Keeping Doors Open: Transforming STEM Education at Every Level

Portland State University’s Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science is more than an educational institution—it’s a hub for innovation and inclusion. Housed in the college, Portland Metro STEM Partnership (PMSP), led by Executive Director Kristen Harrison is helping transform the way students engage with STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics). For over a decade, PMSP has worked to reimagine STEM education by prioritizing equity, empowering educators, and creating opportunities for students to see themselves as problem-solvers and innovators. By collaborating with local schools, community organizations, and industries, PMSP is reshaping what STEM education looks like—from preschoolers exploring science for the first time to high schoolers tackling real-world challenges in the classroom.

With a focus on collective impact, PMSP collaborates with educators, community organizations, and industry leaders to create programs that connect STEM concepts to real-world applications. Whether through culturally responsive STEM kits for preschoolers, hands-on science curricula for high school students, or professional development for educators, PMSP’s mission is clear: 
This partnership is dedicated to opening doors—and keeping them open—for every student, regardless of background. “STEM isn’t just about preparing students for careers,” Harrison says. “It’s about helping them understand the world they live in and giving them the tools to shape it.”

PMSP runs many projects focused on educator leadership development, curriculum development, professional development, an educator lending library, and more. Below are a couple of highlighted projects, along with more about PMSP’s philosophy, challenges and future goals.

Early Learning: Empowering Families Through STEM
One of PMSP’s most innovative initiatives is its preschool STEM education efforts. This ongoing Early Learning initiative has been to partner with Early Learning Washington County and Early Learning Multnomah to create STEM kits tailored to the needs of specific communities. The kids are co-created with partners, ensuring that the kits are both inclusive and relevant to children, their teachers, and caregivers. Harrison notes that the kits are designed to be holistically relevant, not merely translated from English into another language; they are “designed with specific communities in mind, so a child feels and sees their culture reflected in what they’re learning.”

These kits include hands-on activities like observing patterns in nature or exploring the shapes in children’s environments, making STEM accessible and engaging for young children and their families. The program has already reached thousands of families, with 2,500 more kits currently in production in collaboration with Early Learning Multnomah. “Families engaging with these kits together are not just learning—they’re building confidence,” Harrison says. “It’s about showing children that STEM is for everyone, starting from the very beginning.”

Patterns Curriculum: Transforming High School Science
Through both the curriculum and professional development for teachers, PMSP ensures that educators have the tools and support needed to engage students in high-quality, relevant science learning opportunities. As students progress through school, STEM education often becomes siloed—abstract concepts are taught in isolation from the world students experience daily. PMSP’s Patterns High School Science for All curriculum challenges this outdated model by articulating physics, chemistry, and biology into a cohesive, inquiry-based three-course sequence.

Currently implemented in approximately half of Oregon’s high school science classrooms, Patterns is open-source, freely available, and grounded in real-world applications. “Traditional science education can feel like memorizing a rule book,” Harrison says. “The Patterns approach is about finding and using patterns in nature to understand the past and make data-informed decisions about the future.” For example, in a Patterns Physics class, students might study waves by investigating how they are used in a cell phone to send messages or how ultrasound technology is used in medical diagnostics. These tangible examples make science engaging and relevant, allowing students to see the connections between their studies and the world around them.

PMSP is also working with district partners on a Middle School Applied and Career Connected Math Curriculum addressing the unfinished learning many students face in middle school math. This curriculum is focused on supporting students at the level they need, including opportunities for unfinished learning and acceleration. Each unit is focused on math skills that are transferable to real world situations and future careers. Piloted in both Portland Public Schools and the Beaverton School District, over 2,000 students and 60 teachers have engaged in this effort. “It’s about more than understanding the concepts,” Harrison explains. “It’s about seeing yourself in STEM—imagining the possibilities.”

Collaboration as a Foundation
None of this work happens in isolation. PMSP operates as a collective impact initiative, bringing together K-12 schools, higher education institutions, community organizations, and industries to create a cohesive STEM ecosystem. This collaborative approach mirrors the ethos of the Maseeh College, where partnerships are central to tackling issues like urban infrastructure and equitable access to technology.
Harrison emphasizes the importance of reaching students where they are, whether in or out of traditional school day programs. “We’re not trying to replicate programs,” she says. “We’re trying to support educators and community organizations so they can bring STEM to more kids.”

The organization also prioritizes professional development for educators, offering workshops and resources to help out of school educators and classroom teachers incorporate STEM into their programs in engaging and culturally responsive ways. “STEM learning doesn’t stop when the school day ends,” Harrison says. “We’re here to support educators wherever they are, whether they’re in a classroom, a community center, or a summer camp.”

Ongoing Challenges and Opportunities
Despite its successes, PMSP continues to address unmet needs in Oregon’s STEM education landscape. One major focus is expanding STEM opportunities in elementary schools, where science and engineering often take a backseat to other subjects. “Science in elementary is an area of major opportunity,” Harrison says. “Elementary teachers often don’t have a background in science or engineering, and the system doesn’t provide enough time or support for them to teach it.” Another area for growth is after-school and summer programming. Many community-based organizations want to expand their STEM offerings but face challenges like funding and staffing. PMSP works with these organizations to provide training, equipment, and other resources, helping them serve more students.

Looking Ahead
As PMSP looks to the future, its mission remains steadfast: to empower educators, support students, and create a more equitable STEM ecosystem. The Portland Metro STEM Partnership and the Maseeh College are transforming STEM education, creating opportunities that empower students to shape their futures.  “We are in a very complex world, with technology moving rapidly,” Harrison says. “We want every youth to have a chance to understand the world through that lens and navigate it, empowered by that knowledge—whether they choose it as a career or not.”

This vision transcends STEM education. It’s about creating opportunities, sparking curiosity, and empowering students to imagine and pursue futures they might not have thought possible. By investing in students at many different points of their educational journeys, PMSP and the Maseeh College are building a foundation that can bridge gaps between classrooms and careers, education and equity, and innovation and sustainability. As Harrison reminds us, the efforts are about “creating a world where everyone has the chance to succeed.”