Mission Statement Matters

Mission statements come in all shapes and sizes. They are an important aspect of any organization. Science engagement initiatives and organizations need to have clear and concise mission statements which need to be reviewed frequently because all mission statements have built in assumptions. It is these assumptions that change with time. Leaders consider the following: (1) What does their mission statement assume? (2) Does your mission statement inspire others to act on behalf of their organization or initiative? (3) Does it allow others to make important decisions? Below is a sample (randomly ordered) of 30 some science engagement initiatives and organizations around the world and their respective mission statements.  (Click on the organization’s name to visit their website)  

Africa Code Week

To empower future generations with the coding tools and skills they need to thrive in the 21st century workforce and become key actors of Africa’s economic development.

Africa ICT Right

Our mission is to provide technological resources, training and technical support to less privileged schools; to empower youth to use information technology, and to establish Computer Technology Centers in underserved communities. 

Africa Teen Geeks

We aim to bridge the skills gap that is evident in South African schools with a Computer Science curriculum that focuses on coding and basic computer skills

Cosmos Education Kenya

The mission of Cosmos Education is to foster an understanding of global sustainable development through improved science and technology education in developing regions of the world.

Her2Voice

TechWomen Rwanda through its partnership with US Embassy in Kigali has awarded a grant that will help them to conduct a series of mentor programs on science, technology engineering and mathematics for Rwandan youth in Rwanda’s five provinces within high schools. This will serve as an opportunity to share their career success stories and experience from their exchange program, inspiring young girls to considering tech careers while building networks empowering and encouraging girls aspiring to become scientists, technologists, engineers and mathematicians. 

MATHAFRICA

To establish a strong initiative in education program (maths and science) for teachers in the rural communities to gain skills that will enable the disadvantaged children for better performance at school level. 

NAIROBITS

To positively change the lives of vulnerable youth by improving their ability to contribute to their socio-economic well-being through creativity and innovation using ICT.

Science Circus Africa

Science Circus Africa aims to make STEM – Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths – inspiring, amazing and accessible for students, teachers and the community, while also training and equipping African teams to continue this work.

 

An important question to consider: What does your mission statement assume?  

Teaching and Research in Natural Sciences for Development in Africa (TReNDs)

Sustainable development through higher education and scientific innovation

TEAM4TECH

Advancing 21st century education in underserved communities through technology volunteers and solutions

WAAW FOUNDATION (Working to Advance Stem Education for African Women

To increase the pipeline of African women entering into Science and Technology fields and ensure they are engaged in Technology Innovation and Entrepreneurship to benefit Africa.

The Grad Spark

The Grad Spark is a platform that focuses on helping Black women develop a network and a roadmap for the path forward in STEM careers.

Clubes de Ciencia

Our mission is to expand access to high quality science education and to inspire and mentor the future generation of scientists and innovators in Mexico through international scientific networks.

Iridescent 

Create and deliver powerful science, engineering, and technology education to help underprivileged children and youth develop curiosity, creativity, perseverance.

Junior Tech

Engage 4th–12th grade students in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM). We Broaden students’ awareness of career paths in STEM, increase skills, and encourage a lifelong interest.

Project Exploration 

Empower and mentor underrepresented youth through science, technology and engineering out-of-school-time experiential programs led by university students and skilled professionals.

COMPUGirls

Actively drive the discourse and experiences of underrepresented girls in STEM by owning, generating and critiquing the collective body of scholarship on, and offering culturally responsive programs for, girls of color (e.g. African American, Native American, Latina, and Asian American) and STEM education.

FIRST

Inspire young people to be science and technology leaders, by engaging them in exciting Mentor-based programs that build science, engineering, and technology skills, that inspire innovation, and that foster well-rounded life capabilities including self-confidence, communication, and leadership.

Making Sense of SCIENCE

Provide top-notch professional development courses that build a scientific way of thinking in teachers and students.

BIOEYES

Foster enthusiasm for science by offering students opportunities to explore life science through real world applications using a hands-on approach to learning.

Association for Science Teacher EducationThe Association for Science Teacher Education (ASTE)

Promotes leadership and support for professionals involved in the education and development of teachers of science at all levels.  ASTE advances practice and policy through scholarship, collaboration, and innovation in science teacher education. 

 

 Does your mission statement inspire others to act on behalf of the organization or initiative? 

Little Scientists

Professional development program for early childhood educators and teachers combining inquiry-based learning with age-appropriate STEM exploration.

Young Tassie Scientists 

Broaden the profile of science and engineering to students and the general public throughout Tasmania and to provide insights into working as a scientist or engineer.

Google Science Fair

Online science competition, open to students between the ages of 13 and 18 from around the world. 

CSIRO: Science Bootcamp 

The two-day program exposes secondary school-aged students to authentic scientific research in contemporary research facilities and gives the students the chance to meet and talk with CSIRO researchers. 

In2Science 

An innovative and proven multi- university schools partnership programme that places university students as ‘peer mentors’ in Victorian low socio-economic schools. 

Code Club Australia 

providing project materials and a volunteering framework that supports the running of after-school coding clubs.

BioIgnite

Develop students’ interest in biomedical sciences at an early age through integration of an innovative biomedical science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) curriculum, expert teachers, and biomedical career exposure in a camp for middle school students. 

Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World

Unite eminent women scientists from the developing and developed worlds with the objective of strengthening their role in the development process and promoting their representation in scientific and technological leadership.

EU STEM Coalition

The mission of the EU STEM Coalition is to create momentum for the development and implementation of national STEM strategies across Europe.

Fanuel Muindi

Fanuel Muindi is a former neuroscientist turned civic science scholar-journalist and entrepreneur. He is a Professor of Practice in the College of Arts, Media, and Design at Northeastern University where he leads the Civic Science Media Lab. Dr. Muindi received his Bachelor’s degree in Biology and PhD in Organismal Biology from Morehouse College and Stanford University respectively. He completed his postdoctoral training at MIT.

• Fanuel Muindi

  https://civicsciencemedia.org/author/csmlabdirector/

  Visualized: US states with the highest number of active public engagement with science grants from the NSF-AISL program
• Fanuel Muindi

  https://civicsciencemedia.org/author/csmlabdirector/

  Catherine Cramer from CUNY discusses the logic model behind the ecosystem mapping project in NYC
• Fanuel Muindi

  https://civicsciencemedia.org/author/csmlabdirector/

  From the lab to the classroom & beyond: Prof. Nannas shares insights from her science engagement
• Fanuel Muindi

  https://civicsciencemedia.org/author/csmlabdirector/

  Elementary students judging science research? Co-organizers of Virginia Tech's 'Flip the Fair' science engagement community event explain