2021 PKAL STEM Leadership Institute: Institute Design & What Participants Can Expect

Institute Design

The overall design of the PKAL STEM Leadership Institute is grounded in theories of leadership, adult learning, and social psychology. These theories are translated into practice through a uniquely-designed curriculum that heavily relies upon experiential learning exercises as a means of reinforcing didactic learning and building leadership self-efficacy. Additionally, the Institute strategically utilizes a blending of reflection and introspection—along with a variety of other approaches that include case studies, role-playing, and collaborative problem-solving exercises.

Each Institute is led by a team of mentors, all of whom are trained in the principles and practice of evidence based coaching. Institute Mentors are responsible for constructing the content and delivery of all Institute sessions, as well as framing the one-on-one mentoring and coaching of participants within the context of their lived experiences.

What Participants Can Expect

For over twenty-five years, the PKAL STEM Institute has cultivated leaders of undergraduate STEM reform for both positional and non-positional leadership roles. The Institute fosters leadership through a highly intensive, hands-on leadership training experience designed to impart immediate efficacy in directing campus-based and/or national undergraduate STEM reform initiatives.

By attending the Institute, participants can expect to be empowered to:

Lead Change with Courage, by:

  • Exploring practical and tactical leadership skills for directing campus and national undergraduate STEM reform projects and initiatives
  • Learning from and interacting with professional diversity trainers and experienced academic coaches, who have been trained in evidence-based coaching and the Courageous Conversations® framework
  • Learning about the political dimensions of institutional change, the importance of understanding institutional culture, and the shifting priorities of national STEM reform leadership

Embrace Diverse Perspectives with Authenticity and Legitimacy, by:

  • Developing an appreciation for the myriad ways in which the inclusion of differences in disciplines, lived experiences, and social identities contribute to enhanced problem solving
  • Engaging in rigorous discourse about the changing national landscape of, and challenges related to, STEM higher education reform
  • Reflecting privately, and with mentors and colleagues, on the impact of one’s own implicit biases and the role they play in facilitating or derailing STEM higher education reform at the institutional and national levels

Communicate Bold, New Ideas with Thoughtfulness and Clarity, by:

  • Learning, developing, and experiencing the art of deep contemplation and self-reflection as mechanisms for recognizing and understanding the root causes of racism in STEM higher education`
  • Developing a powerful leadership prospectus that outlines and sets a clear course of action for lifelong professional and personal growth
  • Connecting with a national network of colleagues from around the country who are committed to undergraduate STEM reform