New STEM fellowship program at the MOST has Micron support

SYRACUSE, N.Y. — It’s a program designed to “inspire and support the next generation of innovators” in Central New York. The Micron Teacher Fellowship at the Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science & Technology (MOST) is a hands-on STEM program. STEM is short for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The MOST and the Micron Foundation announced its launch on Oct. 30. The Micron Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Boise, Idaho–based Micron Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ: MU), which plans to build a massive semiconductor-manufacturing campus at the White Pine Commerce Park along Route 31 in the town of Clay. The new initiative is a first of its kind for the Central New York (CNY) community and made possible by a $100,000 grant from the Micron Foundation, the MOST said in its announcement. It will pay for year-long fellowships for two Central New York STEM educators. Fellows will deliver programming and provide support in the areas of semiconductor and STEM education at K-12 schools, MOST programs and exhibits, and other key community events. They will also continue in their full-time positions with area school districts during the course of their fellowship. “This is a transformational moment for STEM education in our region,” Lauren Kochian, president of the MOST, said in the museum’s announcement. “These fellowships will help us reach more students and deliver unforgettable experiences that make STEM come alive around their communities, and within the walls of the MOST. We’re thrilled to expand our partnership with Micron on this groundbreaking initiative.”

Inaugural fellows

The program’s inaugural fellows — Alexis Williams from Syracuse and Brian Heffron from Clay — were selected for their leadership in STEM education and their “commitment to inspiring the next generation of innovators in CNY.” Williams is a technology educator at North Syracuse Central School District, where she has led hands-on STEM and robotics instruction for middle and high-school students. Williams has played a key role in developing curriculum for the Advanced Technology Framework, a “ground-breaking” curriculum-development partnership between Micron and educators’ unions that aims to broaden STEM and career and technical-education offerings in New York state, the MOST said. Williams holds a bachelor’s degree in technology education from SUNY Oswego and a master’s degree in curriculum development and instructional technology from SUNY Albany. Formerly an instructor and principal at Oswego County P-TECH, Heffron is the administrator of workforce development and community relations at CiTi BOCES, where he leads county-wide STEM and workforce-readiness initiatives. With more than 14 years of experience in career and technical education, he has developed numerous STEM programs for local K-12 students. Heffron holds degrees from Middle Tennessee State University, the College of Saint Rose, and Le Moyne College, and is also certified as a New York State School District Leader. “Micron’s partnership with the MOST, which began in 2023, has already introduced semiconductors and advanced manufacturing in an engaging and accessible way to tens of thousands of Central New York students,” April Arnzen, executive VP and chief people officer at Micron and president of the Micron Foundation, said in the MOST announcement. “This new fellowship program will afford young people in the region even more opportunities to learn, explore, and see a future for themselves in the semiconductor industry by engaging with leaders already known in the academic community.” The fellowship expands the growing partnership between Micron and the MOST and reflects a shared mission to prepare students for careers in the rapidly expanding semiconductor industry in Central New York. Most notably, the 1,500-square-foot interactive DECONSTRUCTED exhibit presented by Micron is a guide through the hidden world of microchips and how they power the world around us. The MOST and Micron also have partnered to present programming such as Micron’s Going Tech and Chip Camp offerings for area children. “This fellowship program is about making STEM both exciting and accessible [relatable] for young people in Central New York,” Rosita Najmi, head of global social impact and community engagement at Micron, and executive director of the Micron Foundation, said in the announcement. “We want students to see themselves in these STEM careers, and we believe the MOST, and these local, trusted and seasoned educators and subject matter experts are the ideal partners to make that vision a reality.”