K-12 STEM Education Programs

STEM graphic

Acknowledging that the key to innovation and economic growth is science, technology, engineering and math education (STEM), the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education is committed to improving science education for students. In this mission, ORISE places a high value on equipping elementary, middle and high school teachers with tools and experiences to enhance their classroom instruction and student engagement.

ORISE partners with the U.S. Department of Energy and other federal agencies to help strengthen America’s educational competitiveness by:

  • Providing students and teachers opportunities to experience scientific research being conducted at U.S. national laboratories, such as Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and research centers across the country.
  • Offering professional development workshops for K-12 teachers to participate in research demonstrations, discover new trends in STEM education, and collaborate with other STEM educators.
  • Developing summer learning programs for teachers and students to participate in opportunities that encourage teamwork, problem-solving, and demonstrations that enhance learning STEM disciplines.
  • Serving as a resource center with lesson plans and other teaching resources that help make K-12 STEM education more effective.

During the summer months, ORAU offers a variety of programs to provide K-12 teachers, as well as middle and high school students, opportunities to engage in hands-on activities that broaden their interest and knowledge in STEM disciplines.

Learn more about our K-12 STEM education programs for students and teachers:

In this section

Lily Anna Starmer, West High School senior, shows off her robot.

ORISE Robotics Academy teaches students to build bots and skills

In the world of building robots, basic skills include designing, building and programming. Those skills, however, aren’t upstaged by intangible soft skills like critical thinking, complex problem-solving and teamwork. ORISE hosted high school students from around East Tennessee for the purpose of developing students’ robotics capabilities of both basic and soft skills.

Read about the academy