Northeastern University Center for STEM Education

What Northeastern University Center for STEM Education does

The Michael B. Silevitch and Claire J. Duggan Center for STEM Education is a research and outreach center within Northeastern University's College of Engineering, founded in 1989 with the launch of the Young Scholars Program. Headquartered at 130 Snell Engineering Center, 360 Huntington Avenue in Boston, the Center operates an academic-year-and-summer portfolio of STEM programs spanning the K-20 pipeline: STEM Field Trips and Excellence for All Robotics for 4th-8th graders across 13+ Boston Public Schools; the Young Scholars Program and Building Bridges event for high schoolers; Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU-PATHWAYS, REU-POWER) for community college and undergraduate students; UPLIFT for first-year Northeastern engineering students; and the BPE-2ME program for high school teachers focused on Generative AI integration. It also delivers afterschool programming at Jamaica Plain Library (since 2017) and Curley K-8 (since 2007), and co-hosts the Boston Public Schools Citywide STEM Fair, now in its 80th year.

The Center's technology stack consists of structured informal-education curricula (hands-on engineering activities, research mentorship frameworks) and professional development models rather than software products. Its proprietary frameworks include the K-12 Field Trip Curriculum, the UPLIFT research placement framework with weekly status reporting, and the AI Teacher PD Model delivering summer intensives plus year-long collaborative meetings. Underlying delivery is enabled by Northeastern faculty and 24+ student organizations (AIAA, AIChE, ASCE, ASME, SWE, SHPE, BESS) supplying volunteer labor. The Center issues no patents and operates no public API.

The business model is grant-funded and institutional: it generates no commercial revenue. Primary funding sources are NSF research grants (BPE-2ME #2414751, REU-PATHWAYS #2150417, REU-POWER #1757650, S-POWER #1564653, Engineering PLUS #2119930), Northeastern University core operating support, and individual donations via Giving Day. Most programs are free to participants to maximize accessibility; the only disclosed fee is a $25 per-person charge for the Building Bridges event. Customer segments are K-12 students, high school teachers, Northeastern undergraduates, community college students, and Northeastern faculty seeking broader-impact support.

Name

Northeastern University Center for STEM Education

Legal name

The Michael B. Silevitch and Claire J. Duggan Center for STEM Education

Website

https://stem.northeastern.edu

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Northeastern University Center for STEM Education is a university-affiliated outreach center, founded in 1989, that delivers free K-20 STEM programming including field trips, summer research, and teacher professional development to Boston-area students, teachers, and undergraduates, funded primarily by NSF grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

STEM Education Outreach

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (61171)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

STEM Research & Inquiry Programs (Research Mentorship, Science Fair Prep) (EDAMABAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Science & STEM Instruction (School-Delivered) (EDAJAFAH), STEM & Maker Education (Makerspaces, Coding Clubs, Robotics) (EDAAAFAL), Advanced Project-Based Learning & Portfolio Mentoring (STEM/arts portfolios, maker projects) (EDANAKAI)

Keywords

• K-12 STEM education
• Undergraduate research programs
• Teacher professional development
• STEM outreach programs
• Informal STEM learning

Headquarters

HQ city

Boston

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. NSF and Federal Research Grants: Primary funding from NSF grants supporting various programs including REU-PATHWAYS, REU-POWER, S-POWER, Engineering PLUS, BPE-2ME, and broader impact support for faculty research. Grants fund scholarships, program operations, and participant support.
2. University Core Funding: Operating budget from Northeastern University to support the Center's mission of strengthening K-20 STEM educational ecosystem and supporting faculty outreach efforts.
3. Donations and Giving: Individual donations supported through Northeastern's Giving Day and ongoing development efforts to sustain and expand outreach programs.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Center for STEM Education operates a portfolio of educational programs spanning the K-20 STEM pipeline, including K-12 hands-on STEM field trips, after-school programming, the multi-week Young Scholars Program (YSP) for high school seniors, summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) sites for community college and undergraduate students, the UPLIFT first-year undergraduate research program, teacher professional development (BPE-2ME AI integration, stEm PEER Academy), and large public events such as Building Bridges, the Engineering for Everyone Expo, and the BPS STEM Fair. It also provides broader-impact support to Northeastern University faculty pursuing NSF research grants.

Product overview

The Michael B. Silevitch and Claire J. Duggan Center for STEM Education at Northeastern University is an educational outreach organization, not a software product company. It provides a portfolio of STEM education programs and services across the K-20 pipeline. The Center operates academic year programs (STEM Field Trips, UPLIFT, Building Bridges, Engineering for Everyone Expo, BPS STEM Fair, Afterschool Programs), summer programs (Young Scholars Program, REU), teacher professional development (AI-ED, stEm PEER Academy), and additional initiatives (GEM GRAD Lab, NEPTUN, Excellence for All Robotics, Broader Impact Support for faculty). These programs serve elementary through graduate students and educators, focusing on strengthening the K-20 STEM educational ecosystem in the Boston area.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• STEM Field Trips: Hands-on STEM field trip experiences for 4th-8th grade students on Northeastern's Boston campus
• UPLIFT
• Young Scholars Program (YSP)
• REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates)
• Building Bridges
• Engineering for Everyone Expo
• BPS STEM Fair
• BPE-2ME: Using AI to Teach
• Afterschool Programs

Products and services

• STEM Field Trips Free field trip experiences for 4th-8th grade students on Northeastern's Boston campus, featuring hands-on STEM activities led by Northeastern students and faculty. Includes reverse/virtual field trip options for schools that cannot visit campus.
• UPLIFT (Undergraduate Program for Leaders In Future Transformation) Academic year research program for first-year Northeastern engineering students featuring fall seminars hosted by faculty, followed by spring research placements in faculty labs (~3-5 hours per week) with weekly status reports.
• Building Bridges Annual December event providing high school students the opportunity to explore Northeastern's College of Engineering through interactive engineering activities led by faculty and students.
• Engineering for Everyone Expo (EEE) Free family-friendly event held during National Engineers Week featuring hands-on engineering activities run by NEU student organizations. Open to K-8 students with parents/guardians.
• BPS STEM Fair Boston Public Schools Citywide STEM Fair (Region VI), the Commonwealth's oldest science competition, serving as a stepping stone for students in grades 4-12. Includes expo and judging components.
• Young Scholars Program (YSP) Free six-week summer research program for rising high school seniors. Students conduct hands-on research in Northeastern labs across the Engineering, Science, and Health Sciences colleges.
• Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) 10-week summer research programs for undergraduate and community college students. Previously hosted REU-POWER (2018-2022, NAE Grand Energy Challenge topics) and REU-PATHWAYS (2022-2025, community college pathway).
• stEm PEER Academy Summer institute and 2-year professional development experience supporting design and implementation of engineering-focused implementation projects at home institutions. Part of the Engineering PLUS grant (NSF #2119930).
• BPE-2ME: Using AI to Teach Three-year high school teacher professional development program focused on using Generative AI in schools, recruiting 10 teachers per year for intensive one-week summer PD and year-long support with AI-informed lesson plan development.
• Afterschool Programs (CASP / LASP) STEM programming for Boston Public Schools and Boston Public Library branches, currently running Jamaica Plain LASP (K-12) and the Curley Afterschool Program (K-8) in partnership with the STEMout student organization.
• ENGR 4956: Community-Based Integration Experience Experiential Learning Opportunity (ELO) course exploring informal STEM education for undergraduate and graduate students, covering curriculum frameworks (NGSS), STEM lesson development, and program evaluation.
• GEM GRAD Lab One-day event hosted with the National GEM Consortium offering students exposure to graduate engineering/science education and GEM fellowship, featuring speakers and panels on graduate school preparation.
• NEPTUN (Northeastern Program for Teaching by Undergraduates) Undergraduate students teach free classes to high school students through Splash (Spring) and Waterfall (Fall) events, offering a variety of subjects and encouraging exploration and creativity.
• S-POWER NSF-funded scholarship program supporting underrepresented minority transfer students from community colleges studying and doing research in energy at Northeastern.
• Excellence for All (EFA) Robotics Initiative expanding access to robotics experiences for fifth grade students in Boston Public Schools, partnering with multiple elementary schools including Mendell, Bates, Curley, Edison, and others.

Quantifiable outcome

• 634+ high school students have completed the Young Scholars Program since 1989
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• NSF Center for Pandemic InsightsminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 September 2024NSF-funded center ($18M, 2024-2031) catalyzing expertise for understanding pre-emergence phase of pandemics. Northeastern leads multi-university initiative.
• National GEM ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 August 2024Northeastern is a GEM University partner hosting annual GEM GRAD Lab events that offer students exposure to graduate engineering education and GEM fellowship opportunities. GRAD Lab features speakers on 'Why Graduate School?' and 'How to Apply Competitively.'
• SENTRY (Soft Target Engineering to Neutralize the Threat Reality)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021Multi-university DHS Center of Excellence started 2021 addressing protection of soft targets and crowded places. Led by Northeastern University.
• Boston Public Library - Jamaica Plain BranchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership with STEMout student organization to deliver Library Afterschool Program (LASP) for K-12 students since 2017, providing STEM programming at JP Library.
• Boston Public Schools (BPS) STEM DepartmentcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-hosts the BPS Citywide STEM Fair (Region VI, 80th year), recruiting judges and running STEM Expo. Support for BPS STEM Fair is annual partnership with the Science, Technology, and Engineering Department.
• Boston Public Schools - Multiple Elementary SchoolscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExcellence for All initiative partners with 13+ BPS schools (Bates, Curley K-8, Edison K-8, Gardner Pilot Academy, Grew, Guild, Harvard/Kent, Holmes, Mendell, King K-8, Orchard Gardens K-8, Philbrick, Sumner) to provide robotics programming for 5th grade students.
• ALERT Center (Awareness and Localization of Explosives-Related Threats)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMulti-university DHS Center of Excellence conducting transformational research for explosives-related threats characterization, detection, and mitigation.
• Marine Science CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNEU marine research and education facility offering pristine New England rocky shore habitat near Boston, globally recognized for marine science research and education.
• STEMout (NEU Student Organization)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCfSE's affiliated student outreach club that runs afterschool programs at Curley K-8 school and Jamaica Plain Library, and designs/volunteers for outreach efforts in the Boston community.
• NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) ProgramcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Science Foundation program providing infrastructure for undergraduate research experiences across the country. NEU Center for STEM Education has hosted multiple REU grants (POWER, PATHWAYS, D3, LSAMP).

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Boston Museum of Science: Long-established Boston-area informal STEM education institution. Comparable as a regional provider of hands-on STEM experiences for K-8 students, including partnerships with BPS, though operating as a museum rather than a university-anchored center.

Regional players

• Harvard PRISE / SEAS Outreach: Harvard's Programs for Research in Science and Engineering and SEAS outreach initiatives for high school students. Comparable as a peer Ivy-plus-tier Boston-area research university running competitive K-12 and HS STEM programs.
• Boston University College of Engineering Outreach: BU's K-12 STEM outreach programs operating in the same Greater Boston market. Comparable as a regional competitor for school partnerships, volunteer talent, and student demand in the Boston area.
• UMass Boston STEM Partnership Programs: UMass Boston's STEM education initiatives, including the historic Boston Science Partnership co-led with NEU (2004-2013). Comparable as a Boston-area public university partner/competitor for K-12 STEM programming and federal grant capture.

Direct peers

• Columbia Center for Engineering Education Research (CEER): Columbia's engineering education research center producing scholarship on engineering teaching and learning. Comparable in the research-and-outreach hybrid model applied to K-20 STEM education, though weighted more toward research and teacher development.
• MIT Office of Engineering Outreach Programs (OEOP): MIT's flagship university-based STEM outreach center serving underrepresented K-12 students through residential and academic-year programs. Directly comparable as a major research university's K-12 STEM pipeline program with similar research internship, mentoring, and college-readiness components.
• Tufts Center for Engineering Education and Outreach (CEEO): Tufts' engineering education research and K-12 outreach center focused on improving engineering education from elementary through higher education. Directly comparable in mission, university-anchored structure, and emphasis on teacher professional development and informal engineering experiences.
• Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) K-12 STEM Outreach: WPI's pre-college and K-12 STEM programs including Frontiers and robotics outreach. Comparable as a STEM-focused regional university's K-12 outreach and teacher engagement portfolio in the New England area.
• Stanford Mathematics/Science Young Scholars Program (SMYSP): Stanford's summer residential STEM program for high-achieving high school students. Directly comparable to NEU's YSP as a free, university-based summer research experience for high school students, particularly those from underrepresented backgrounds.
• Caltech Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (SURF): Caltech's flagship summer undergraduate research program. Comparable to NEU's REU/UPLIFT programs as a major research university's structured summer research experience for undergraduates working with faculty in STEM labs.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/northeastern
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/michael-silevitch-and-claire-duggan-center-for-stem-education-at-northeastern-university
• Xx.com/northeastern

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments1 record

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Frequently asked questions about Northeastern University Center for STEM Education