Community STEM Events

Want a fun way to bring families from the community together AND have all the planning and resources already prepared for you?

What is a Community STEM Event?

Have you been looking for a way to bring families and/or the general community together onto your campus but don’t have the time for planning or resources to make it happen? BioNetwork has the program for you!

A Community STEM Event is designed to engage STEM enthusiasts of all ages through inquiry-based hands-on activities. We have done all the legwork developing activities and will also provide ALL necessary materials (equipment and consumables) as well as training. All your organization will need to provide is the space and a few volunteers!

Request a STEM Event

To request an event, please fill out our STEM Event Request Form.

Why should my organization host this event?

The creation of a robust K-12 STEM pipeline has been widely identified as critical to economic development in North Carolina. The state has 810+ life science companies in more than half of our 100 counties employing 75,000+ people (data source: NCBiotech Company Directory, 2023). In 2021, there were approximately 6,500 NEW HIRES in Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing alone (data source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2021). This means we need a constant source of skilled, and highly capable talent. Building a strong bridge between education and careers requires collaboration among industry, schools,educators, and families.

Hosting a Community STEM Event showcases your facility and staff while engaging participants in a fun experiential environment.  If you are a...

• industry, you can highlight your products while introducing potential careers to students and job seeking adults alike. 

• community college, this type of event increases the comfort level of non-traditional and first-generation students visiting your campus to learn about programs offered. Children can also see your college as a potential educational pathway. 

• K-12 school, create a fun learning opportunity while also presenting career pathways to students. 

Ultimately, an event like this can create a rapport with those in your community. Industries, community colleges, and schools are encouraged to collaborate and co-host an event.

How is the event run?

This event is designed to be run as stations, which enable participants to move between different hands-on STEM-focused activities freely. At each station, the participants engage with your volunteers who provide guidance and answer questions as needed. Volunteers will be provided instructions and training prior to the event. We also encourage hosts to invite additional members of their organization to provide stations with information on specific projects and programs.

If you've never hosted a STEM event before and aren't sure where to start, check out our Community STEM Event Checklist. Initially designed for our Community College partners, it is also applicable for other venues and organizations.

What activities are available?

Our Community STEM Events are fully customizable in that we have MANY activities for your group to choose from, making your event as big or small as needed! BioNetwork staff will help you in the selection process and can additionally answer any questions regarding planning and preparation. 

Request a STEM Event

To request an event, please fill out our STEM Event Request Form.

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April is NC Science Festival Month!

If you are a North Carolina Community College that may be interested in hosting an NC Science Festival event in April of 2025 please watch the recording of our information session below. 

Want more information on the NC Science Festival in general? Check out their website at: https://ncsciencefestival.org/ .

Attention NC Elementary Schools! You can purchase or apply for free a Duke Energy Science Night Kit!  Applications are due by September 25, 2024. Go to think link for more information  https://ncsciencefestival.org/DESN

Registration to request a set of NC SciFest activities from BioNetwork is now live!  Fill out the form below by EOB on December 1, 2024!

2025 NC SciFest Activity Kit Request Form

The theme for 2025 is "Everyday. Everywhere. Everyone."  We are hoping to show STEM is all around us and in many jobs people don't expect!  We encourage CC's to invite programs such as HVAC, welding, and cosmetology (just to name a few examples) to have an information table to show that science, technology, engineering, and math are applied to many types of jobs and careers.  Bonus if they can provide a hands-on component!

Ready to start planning? We've created a SciFest Planning Checklist that is free to download!

Updates from the NC Science Festival:  

 Mini-grant funding: Applications are open now through November 30 for our Event Sponsorship Program. Organizations can apply for up to $1000 to help seed a new or innovative event. One of our major priorities this year is to expand access to new audiences. That might mean hosting a new event in a part of the state that hasn't engage with NCSciFest programming before or creating opportunities for people who have felt excluded to participate in public science engagement.