STEM Opportunities in Prison Settings
EDC Staff:
Funded by:
National Science Foundation
Partners:
Prisons to Professionals (P2P), Prison Teaching Initiative (PTI) at Princeton University, Operation Restoration (OR), Initiative for Race Research and Justice (RRJ) at Vanderbilt University
Focus Area:
STEM Education & Workforce Development
Region:
United States
Duration:
2019-Present
Challenge
It is possible to make STEM workforce development and college study programs common and rigorous in prisons and reentry programs. Doing so could enable justice-involved people to realize their career goals and address critical STEM workforce shortages. Yet few STEM education efforts in the United States aim to engage people who are, or have been, incarcerated.
STEM Opportunities in Prison Settings (STEM-OPS) was a partnership that addressed these needs and opportunities. Together, the partnership worked to develop a national network to expand the number of higher education STEM programs and workforce opportunities for people who are currently or were recently impacted by the judicial system.
Key Activities
STEM-OPS engaged in the following activities:
- Conducted research on existing STEM education and career pathways for people who are incarcerated
- Developed a national infrastructure of partners to promote and advocate for STEM programs in prisons and STEM career pathways for people who were formerly incarcerated
- Created STEM education programs, tools, learning experiences, and other resources
- Identified barriers to, and supportive factors for, establishing a strong STEM education system in prisons
- Provided STEM career internships and career readiness workshops to people who are justice involved
- Developed and disseminated narratives about justice-involved individuals who are in STEM careers through collecting and sharing stories and launching a Speakers’ Bureau
- Developed standards for technology use in prison settings
Our Impact
STEM-OPS achieved the following objectives:
- Created STEM-related internships for undergraduate students
- Developed new science lab courses in four existing prison education programs, enrolling up to 165 students
- Provided support to over 800 students through peer mentoring, faculty mentoring, and across-network mentoring
- Offered career-readiness workshops to 600 students to support their transition from prison to the STEM workforce
- Developed resources and tools for the field, including a website to connect people who have been incarcerated with STEM job opportunities and supports
