About
The STEMS² Symposium is an annual gathering where new and returning critical friends engage in meaningful conversations, shared learning journeys, and the joy of community. At the 6th Annual STEMS² Symposium, we will explore what it means to meet the needs of the places we are connected to and engage with. It’s an exploration of our kuleana and a reflection on the meaningful ways we can contribute to the well-being of our communities. Driven by the essential question, “What is our kuelana?” — a powerful concept translating to “privilege and responsibility,” we will delve into the places we are privileged to care for. What places, skills, knowledge, and abilities are you trusted with?
The STEMS² Framework guides a pedagogy (method and practice of teaching) and a general way of being that is “rooted in connecting with communities, learning from the place, the people, the kupuna [ancestors], and the moʻolelo [stories]. It requires asking and providing kokua [help/support] and engaging at the invitation of the people in the place… While STEM content knowledge and skills are tools used in problem-solving, community needs and a sense of place are at the center” (O’Neill et. al. 2023). But how these ideas translate to practice depends on understanding our collective, individual, and larger network kuleana.
Save the Date
The 6th Annual STEMS² Symposium will take place Tuesday, June 25 – Thursday, June 27, 2023 with opportunities to engage both in person and online. In-person experiences will include activities that physically engage participants with people and places around O‘ahu. Online experiences will include workshops, poster sessions, and talk stories/paper presentations. Whether you participate locally on Oʻahu or from a distance, join fellow STEMS² enthusiasts who share a passion for exploring the roles that place, culture, and identity play in interdisciplinary education.
Ways to Engage
This three-day experience will include opportunities to engage both online and in person. Participants are welcome to join locally on Oʻahu or from a distance. Whether a presenter or a participant, we encourage everyone to contribute to making the STEMS² Symposium a place where all attendees can engage in the pillars of STEMS² while being a teacher and a learner at all times.
