A cohort of Towson University seniors majoring in Information Technology spent the fall semester working on a capstone project for us.  The project added content and functionality to the BmoreSTEM website. The first enhancement was to revise the look and feel of the website to:

• Create a more professional appearance
• Enhance consistency across pages
• Make it easier to maintain.

The second enhancement was to provide additional detail about the efforts of each of our active workgroups. Finally, the team worked to define requirements for the website to better meet the needs of parents in the Baltimore City community.  The team hosted two focus group meetings with representative parents. As a result, the team developed BETA versions of two features.  On feature is a repository (searchable database) of STEM offerings in the city.  When finished, this repository will summarize local:

• After-school and summer STEM programs
• STEM Attractions (such as museums and zoos)
• Upcoming STEM Events

The other new feature was a curated list of weblinks to aid parents in guiding their children on their exploration of STEM occupations. The purpose of providing these resources is to help parents to inspire an interest in STEM, to help communicate the variety of STEM and STEM-related job opportunities that exist, and to share strategies for preparing for such jobs.

The website committee is looking for STEM professions to volunteer as advisors to vet these resources and suggest additional pertinent resources.