Empowering Classrooms: $58K in STEM Research Grants Help Educators Inspire Hands-On Discovery, Changing Students’ Lives

April 23, 2025

WASHINGTON, D.C. – This year, Society for Science is proud to name 24 outstanding educators as recipients of its STEM Research Grants program, an initiative dedicated to expanding inquiry-driven science education in middle and high school classrooms nationwide.

Educators from across the country—from dynamic urban centers like Chicago and the Bronx to rural regions like Bismarck, North Dakota and Butte, Montana—will receive grants to empower them to bring essential STEM research equipment and project-based learning experiences to students in communities and schools throughout the United States.

The STEM Research Grants come in two forms: (1) research kits assembled and distributed to teachers by Society for Science and (2) funds paid directly to teachers intended for STEM equipment. The funds vary between $2,000 and $5,000, based on what the teacher requested for their classroom.

“Congratulations to the 24 recipients of this year’s STEM Research Grants. These grants empower educators to bring transformative, hands-on STEM experiences to classrooms nationwide, opening doors for students to engage in research projects they are curious about. This program helps to ensure that educators have the tools they need to inspire all students to think critically, learn new skills and solve science problems,” said Maya Ajmera, President & CEO of Society for Science and Executive Publisher of Science News.

The 24 awardees will bring hands-on STEM learning to classrooms in all corners of our nation. The recipients come from 12 states. Among them, 11 educators will receive research kits, while 13 will receive up to $5,000 in funding to inspire creativity and support student exploration in their scientific interests. The research kits, valued at $1,000 each, are designed to support many students in STEM research.

This year’s STEM Research Grants program is sponsored by Regeneron, and Victoria and Michael Chambers.

Priority is given to schools that lack access to funding for research equipment. This year, the majority of STEM Research Grantees are educators from public schools. With support from the Society’s STEM Research Grants, students will have a greater opportunity to venture into independent research projects that extend beyond their standard curricula, opening doors to participate in science fairs and showcase their work.

See the full list of Research Grantees here and below:

Kelsy Achtenberg, The Innovation School (Bismarck, North Dakota)
Deborah Armstrong, Mineola High School (Mineola, Texas)
Marie A. Baptiste, Leadership & Global Studies Academy (Houston, Texas)
Aja Brown, The Metropolitan Soundview High School (Bronx, New York)
Janice Coleman-Mathus, Parkside STEAM Community Academy (Chicago, Illinois)
Brianna Havir, Heritage E-STEM Magnet (West St. Paul, Minnesota)
Jace Haynes, East Middle School (Butte, Montana)
Willman Henriquez Osorio, George L. Carrington Middle School (Durham, North Carolina)
Katherine Kidd, Virgil Browne Glencoe Charter School (Franklin, Louisiana)
Megan LaRoque, Lincoln County High School (Eureka, Montana)
Lyndsey Lynch, Hanover Junior Senior High School (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
Zach Martin, Blackman Middle School (Murfreesboro, Tennessee)
Kevin McDonald, Lee High School (Huntsville, Alabama)
Coleen Nelson-Schafer, Martin Luther King Jr. Academic Magnet High School (Nashville, Tennessee)
Shelby Nesheim, Juneau-Douglas High School: Yadaa.at Kalé (Juneau, Alaska)
Natasha Rabinowitz, Central High School (Pheonix City, Alabama)
Consuela Reed, Benton Hall Academy (Nashville, Tennessee)
Zulaika Shamshieva, Tallahassee School of Math and Science (Tallahassee, Florida)
Gregory Smith, John Overton Comprehensive High School (Nashville, Tennessee)
Emily Stafford, Columbia Central High School (Columbia, Tennessee)
Marcus Staley, Shiloh Christian School (Bismarck, North Dakota)
Joshua Swartz, Hillsboro High School (Nashville, Tennessee)
Bryan Wood, Risley International School of Innovation (Pueblo, Colorado)
Trenton Young, Hunter High School (West Valley City, Utah)

This year, the kits for each teacher will contain 3 Arduinos, 2 PocketLab Voyagers, 1 Leaf Pack and 1 Soil Test Kit and 1 Garden Kit:

Arduino Starter Kits – Each STEM kit includes three Arduino Starter Kits. With this open-source hardware and software platform, students can get started on learning about electronics. Available in a variety of languages and simple to use in any location, teachers can lead students through projects about voltage, current, coding and the fundamentals of programming. Students can build innovative prototypes with Arduino boards for research projects with this kit.

Leaf Pack Stream Ecology Kit – Students will dive into the fascinating world of freshwater ecosystems with a field kit, created by aquatic specialists and educators from the Stroud Water Research Center and LaMotte. Unveiling the secrets of streamside forests and aquatic life, this kit empowers students to explore the intricate relationships between streams, food chain dynamics, and the impact of pollution. Kits include six mesh bags, a stainless-steel strainer and DiscoveryScope® to spark curiosity and enable engaging, hands-on research into the diverse realm of freshwater macroinvertebrates and their habitats.

LaMotte® Garden Kit – Each kit includes one soil test kit with a refill, equipping students with tools to conduct precise soil analysis. The kit enables students to perform rapid test procedures and reference laminated color charts to measure concentrations of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and soil pH. Key components include a pH Indicator, Nitrogen Extracting Solution Phosphorus Test Tablets and more, ensuring students engage in a scientifically rigorous exploration of soil composition and garden analysis.

PocketLab Voyagers – Each STEM Research Grantee receives two PocketLab Voyagers. This gadget can fit into one’s pocket, hence the name, and enables students to conduct research from anywhere. The small pocket laboratory can help students explore physics, weather, climate studies and engineering topics via sensing capabilities that measure acceleration, angular velocity, magnetic fields, altitude, infrared rangefinder and more. Users can stream real-time data with the Pocket Lab app to their own devices.

For years, the Society for Science has been committed to strengthening STEM education by giving classrooms greater research tools—empowering students with the skills and experience needed to become tomorrow’s scientists, engineers and innovators. To date, the Society is proud to have distributed over 9,200 research kits and $943,000 of funding to 721 dedicated educators teaching in schools with limited and fewer STEM learning opportunities to truly thrive. Priority is given to schools with limited access to research equipment or funding, especially those serving students from a variety of backgrounds in STEM. These educators represent all 50 states, Washington D.C., American Samoa, Guam, Mexico, Northern Mariana Islands, Peru, Puerto Rico and Uruguay.

For more information, please visit https://www.societyforscience.org/outreach-and-equity/stem-research-grants/

About Society for Science

Society for Science is a champion for science, dedicated to promoting the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Established in 1921, Society for Science is best known for its award-winning journalism through Science News and Science News Explores, its world-class science research competitions for students, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair and the Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge, and its STEM Outreach programming that seeks to ensure that all students have an opportunity to pursue a career in STEM. A 501(c)(3) membership organization, Society for Science is committed to inform, educate and inspire. Learn more at www.societyforscience.org and follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat (Society4Science).  

Media Contact:
Aparna K. Paul (she/her)
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Society for Science
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