Tampa Bay STEM Network is Official!

We are happy to announce that the "Tampa Bay STEM Network" is official!  Together with 26 other communities around the nation we

committed to supporting all students in STEM education.  Anchored by HCPS, Tampa Bay STEM Network (TBSN) partners will work over the upcoming year to improve lines of communication and layers of support for our kids.  We are the only recognized STEM ecosystem in Florida (and the entire southeast).  Larry Plank, director of K-12 Science, Technology Engineering & Mathematics Education will lead this exciting opportunity.

In addition to FLATE at Hillsborough Community College in Brandon, other local partners include MOSI, Jeff Vinik and the Tampa Bay Lightning, The Alliance for Public Schools,  USF College of Education, The Florida Aquarium, The Coalition for Science Literacy, Hillsborough Education Foundation, Tampa Bay Technology Forum and TechStart. Vinik has pledged funding in our effort to secure a matching grant from the STEM Funders Network as a component of our initial plan. “Through the Tampa Bay STEM Network we will continue to prepare our students for life and in the process augment Tampa Bay's STEM portfolio, improving opportunities for business and ultimately improving the lives of those who live, work and play in Tampa Bay” said Vinik.

The initial Community of Practice (CoP) cohort, will meet in Washington D.C. on November 11-12, and will include a kickoff event at the White House! For more information email Dr. Marilyn Barger, executive director of FLATE at barger@fl-ate.org, and visit http://www.stemecosystems.org/first-community-of-practice.