This interactive map shows where STEM learning happens in Philly

Looking to get involved in science and technology activities in Philadelphia? This map could help you find exactly what you’re looking for. 

The Philadelphia STEM Programming Directory is an interactive map of STEM-related programming and orgs in the city. Today, it has dozens of programs around the city in its index, spreading the word about ways parents and teachers can encourage students’ interests in science and technology at any age — including a recently held STEM community day. 

“Let’s get our people educated or informed about the possibilities that they can have here,” Betsy Payne, manager of the organization that runs the map, Philadelphia STEM Ecosystem, told Technical.ly. “It starts with little kids.” 

Founded in 2015, Philadelphia STEM Ecosystem is a membership group of businesses, educators and professional orgs working to get the word out about STEM educational opportunities.

The tool targets students and parents looking for extracurricular activities, as well as educators looking for professional resources. The activities included on the map are there year-round, so even if they aren’t currently operating, parents can be aware of the next session, Payne said. 

The map itself has filters like grade level, subjects of interest, location and time of year that users can select. For example, parents can specifically look for middle school life sciences programs in Center City in the fall. There’s no cost to be included in the directory or for the families that use it.

The map tool is a way for parents and teachers to keep up with what activities are available and create connections in the ecosystem, Payne said.

“From the beginning, 10 years ago, the idea of the STEM Ecosystem was to make sure that opportunities in education, employment and anything STEM was available and accessible to all,” Payne said.

A STEM workforce that reflects Philly’s demographics 

The programming directory is just one of the ways that the Philadelphia STEM Ecosystem works to connect people with resources. 

The STEM Ecosystem spun out the Philadelphia STEM Equity Collective (PSEC) in 2020, an initiative to get more Black people, Latine people and women into STEM careers. It aims to make the STEM workforce of the city reflect the population that lives here, Payne said. 

PSEC has a page of resources on its website, including the programming directory, and lists of job opportunities, workforce development programs and available grants. Payne tries to keep all of these resource pages updated every two weeks, highlighting the opportunities with upcoming deadlines, she said.

Earlier this month, PSEC and the STEM Ecosystem put on the first STEM Community Day at the Academy of Natural Sciences, a free opportunity to expose families and educators to different STEM education programs in Philly. 

Almost 20 orgs were in attendance, sharing information and setting up activity tables throughout the museum. The activities ranged in topic from drones to weather to beauty and skincare. 

For example, ECLOSE Institute, which has biomedical research programming for youth, set up an activity where kids could look at sleeping fruit flies through a microscope while also sharing more about their programming for elementary through high school-aged kids.

Hosting the event at a well-known space brought in patrons that weren’t necessarily looking for it, leading them to learn more about STEM programming in the city. 

Jean Riling brought her kids to the Academy of Natural Sciences and was pleasantly surprised by the STEM Community Day activities, she said. Her kids are interested in STEM and she’s always looking for hands-on, kid-focused activities she can bring them to. 

“It expands the way they can think and that they can create,” Riling said. “It gives them more ideas about what they can do as they get older and how they can contribute to the world.”