ARIZONA TECHNOLOGY COUNCIL FOUNDATION

THE CHIEF SCIENCE OFFICER (CSO) PROGRAM GOALS ARE TO CREATE A GLOBAL NETWORK OF DIVERSE STEM LEADERS, FOSTER COLLABORATION AMONG CSO'S ENRICH STEM CULTURE AND CAREER AWARENESS AND AMPLIFY STUDENT VOICE IN STEM CONVERSATIONS IN THE COMMUNITY. CSO'S CONSISTS OF STUDENTS IN GRADES 6-12 WHO SERVE AS STEM AMBASSADORS AND LIASONS FOR STEM OPPORTUNITIES IN THEIR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES. DURING THEIR TIME AS CSOS, STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO ENHANCE THEIR WORKFORCE AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS; JOIN A GLOBAL NETWORK OF DIVERSE STEM LEADERS PREPARED FOR COLLEGE, CAREERS, AND CIVIC ENGAGEMENT; INCREASE THE ENGAGEMENT OF COMMUNITY AND GLOBAL STEM PROFESSIONALS; AND IMPLEMENT STEM-FOCUSED ACTION PLANS TO IMPACT THEIR COMMUNITIES AND RAISE AWARENESS FOR THE STEM CAUSES THEY CHAMPION. CSOS ADVOCATE FOR COMMUNICATION, INTEREST, AND ENGAGEMENT IN STEM ("A" INCLUDING THE ARTS) INNOVATION. THEY ALSO STREAMLINE SCHOOLS' CONNECTIONS TO LOCAL BUSINESSES AND INDUSTRY, HIGHER EDUCATION, AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS, WORKING WITH THESE ENTITIES TO OFFER THEIR PEERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS HANDS-ON EXPERIENCES THAT BUILD STEM AWARENESS AND CRITICAL WORKFORCE SKILLS. COLLABORATIVELY, CSOS FUNCTION AS A UNIFIED "CABINET," ENGAGING IN CONVERSATIONS TO AFFECT STEM PERCEPTION AT THE LOCAL, STATE, AND NATIONAL LEVELS, AS WELL AS TRANSFORM SCHOOL AND COMMUNITY CULTURE AND BROADEN PARTICIPATION FOR EVERYONE WITHIN THEIR SPHERE OF INFLUENCE.

THE ARIZONA STEM ECOSYSTEM IS A COLLABORATIVE GRASSROOTS NETWORK OF OVER 900 PARTNERS STATEWIDE THAT INCLUDE EDUCATORS, GOVERNMENT LEADERS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZERS. SCITECH INSTITUTE SERVES AS THE ECOSYSTEM'S BACKBONE ORGANIZATION, WORKING WITH THESE ENTITIES TO PROMOTE STEM AWARENESS AND CAREER PATHWAYS, BUILD LEADERSHIP AND EMPLOYABILITY SKILLS, AND DEVELOP A DIVERSE COMMUNITY OF QUALIFIED ARIZONANS ENTERING HIGHER EDUCATION AND THE WORKFORCE. THE ARIZONA STEM ECOSYSTEM INCLUDES THE ARIZONA SCITECH FESTIVAL, A STATEWIDE CELEBRATION OF SCIENCE, TECHNOLOGY, ENGINEERING, AND MATH (STEM) HELD ANNUALLY IN JANUARY THROUGH APRIL. THROUGH A SERIES OF OVER 1,000 EXPOS, WORKSHOPS, CONVERSATIONS, EXHIBITIONS, AND TOURS HELD IN DIVERSE NEIGHBORHOODS THROUGHOUT THE STATE, THE ARIZONA SCITECH FESTIVAL EDUCATES AND INVOLVES ARIZONANS OF ALL AGES ABOUT STEM AS A DRIVING FORCE FOR OUR STATE'S FUTURE. IN THE COMMUNITY, ARIZONA SCITECH FESTIVAL HAS A STRONG POSITIVE IMPACT ON BUSINESSES, SCHOOLS, EVENTS, CITY STAKEHOLDERS AND RURAL COMMUNITIES.