summit as a STEMNetX Partner

    • PD Ariel Barreiro attends the UpPrize Innovation Words Launch Event for grant funding opportunities

    • PD Ariel Barreiro becomes part of the 2024 cohort for the Aurelia Institute and flies in Zero G

    • The STEMNetX in-person boot camp took place starting May 20 - May 24

      • You can view the full itinerary here

      • Read about the experiences from our fellows here

      • Check out their trip to NETL here

    • ED Dr. Bala is featured in Inside Quantum Technology as a leader in STEM. Read the article here!

    • ED Dr. Bala takes students from Washington & Jefferson college to the campus at Edinboro, PA to view the Total Solar Eclipse. Dr. Bala structured her classes to discuss magnetic flux lines and solar prominences so the students knew what to look for during the viewing

    • PD Ariel Barreiro flies to Texas as an honored volunteer with The Planetary Society for their Eclipse-O-Rama event to view the Total Solar Eclipse

    • ED Dr. Bala traveled to University of Mary Washington to give talks as an APS Career Mentor on the applications of quantum materials and career opportunities in physics for students pursuing interdisciplinary STEM fields

    • PD Ariel Barreiro travels to Washington D.C. as an honored volunteer with The Planetary Society to advocate for planetary science missions on behalf of their Day of Action

    • ED Dr. Bala attends the AAAS-ERN conference and has the highest attended seminar, in collaboration with her esteemed colleague Dr. Anna Quider, providing faculty mentors with invaluable information about how to sponsor students in their pursuit of National Scholarships and Fellowships

    • A month of meetings to find tours, mentors, and other experiential learning opportunities for the STEMNetX Fellowship Class.

    • Dr. Michael McCracken and Dr. Cory Christenson partner with STEMNetX to create the weeklong coding boot camp for the STEMNetX Fellows Class in May

    • March 29, 2024 - Inaugural Fellow Class of 2024 is announced! Click to meet our fellows

    • Program Director (PD), Ariel Barreiro, does campus visits at Washington & Jefferson College and CCAC Allegheny Campus to excite students about the fellowship program

    • Executive Director (ED) Dr. Bala and PM Ariel Barreiro attend the Pitt Women in Bio (WIB) event to create Biotechnology connections for the future STEMNetX Fellowship cohort

    • PD Ariel Barreiro attends “Narrowing the Quantum Divide: Educational Gap | Future Talent & Workforce Development” at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Center to create connections in the Quantum Industry for the future STEMNetX Fellowship cohort

    • PD Ariel Barreiro begins classes at Pitt to obtain a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Certificate through the sponsorship of the Chance to Change Lives (CCL-US) Foundation

    • STEMNetX LAUNCHES its own FLAGSHIP PROGRAM, "STEMNEXTX FELLOWSHIP" funded by a grant from the Richard King Mellon Foundation (RMFK).

    • STEMNetX has a Call to Action to find interested students in Predominantly Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs) and Emerging Research Institutions (ERIs) for the fellowship program

2023 Announcements

    • Funds awarded to six students for Summer and Fall research projects.

    • Three research grants in collaboration with Pitt.

    • CCL does outreach at the Carnegie Science Center in October for the Biotech Symposium.

    • Two speaker events as a part of the STEMNetX series. One in May at PSU Greater Allegheny and another in November at Washington and Jefferson College.

    • A partnership with Washington and Jefferson College to begin STEMNetX. Read the press release here!

2022 Announcements