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Advocate Program (Society for Science)

Provided By
Society for Science
Society Advocate participant explore printed materials around a table.

The Advocate Program is a year-long professional development program that supports teachers, mentors, and other STEM educators who are working to increase the number of students who enter STEM research competitions.

Logic Model

Program Activities

Educators

  • Participate in the Advocate Training and Development Program​ 
  • Ensure all students have access to develop science and engineering research​ 
  • Gain a professional learning community of Advocate peers​

Program Near-Term Outcomes

Educators

  • Increased awareness of STEM research opportunities for students 
  • Increased awareness of STEM and DoW STEM research and careers​ 
  • Increase STEM pedagogical knowledge for supporting students in independent STEM research​ Increase teacher leadership skills

DSEC Near-Term Outcomes

Educators

  • Increased participant awareness of, and interest in STEM research and careers​ 
  • Increased participant awareness of, and interest in DoW STEM research and careers​ 
  • Increased participant STEM competencies (STEM skills, knowledge, abilities, and confidence)​
Participant Perspectives

Participant perspectives reflect survey responses from 2025-2026, the first year of survey administration.

Of 45 educator participants, 45 responded to the survey.

Educators

  • Disagree
  • Slightly Agree
  • Moderately Agree
  • Strongly Agree
The Advocate Program increased my knowledge/skills for developing opportunities to engage my students in STEM research.
n = 45 valid responses
The Advocate Program increased my knowledge/skills for supporting students through independent research projects.
n = 45 valid responses
The Advocate Program increased my knowledge/skills for supporting students in entering research competitions.
n = 45 valid responses
The Advocate Program increased my knowledge/skills for supporting other teachers in facilitating student research.
n = 45 valid responses
The Advocate Program increased my knowledge/skills for developing a sense of belonging in a STEM-focused professional learning community.
n = 45 valid responses
Program Data

Program data includes participants from both years of Base Period (2024-2025 and 2025-2026). 

Educators

45 total educator participants

Educator Type

Category Count %
District Administrator or Staff 3 6.7%
Teacher 40 88.9%
Other 2 4.4%

Educator Grade Levels

Military-Connected Educators

Other programs from Partner
DoW STEM Leadership Prize (Society for Science)
Middle School Research Teachers Conference (MSRTC) (Society for Science)
Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge (Society for Science)