Our Goals

The Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) is transforming K-12 Education Through Science™ in collaboration with communities across the globe. To achieve our mission, we have three goals: STEM innovation, inclusion, and sustainability:

 

(1) Innovation - we promote authentic, inquiry-based K-12 science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) teaching and learning;
(2) Inclusion - we ensure diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion (DEAI) in K-12 STEM education; and,
(3) Sustainability - we advance STEM education for sustainable development (STEM4SD).

 

We achieve our goals by developing exemplary standards-aligned curriculum materials and digital resources (including our comprehensive K-8, research-based science curriculum program Smithsonian Science for the Classroom and Science and Technology Concepts for Middle School (STCMS); supporting the professional development of K-12 STEM/STEM4SD teachers and school leaders; building awareness for STEM education and providing leadership development through our Leadership and Assistance for Science Education Reform (LASER) model; and engaging in outreach and research.

 

Smithsonian Science for Global Goals project has new freely available community research guides developed by the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) in partnership with the InterAcademy Partnership. These Smithsonian Science for Global Goals community research guides use the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework to focus on sustainable actions that are student-defined and implemented.