Innovation Learning Pathways
(Ages 13 and older)Program overview
Our Innovation Learning Pathways (ILP) program is designed for motivated students that seek an opportunity to explore advanced STEM concepts while advancing the ability to formulate and defend their own ideas to our most challenging problems. By supporting these individuals with the proper community and mentoring, our goal is to help them nurture their potential for innovation and personal development.
Critical Thinking
Exposure to topics and scientific research with guidance from mentors
Creativity
Problem solving and experimental design
Communication
Writing and presenting project ideas and outcomes
Collaboration
Work together with mentors and project-specific stakeholders
ILP is structured as a mentored semester-long independent studies program over 12 weeks. Students are responsible for formulating and presenting a project proposal. Upon a successful presentation, accepted projects will meet with mentors weekly with an expectation that students will be spending significant time outside of these sessions working on their project milestones and deliverables (defined jointly with mentors).
Program Philosophy:
Big Ideas for Big Thinkers
Our Innovation Learning Pathways (ILP) program strives to provide a forum where students 1) creatively apply their existing knowledge and 2) identify new individualized learning goals through an inquiry-driven process that directs them to think about the “big” problems they’ll be working to solve in their future. The benefit of this approach is that it allows students to see the forest for the trees and obtain clarity around how potential STEM career directions intersect with what problems they’ll choose to engage and why that’s relevant to them personally. By meeting them at this intersection of “how”, “what”, and “why”, we hope to develop a long-lasting foundation that students can build upon for years to come.
While students have significant flexibility in choosing their project topics, we encourage vectors of inquiry that touch on one or more of four key themes:
Where we live
Ecology and sustainability on Earth and beyond
Who we are
The engineered human (artificial intelligence and biotechnology)
How we interconnect
Neuro-(science / biology / psychology) and evolutionary biology as it applies to human collaboration
What our reality entails
Space, time, and scientific skepticism at large
Eligibility and Guidelines
Location - World
The ILP program is held through virtual interactions (video conferences, online chat, etc.), so any student that can attend the designated meeting times is eligible to participate.
Ages 13 and older
Applicants should, in general, be at least 13 years old for the program. Younger students may be considered for exceptional cases.
Computer and Internet
Students will require access to a computer with a video camera and Internet connectivity to attend virtual sessions.
Application Process
Our ILP program is currently exclusively offered to students that have already demonstrated their ability to work independently and commitment to personal development through our other programs (Academy and Junior ILP). As such, there is no formal application process. Instead, students will be invited to submit a proposal by instructors / facilitators of our other programs based upon their performance.
If you are interested in the ILP program and are new to our organization, we encourage you to participate in an upcoming Academy or Junior ILP class.
Testimonials
While the ILP program covered the topic of sustainable energy in depth, it simultaneously enabled students to learn collaboration and time-management skills. Those skills are practiced and put to use in this program, and are useful tools to use in the future. I would highly recommend the ILP program!
STEMed Labs is a very immersive experience that allows a student to develop their writing and presentation skills. It helps students gain more experience dealing with real world issues, while also developing social skills when communicating with their partners.
I really enjoyed the ILP program as it was an experience in which I not only learned about energy but also how to think properly. As we progressed through the program, my analytical abilities, in my opinion, improved as I had to look at things on both smaller scales and larger scales. I looked at energy powering one house and I looked at a type of energy potenially powering the entire planet. As a result, I was able to expand on my knowledge but also my skills.
