Quarterly
Meeting
June 25, 2026
www.njstempathways.org
Agenda
Welcome
Michelle Schpakow
Assistant Professor of Science Education
Serbay Zambak
Chair, Associate Professor of Mathematics Education
NJSPN Updates
About the Grant
The New Jersey STEM Strategic Advisory Board (NJSSAB) awards grants of up to $20,000 to high-quality, innovative STEM education proposals. The purpose of the funding is to increase the access and exposure to STEM and to measure and improve STEM interest and learning outcomes for P-16 students.
2026 Innovation Fund
Below are the projects selected to receive funding this cycle.
Awardee | Project Name |
South (Atlantic) Atlantic County Institute of Technology | Open Learning Garden:�Funding will support an open learning garden, a student-designed outdoor STEM learning space. The project would engage students across multiple CTE and STEM pathways in designing and building a permanent, ADA-compliant garden and outdoor classroom featuring sustainability elements such as rainwater collection, composting, and solar-powered systems. |
North (Bergen, Essex, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union, and Warren Counties) Greater Newark STEM Ecosystem | GNSE STEM Resource Directory:�Funding will support the GNSE STEM Resource Directory, a free, searchable online resource for students, families, and educators. The directory would connect users to STEM programs, pre-college opportunities, and regional resources across northern New Jersey, with a focus on increasing awareness, access, and equity. |
Central (Hunterdon)� HSMC STEM Ecosystem/Flemington-Raritan School District
| The Immersive STEM Learning Lab Funding will support an immersive STEM learning lab, which would use VR headsets to provide immersive STEM learning experiences. The program is designed to support ESL learners, students with disabilities, and other underserved students through interactive, experiential learning during the school day. |
2026 Awardees
2026 Awardees
Awardee | Project Name |
Central (Ocean and Monmouth Counties)� Jersey Shore STEM Ecosystem | New Jersey Engineering Lending Library – Lectec Mobility Initiative Funding will support a statewide lending library of engineering kits. The initiative would train educators through a summer institute and allow certified teachers across New Jersey to borrow Lectec electric scooter engineering kits for classroom use, expanding access to authentic engineering experiences. |
South (Camden) Wow Science | Digital Innovation Sandbox Summer STEM Experience Funding will support an eight-week hands-on summer program for K–8 students. The program focuses on robotics, coding, engineering design, and field experiences to strengthen STEM identity, interest, and academic achievement, particularly for underserved learners. |
Save the Date
Next Quarterly Meeting
September 25, 2026
Watershed Institute
Pennington, NJ
NJ STEM Month
Updates
2026 goal was to
impact
60,000 learners
60,811 learners�were impacted
Special shoutout to our partner NJ Makers Day!
NJ STEM Month Senate Voting Session
On March 23, RD Council and GSS students attended a NJ Senate Voting Session at the State House recognizing NJ STEM Month’s ceremonial resolution which was spearheaded by Senator Andrew Zwicker.
2026 NJ STEM Month
Winner Presentations
STEM Advocate of the Year
Healthcare Institute of New Jersey
STEM Civic Leadership Award
Richard Anderson, Rutgers University
STEM Collaboration of the Year
P-Tech Planetarium, The Paterson Museum, NASA Solar System Ambassadors and Paterson Great Falls Historical Park
Corporate STEM Champion of the Year
New Jersey American Water
STEM Educator of the Year
Sheila Tabanli, Ph.D., Rutgers University
NJ STEM Month 2026 Award Winners
2026
STEM Month Honorees
STEM Advocate of the Year
Healthcare Institute of New Jersey
STEM Civic Leadership Award
Richard Anderson, Rutgers University
STEM Collaboration of the Year
P-Tech Planetarium, The Paterson Museum, NASA Solar System Ambassadors and Paterson Great Falls Historical Park
NJ STEM COLLABORATION OF THE YEAR
Building Community Through STEM Partnerships in Paterson
A partnership between the Paterson Museum, Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park, P-TECH Planetarium, Paterson Public Schools, and NASA Solar System Ambassadors — united by one goal: expanding STEM access for every family in our community.
No Single Organization Can Do It Alone
STEM opportunities should extend far beyond school walls. When community organizations combine their strengths, the result is far greater than any one partner could achieve alone.
Facilities
Spaces where learning comes alive
Expertise
Content knowledge and curriculum
People
Volunteers, educators, and families
Access
Free, welcoming experiences for all
From Conversation to Action
What started as a simple question in 2023 — "What would happen if we connected Paterson's community institutions around STEM?" — grew into a sustainable, meaningful collaboration. Real credit goes to Heather Garside, whose coordination and leadership turned a concept into reality.
Phase 1
Aug 2023: Partner planning conversations
Phase 3
2025–2026: Expanded programming
Phase 2
2024: Launch of collaborative STEM family events
Each phase built on the last — from shared vision to shared impact.
What We Built Together
2+
Major Events Per Year
Collaborative STEM programs hosted annually
200+
Visitors Per Event
Families engaging with hands-on science
Passport Activities
Stamp-collecting booklets guide families through every station
Portable Planetarium
Immersive astronomy experiences right inside the museum
NASA and National Park Service Giveaways
Educational materials that extend learning beyond the event
STUDENT LEADERSHIP
Students Teaching Science
One of the most rewarding outcomes of this collaboration has been giving students authentic leadership roles. Rather than just learning STEM content, students become ambassadors — sharing science with families and younger learners.
Facilitate
Lead hands-on STEM activities for visitors
Communicate
Explain concepts clearly and answer questions
Represent
Stand as STEM leaders in their community
P-TECH Planetarium's Contribution
Our role has been to bring immersive experiences and student leadership into the partnership — making space science accessible and exciting for every visitor.
Portable Planetarium
Astronomy and space science brought to life inside the museum
Student Ambassador Training
Students trained to facilitate, present, and engage the public
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Paterson Museum
The Paterson Museum serves as the anchor and heartbeat of this collaboration — providing the space, the coordination, and the community trust that makes everything else possible.
Hosting & Logistics
Organizing partners and managing event operations
Community Engagement
Deep relationships with Paterson families
Orders the Pizza
The fuel needed to keep the team on their feet for the entire day
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park
The Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park connects STEM learning to environmental stewardship, local history, and community engagement through public programs and outreach events.
Promotion
Distributes publicity to a wide network that stretches into the surrounding communities
Community Engagement
Deep relationships with Paterson families
Expertise
Developed family-friendly activities that shared astronomy knowledge in an accessible way, including making eclipse viewers and creating take-home constellation projections.
PARTNER SPOTLIGHT
NASA/JPL Ambassadors
As a NASA Solar System Ambassador, Mike Greene brings space science expertise and authentic NASA educational experiences directly to students, families, and community members.
Expertise
Informative presentations in a small and informal setting
Exposure
Sharing detailed satellite visuals with expert explanation
Extending Learning
Take home materials that extend the lessons beyond the program
Lessons from Collaboration
The most important lesson: collaboration starts with trust. Different missions, shared goals — and when we focus on expanding opportunities for learners, amazing things happen.
Start with Relationships
Focus on Shared Goals
Use Everyone's Strengths
Create Student Opportunities
Keep Programs Accessible
Celebrate Small Successes
What's Next?
This award is not a finish line — it's encouragement to keep building. Here's where the partnership is headed:
01
Expanded STEM Programming
More events, more families, more hands-on experiences throughout the year
02
NASA-Related Projects
Deeper connections with the NASA Solar System Ambassador program
03
Student Leadership Development
Continued growth of the student ambassador model
04
Growing the Partnership Network
Welcoming new community partners into the collaboration
Collaboration Creates Opportunity
STEM is not just about science and technology. It's about creating opportunities, building connections, and helping people see themselves as part of the STEM community.
This recognition belongs to every partner, student, family, and volunteer who shows up and makes this work possible. Thank you to NJ STEM Pathways for this honor — and thank you to our community for trusting us with your curiosity.
Paterson Museum
Paterson Great Falls NHP
P-TECH Planetarium
Paterson Public Schools
NASA SSA Ambassadors
STEM Corporate Champion of the Year
New Jersey American Water
STEM Educator of the Year
Sheila Tabanli, Ph.D., Rutgers University
Breakout Session
Failure Lab & Breakout Session
Led by Liberty STEM Ecosystem Lead Dr. Vanashri Nargund-Joshi and Greater Newark STEM Ecosystem Coordinator Brad Schenker
Failure as Signal
Reframing Emotion, Meaning, and Learning in Complex Systems
Vanashri Nargund-Joshi, PhD
Associate Professor
Kean University- Jersey City
Lead - Liberty STEM Alliance
Brad Schenker
Partnership Development Advisor
Schenker Consulting Group LLC
Coordinator - Greater Newark STEM Ecosystem
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
We Talk About Success
We Hide Failure
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
Exercise
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
Why Failure Matters
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
?
Organizational Structure
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
Questions to Discuss | Community/ Organization | Professional | Personal |
What actions occurred? | | | |
What questions emerged? | | | |
What emotions surfaced? | | | |
What assumptions were revealed? | | | |
Lens of Failure
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
DEBRIEF: FAILURE LOCATION SHIFT
Where Did Failure Actually Live?
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
Coordinated Organizational Constraints
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
WORKED?
DIDN’T WORK?
DO DIFFERENT?
REMINDS
YOU OF?
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
Why Did It Happen - Reprimand or Celebration?
What Happened?
Basic Failures
Mistakes, blips, slips, preventable
Complex Failures
Multiple factors, breakdown of systems
Intelligent Failures
‘Good’ failure, lead to insights
The Spectrum of Causes of Failure
Praiseworthy
Blameworthy
Experimentation
An experiment conducted to expand knowledge and investigate a possibility leads to a failure.
Uncertainty
A lack of clarity about future events causes people to take seemingly reasonable actions that produce undesired results.
Task Challenge
An individual faces a task too difficult to be executed reliably every time.
Inability / Inattention
Lack of skills or training, or inadvertent deviations from specifications.
Sabotage
An individual chooses to violate a prescribed process or practice.
Edmondson, Amy. Right Kind of Wrong: The Science of Failing Well. New York, NY: Atria Books, 2023.
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
When we normalize talking about failure, our partnerships get stronger.
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
FAILURE pH SCALE
Left → Threat Zone | Middle → Meaning Zone | Right → Growth Zone
ACIDIC (Threat)� Shame → Fear → Anxiety → Defensiveness
NEUTRAL (Sense-making)� Uncertainty → Reflection → Curiosity
ALKALINE (Growth)� Learning → Adaptation → Innovation → Growth
The event stays the same.
What changes is the system of meaning we attach to it
Event stays the same.
The meaning we assign determines whether failure becomes a threat or a teacher.
Nargund-Joshi, V. (2026). Failure pH Scale™: A framework for understanding how emotional climate shapes responses to failure.
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
EMOTIONAL FLIP MODEL
Every “negative” emotion has a functional opposite
Emotion is not the problem. Interpretation is.
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
Research Foundations
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
OPEN DISCUSSION
Vanashri
Understand student struggles, faculty burnout, and program challenges revealing conditions that require attention, not blame.
Brad
Facilitate workshops on adaptive leadership, resilience and overcoming the fear of failure
What do you think?
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
Thank you!!
Questions?
Follow us @
Vanashri
Brad
Confidential - Not be be shared without the approval of Schenker Consulting Group LLC
Attendee Announcements
Stay In Touch!
Website
Twitter (X)
www.njstempathways.org
@NJSTEMPathways
#NJSTEMTogether
Kim Case- kcase@rdnj.org
Shirley Mautone- smautone@rdnj.org
Thank You And See You Next Time!
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