Participate.

Do you think the classroom should be a compassionate space where everyone thrives?
Do you find it challenging to cultivate compassion and holistic growth in STEM education?
What barriers do you face in cultivating well-being within the student body?
Are you looking for a community of open-minded educators?

Scroll down to complete the application form— it only takes five minutes!

Be part of the Compassionate STEM Education community

​We are building a community of faculty who develop and implement compassionate teaching practices. We offer workshops where we assist STEM faculty in higher education to foster a compassionate learning environment for their classes and integrate the character of compassion into their curricula. Following up on the workshop series, we will guide participating faculty together through a series of community-building events, such as online discussion boards, reading groups, speaker series, and cross-institutional virtual gatherings, so that we can learn from and support each other on a journey in our teaching career where we infuse STEM classes with a compassionate mindset.

​Who can participate?

Do you teach in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics (STEM) fields (broadly defined) at two institutions: Virginia Tech and Colorado School of Mines?  If so, you are invited to apply to participate in the Compassionate STEM Education Program . Participants who complete the program described here will receive a $1000 stipend. ​

The benefits of participating

The program offers you the opportunity to reflect on your mindsets as teachers, and we provide tools to reframe that mindset, where desired, to create a compassionate classroom environment. When translated into classroom habits, this deepens and enriches the teaching experience for you and your students.  When we develop habits to show up heartfully in our classrooms while under the pressure of modern life, our teaching experiences are deeper and richer, and we likely become positive role models for generations of students.

​What does it take to participate?

The Spring 2025 Compassionate STEM Education program involves the following:

• Attend the online workshops that are offered on:
  • Tuesday, February 11, 2025, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM Mountain Time (7:00 - 9:00 Eastern Time)
  • Tuesday,  February 25, 2025, from 5:00 – 7:00  PM Mountain Time (7:00 - 9:00 Eastern Time)
  • Tuesday, March 11, 2025, from 5:00 – 7:00  PM Mountain Time (7:00 - 9:00 Eastern Time)
  • Tuesday, March 25, 2025, from 5:00 – 7:00 PM Mountain Time (7:00 - 9:00 Eastern Time)
• Small group meetings: 
  • Tuesday, February 18, 2025, from 5:00 – 6:00  PM Mountain Time (7:00 - 8:00 Eastern Time)
  • Tuesday, March 4, 2025, from 5:00 – 6:00  PM Mountain Time (7:00 - 8:00 Eastern Time) asynchronous
  • Tuesday, March 18, 2025, from 5:00 – 6:00  PM Mountain Time (7:00 - 8:00 Eastern Time)

• Be an active participant in the online community of practice of faculty for the calendar year 2025. This will take, on average, one hour per week except during the Spring and Summer breaks.
• Articulate a personal teaching statement that sets a personal intention to integrate compassion into the classroom. 
• Commit to bringing lessons learned into teaching practice.
• Share best practices for compassionate STEM education with other faculty in the program. 
• Prepare teaching narratives before and after participation in the program, that includes a reflection on teaching mindset and teaching habits.
• Complete a workbook with insights and reflections in a timely fashion.
• Take two online surveys with questions about the Compassionate STEM Education Program.
• Ask students to complete a voluntary perception survey before and after the program. We will provide the survey and collect the responses.

​How can I apply?

You can apply by completing the form below by Tuesday, January 28, 2025. Please contact Qin Zhu ([email protected]) or Theo Lazarri ([email protected]) for any questions you may have.