OUR WORK
STEM FROM CONCEPTION TO IMPLEMENTATION
TIES works with diverse partners – individual school districts, entire states, the federal government, corporations and others. We engage with those who share its belief in the transformative power of STEM and its commitment to improving education and employment outcomes to create a more prosperous and just society. Our holistic approach blends research-driven curricula, cutting-edge technology, and customized solutions to upskill students, educators, and workers. We design customized, high-value projects, without shortcuts, that result in meaningful results.
STEM Learning Ecosystems
Built on over a decade of research, the STEM Learning Ecosystems Community of Practice is a first-of-its-kind collaborative initiative of 114+ USA and Global communities to identify and grow STEM collaborations that prepare all people for emerging global STEM opportunities. More than 40 million learners find themselves going from cradle to career within the space of a STEM Learning Ecosystem. Learn More.
Corporate Engagement
TIES partners with small, medium and large businesses all over the world to design and implement STEM solutions. Ranging from corporate social responsibility strategies to teacher training externships, TIES has deep understanding of how to weave together business and community STEM needs and goals.
Government Partnerships
From the National Science Foundation to the U.S. Department of Defense and entire states, TIES has been a trusted partner of government organizations that seek to improve STEM opportunities for all.
TIES + Education
TIES has worked with school districts in nearly every state in the country to design meaningful and connected STEM pathways and experiences. Bringing in community partners, TIES has helped ensure that STEM experiences and curriculum are connected to local economic needs of today and those predicted for tomorrow.
Learn more about a recent project.
TIES is one of the nation’s leaders in digital fabrication lab design and is now integrating AI and other newer technologies into the offerings of the labs.
Are you looking to advance STEM education and economic opportunities in your community or organization? Whether your goals are preparing the workforce of tomorrow or retraining today’s talent, TIES is your partner for innovative and sustainable progress. Let’s build a more equitable future, together
COLLABORATING TO DEFINE STEM
Our Approach
The Engineering Design Process
At the heart of every project we touch is the Engineering Design Process. A cyclical construct for solving problems, it includes eight key steps: Ask, Identify Design Requirements, Imagine, Plan, Create, Test & Evaluate, Improve and Communicate.
The process ensures that possible issues and/or implications are appropriately identified, considered and monitored throughout design and project implementation. Ultimately, using the engineering design process enables teams to establish the same vision and outcomes, and, from that, to build programs and practices that support the needs and desires of the collective group.
Our design process, informed by centuries of iterative and collaborative design, acts as the backbone for all TIES projects.
In great anticipation of an AP in engineering, TIES celebrates the Engineering Design Process (EDP) and graphic.
Our Process
We follow a phased process in all of our projects that guide the project from conception to implementation to impact and sustainability.
Listen and Learning Phase
Preliminary Research
Benchmark the work based on research and existing models and fully assess the local STEM landscape to determine assets, STEM resources, and workforce and economic development opportunities.
Focus Groups
Facilitate focus groups with cross-sector stakeholders representing businesses, post secondary institutions, K-12 schools, non-profits, families and community members to determine the area’s STEM climate and pinpoint potential opportunities for ongoing support and collaboration.
STEM Surveys
Offer a series of stakeholder surveys to uncover STEM attitudes, awareness and assets within a community. The findings are combined with other series in our Listening and Learning approach, and leveraged in our design work to build on assets and inform opportunities.
Learning Tours
Facilitate visits to exemplar STEM facilities and programs to offer insight into the practices for adoption or change in a given school or community.
Design Phase
Design Studios
Facilitate meetings focused on cultivating collaboration and engagement among STEM professionals, community leaders and stakeholders. Design studios can be categorized using the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Design Studio concept and include innovation, accountability, learning and leading, collaborative investment, measurement, ecosystem management and more. Sessions establish relationships to ensure the project’s support and sustainability.
Design Blueprint
Co-design a Design Blueprint, an actionable tool defining all the prioritized strategies and tasks for implementation to ensure a robust launch and intended impacts. The tool offers an embedded project plan that is prioritized with technical assistance from TIES.