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STEM Accelerator

Network. Research. Innovate. Transform.

ORAU STEM Accelerator logo

The mission of ORAU STEM Accelerator is to develop solutions to address STEM workforce gaps through collaborative efforts with public and private partners. Our goal is to drive research and development, advocate for innovative training and education solutions, shape policy, and deliver tangible outcomes to strengthen the overall capacity of the United States STEM workforce.

Our vision is to be the nation’s leading catalyst for accelerating STEM education through transformative and innovative approaches that strengthen our national economy, our global economic and technological leadership, our national security, and our quality of life. 

The end result is to strengthen America’s leadership in science, technology, engineering, and math.

Access a diverse network

Gain access to a diverse network of public and private partnerships to address the toughest STEM challenges facing K-12, technical, community colleges, and four-year institutions, including education and training.

Access resources and expertise

We leverage our resources, assessments, and market analysis on effective STEM education and training programs.

Catalyze innovation through collaboration

With our partners, we bring together the resources to build strategic collaborations between public-private partners that result in the development of improved STEM education, training, learning ecosystems, and builds creative workforce pathways.

Collaborate on funded research opportunities

We engage academic and research institutions, government agencies, and commercial organizations in cutting-edge research that addresses critical challenges in STEM education and training at the federal, state, and local levels.

Create and launch solutions

We're looking for partners to work with us to create and launch innovative new approaches in STEM education and training solutions that are scalable. By identifying R&D proposals across sectors, we bring together the power of our 150+ member university consortium and 30+ Minority Serving Institutions. We assemble effective teams around sector or industry specific needs to undertake scientific research that results in new approaches.

Define, inform, and transform

We're looking for partners to provide thought leadership to inform local, state, and federal agencies on innovative approaches to improve STEM learning and accelerate our workforce. Along with our partners, we want to help define the future of education, learning, and workforce in STEM.

Interested in partnering? Contact Liv Blackmon at olivia.blackmon@orau.org.

Attend STEM education and workforce events

In addition to our annual meeting of our sponsoring institutions, we host focus groups, design thinking workshops, road-mapping workshops, and conferences to address STEM workforce challenges.

Impact Areas

Core initiatives

  • Bolster local and regional economic development through improved education, training, and workforce capacity building
  • Utilize cross-cutting, innovative technology to enhance education and training programs (e.g., artificial intelligence, virtual reality, and augmented reality)
  • Evaluate, assess, build, and expand core critical infrastructures (e.g., energy, water security)
  • Dive deep into national priority areas (e.g., nuclear science and technology, space)
Three people working in a laboratory setting

Partnerships

ORAU STEM Accelerator is joined by a consortium of national partners focused on advancing STEM education and training, such as:

AAAS-STEM Opportunity Alliance

  • Partnering to build a strategy for the STEMM ecosystem rooted in equity, inclusion, and scientific excellence to power progress, innovation and prosperity for all by 2050.

Global Action Platform

  • Partnering on regional innovation ecosystems to build public-private partnerships among academia, industry, and state/local agencies to advance scalable, sustainable solutions and grow economic markets in regions throughout the United States.

Thurgood Marshall College Fund

  • Partnering to help build the HBCU R&D ecosystem, capacity building, and infrastructure to ensure these academic institutions are successful at advancing their capacity to receive federal, state, and local funding.
  • Helping to build pathway models for HBCU students to develop STEM career pathways into federal agencies. 

Fusion Cyber and Cisco

  • Innovative cybersecurity education and training in Zero Trust Risk Management Frameworks (RMF), defense, and cyber offense and industry-accepted cybersecurity certifications.

Contact us

For more information about ORAU STEM Accelerator, contact Liv Blackmon at olivia.blackmon@orau.org.