Philadelphia STEM Equity Week 2026
October 24th to 31st, 2026
Get ready to join us for an exciting week dedicated to advancing inclusivity and opportunity in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics!
From October 24th to the 31st, 2026 we invite you to join us in a
week of engaging activities dedicated to advancing inclusivity and opportunities in STEM. There will be something for everyone, from
teachers and families, to STEM professionals and job seekers.
Our event hosts bring Philly STEM to life by showcasing the
programs, resources, and opportunities they offer our community.
If you are interest in being an event host, register HERE.
We would like to thanks
Convene at Two Commerce Square
for their generous sponsorship of
PSEC's STEMposium.
As part of the Philadelphia STEM Equity Week, we invite you to
PSEC's signature event, the
"STEMposium: Powerful Partnerships and
join us at Convene at Two Commerce Square from 8:30am to 3:30pm for an inspiring day of learning and collaboration.
Don't miss out on this opportunity to engage with leaders and innovators in STEM fieldS!
Let's celebrate together and highlight the dynamic STEM programs that Philadelphia has to offer!
Events are being added weekly.
Please come back often to explore more activities!
Schedule is subject to updates.
Saturday, October 24
-
Diagnosis and Discovery: Classroom Research Program - 9:00am - 1:00pm - This teacher PD by eCLOSE will immerse participants in health research, centered on case studies reflecting health issues faced in Philly, integrated with researching how diet can prevent or reduce symptoms.
-
Adventure Quest™ - 10:00am to 11:30am - A hands-on STEM experience where kids explore, build, move, experiment, and create through fun interactive challenges presented by Kidz Play 4 Dayz.
-
2026 Adopt-A-Tree Tree Planting - 10:30am to 12:00pm - Join us for a fun-filled morning with your family to adopt and plant trees at Riverbend Environmental Education Center.
-
Future Builders: STEM Innovation Day - 11:00am to 2:00pm - Joins us at Inner Version for free hands-on STEM activities inspiring youth to explore, create, learn, and discover future careers as well as to explore how STEM connects to everyday life and future careers while developing critical thinking, creativity, communication, teamwork, and confidence.
-
Spooky Seaport Eco Tour - 11:45am - 1:45pm - Join us at the Independence Seaport Museum for a beginner friendly kayaking excursion where we'll learn all about the history and ecology of the Delaware River! Must be 18 years or older for this activity.
-
Philly's GOT Dance STEM Experience - 1:30pm to 3:30pm - This interactive experience from PGD will have young people explore the STEM behind dance through movement, music, creativity and hands-on challenges that get them thinking, creating and moving.
Sunday, October 25
-
2026 Fall Bird Walk - 9:00am to 10:30am for Adult Bird Walk and 10:30am to 11:30am for Family Bird Walk - In collaboration with Bird Town, PA, Riverbend Environmental Education Center invites you to our Fall Bird Walk on our preserve.
-
Sustainable Beauty Make n Take - 3:00pm to 5:00pm - Create and customize natural skin care blends in lab! This exclusive workshop from DIVINITI invites you to explore beauty formulation, combining innovation with creativity in the heart of Philadelphia.
Monday, October 26
-
Cybersecurity 101: Foundations of Digital Safety -12:00pm to 2:00pm - Join We Love Philly for this engaging introduction to cybersecurity basics, empowering participants to build foundational digital safety habits and explore the core pillars of information security.
-
High School STEM Equity Collaboration - 3:15pm to 4:30pm - Philly’s STEM community is invited to network and collaborate at Carver High School of Engineering & Science to plan STEM outreach projects for the school year 2026-27 and beyond to engage and inspire youth to pursue STEM careers.
-
Slime! - 3:30pm to 5:00pm - Join us at the Free Library of Philadelphia's Bushrod Branch to make and play with colorful slime!
-
Slime! - 3:30pm to 5:00pm - Join us at the Lucien E. Blackwell West Philadelphia Regional Library to make and play with colorful slime!
-
Building Outdoor Education in your Community - 4:00pm to 5:15pm - Combining practical advice with playful exploration, dive into the ways outdoor learning enriches STEM curriculum with GeoVentures!
-
Read, Learn, Discover: Exploring STEM Careers Through Diverse Trailblazer Stories - 4:15pm to 5:45pm -Discover your future career in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics by learning about diverse trailblazers & engage in interactive stations using their inventions or tools with us at 5 Tribe Vending.
Tuesday, October 27
-
Building Confidence for STEM Careers - 10:00am to 11:30am - Science& presents a roadmap to build the confidence, resilience, cultural awareness, and sense of belonging of early-career STEM professionals through arts-based programming.
-
Make a Lava Lamp - 4:00pm to 5:00pm - Join us at the Free Library of Philadelphia, Eastwick Branch for a hands-on STEM activity where participants create a colorful DIY Lava Lamp using everyday materials.
-
Think It! Build It! Code It! - 4:00pm to 5:30pm - Discover just how much fun STEM can be with Stevie The Inventor Build & Code Experience, a hands-on STEM program where kids use creativity, building, problem-solving, and screen-free coding to bring their ideas to life.
-
Beauty Meets Chemistry: Lip Gloss Lab - 4:00pm to 6:00pm - Join us at Diamond Beauty Academy for a hands-on STEM experience where students explore cosmetic science, learn how ingredients work together, and create their own custom lip gloss to take home.
Wednesday, October 28
-
Haunted House Tech Trivia - 12:00pm to 2:00pm - Test your tech knowledge while learning about AI, cybersecurity, software, and robotics in a fun way with the Penn State Abington student-led AI club.
Thursday, October 29
-
STEMposium: Powerful Partnerships & Creative Collaborations - 8:30am to 3:30pm - As a cornerstone of PSEC's STEM Equity Week, this event is truly centered in partnerships and collaborations.
-
Family Math Night - 4:00 to 6:00pm - Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy students, families, educators, and community members will convene for an early evening of games, puzzles, creativity, and collaboration—inspired by mathematics.
-
Study Hall x Distillations: American Vice - 6:00pm - 8:00pm - Come celebrate with us the Science History Institute's newest Distillations podcast season with a special performance by the Crossroads Comedy Theater Company!
Friday, October 30
-
Opportunity Mapping with GIS - Senior Capstone Work In Progress - 9:30am to 10:30am - U School students will showcase their Senior Capstone progress while using GIS tools to map STEM careers, community resources, and their visions for the future.
-
The Art of STEM - 4:30pm to 6:00pm - Step inside The Art of STEM, where Providence Center students turn curiosity into a gallery of paintings, sculptures, circuits, and designs that show STEM belongs to everyone.
-
Halloween Hackathon - 4:30pm to 6:30pm - The Launchpad Halloween Hackathon will give aspiring engineers the opportunity to build their own chatbot.
-
Choreomania - 6:00pm to 11:00pm - Join us at the Mütter Museum for an immersive theme party inspired by a bizarre medieval medical phenomenon! Must be 21 years or older for this activity.
Saturday, October 31
-
HallowSTEM: Spooky STEM Lab - 10:00am to 12:00pm - HallowSTEM is a spooky, hands-on STEM experience where young scientists will create bubbling witch’s potions, engineer pumpkin structures and spider webs, and make their own Halloween slime. Join us at STEM Prep Academy for spooky science, creative challenges, and hands-on STEM fun!
-
NASA Space Science - 10:00am to 12:30pm - Dive with NeuroElite STEM into NASA space science, from seeds to satellites, exploring how to grow food in space and how technology makes it possible
-
Storywalk with the Mayor - 11:00am to 1:00pm - Move your body as you read through our storywalk at our pop-up in Naylor's Run Trail! This activity is a collaboration between Upper Darby Township and Sellers Memorial Free Public Library.
-
Robot Family Build -12:00pm to 1:15pm - This signature hands-on workshop from Brooklyn Robot Foundry will have children and families design, build, and decorate their own functional robots.
DESCRIPTION
eCLOSE is offering Diagnosis and Discovery, a classroom research program in which students first serve as healthcare professionals, diagnosing human patients using case studies and proposing diet or behavioral methods to improve health based on their work. Next, students use fruit fly models of disease to conduct original research, with the goal of testing their ideas and uncovering new, low-cost methods for improving health within Philly communities.
Teachers will receive a stipend and certificate of participation as well as access to no-cost programming and supplies for students in Philadelphia public schools. All participants will receive Lab-in-a-Box research kits containing the equipment and supplies needed for the research program.
DESCRIPTION
Adventure Quest™ is a FREE, 90-minute hands-on STEM experience presented by Kidz Play 4 Dayz in celebration of Philadelphia STEM Equity Week. Participants will rotate through fun, interactive activity stations that encourage them to build, experiment, move, solve problems, and create.
Activities are designed to make science, technology, engineering, and math feel exciting, approachable, and connected to everyday life. We welcome families and young learners of different ages and abilities. No previous STEM experience is needed—just curiosity and a willingness to explore! Free to attend. All activity materials are provided.
DESCRIPTION
Fall is a wonderful time to plant trees just before it turns colder in the winter months. Planting trees at the preserve helps to provide habitat to local wildlife, combat climate change and helps to maintain our local water supply as the trees we plant keep runoff from heading to the Schuylkill River watershed.
Join us for a fun-filled morning with your family to adopt and plant trees at Riverbend. This event is open to ALL ages! Registration is required as spaces are limited. Please bring your own water and work gloves to the event.
DESCRIPTION
Inner Version Future Builders: STEM Innovation Day is a free, interactive STEM experience designed to introduce youth and families to the exciting possibilities within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The event will provide a welcoming environment where young people can learn through hands-on experiments, engineering challenges, technology activities, problem-solving exercises, and creative team projects.
Participants will be encouraged to explore how STEM connects to everyday life and future careers while developing critical thinking, creativity, communication, teamwork, and confidence. Activities will be designed to make STEM approachable and exciting for youth who may have limited access to STEM enrichment opportunities.
DESCRIPTION
It's spooky season over at the Independence Seaport Museum on Penn’s Landing! Looking to get out on the water? Interested in learning about Philadelphia’s waterfront history? Want to help better the environment in your community?
Join us out on the Delaware River for one of our last kayaking events of the year!
This beginner friendly kayaking excursion is great for those who want to learn about river ecosystems and the way they shape the culture and history of our city, all while enjoying a scenic trip out on the river. Afterwards be sure to visit the museum, but keep a lookout for any sea creatures on the loose!
.jpeg)
DESCRIPTION
The PGD STEM Experience brings science, technology, engineering and math to life through dance and movement. Young people will explore how STEM shows up in the music they hear, the movements their bodies make, choreography, timing, patterns and the technology behind performance.
Through interactive movement and hands-on challenges, participants will get to create, experiment, problem-solve and move while discovering that STEM can show up in places they may not expect.
No dance experience is needed, just come ready to move, think and have fun.
2026 Fall
Bird Walk
October 25
9:00am to 10:30am for Adult Bird Walk and 10:30am to 11:30am for Family Bird Walk
DESCRIPTION
Join us with our Fall Bird Walk with birder and conservationist, Phil Witmer. Mr. Whitmer will lead participants on a leisurely walk around Riverbend's preserve to check out the many species of birds that call it their home.
The Adult Bird Walk is for participants ages 12 and over with a limit of 20 adults. This is a free event but we do ask that you register. Please reserve one ticket for every member of your group.
Comfortable shoes or boots, layered clothing, and binoculars are encouraged.
EVENT DESIGNED FOR:
-
Youth and Families
-
Parents and Caregivers
-
Teachers and Educators
-
college and High School Students
-
STEM Employers
-
Aspiring and Established STEM Professionals
PRIMARY THEME(S):
-
Outdoor Learning
EVENT ADDRESS:
Riverbend Environmental
Education Center
1950 Spring Mill Road
Gladwyne, PA 19035
DESCRIPTION
This is a unique opportunity to create your signature skin care in a dynamic, hands-on environment led by the expert cosmetic chemist Marquita Robinson Garcia ! This exclusive workshop invites you to explore beauty formulation, combining innovation with creativity in the heart of Philadelphia.
What You’ll Experience:
• Personalized Beauty Creations: Hands-on creation of bespoke beauty products.
• Sensory Textures & Ingredient Exploration: Dive into natural pigments, emollients, and revolutionary skincare innovations to craft products that are uniquely yours.
• Expert Guidance: Learn the art of blending skincare and makeup with expert techniques in a professional lab setting.
.png)
DESCRIPTION
Join us for Cyber 101, an accessible and interactive workshop designed for beginners looking to take their first steps into the world of cybersecurity. In this session, participants will explore fundamental security concepts, learn essential digital hygiene practices, and understand how to protect themselves
and their data online.
Whether you are curious about how technology works behind the scenes or looking to build a strong baseline of security awareness, this workshop provides a welcoming, hands-on introduction to the digital landscape.
DESCRIPTION
In our school's STEM Center, student leaders of Carver's STEM Equity Clubs with Carver's engineering teacher will host high school students, STEM college students and STEM professionals especially other Philadelphia student chapter representatives from the Society of Women NEXT club (SWE), the National Society of Black Engineers club (NSBE) and the Society of Hispanic Engineers Jr. club (SHPE).
We will host a fun ice breaker design project, enjoy snacks, and brainstorm
on how to develop and deliver STEM outreach activities for Philadelphia youth.
DESCRIPTION
Combining practical advice with playful exploration, Lingelbach Elementary School, and GeoVentures will dive into the ways outdoor learning enriches STEM curriculum. We will learn about the benefits of outdoor learning, important factors in setting up spaces and routines, and where a community can begin. Then have some outdoor fall fun in Anna L Lingelbach Elementary's outdoor learning spaces!
DESCRIPTION
This interactive family night experience is designed for students in Kindergarten through 4th grade to explore careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) through the power
of literacy, storytelling, and hands-on learning.
After reading and learning about each trailblazer, students will bring their learning to life through interactive STEM stations inspired by their inventions, discoveries, tools, or areas of expertise. Students may have opportunities to build, design, experiment, problem-solve, code, measure, or investigate—giving them a chance to experience STEM concepts in fun and meaningful ways.
Families are encouraged to participate alongside their children, creating opportunities to talk about interests, strengths, future careers, and the many ways STEM can be part of their everyday lives.
DESCRIPTION
We’re Science& — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering leadership development and professional training workshops to scientists. Join us for a seminar where we’ll provide a roadmap to increasing the confidence, resilience, cultural awareness, and sense of belonging of undergraduate, graduate, and early-career scientists and engineers through arts-based programming.
The seminar will be followed by a roundtable discussion, networking, and optional tour of the newly renovated BioLabs space for in-person attendees.
We will share our methodology, its positive impact on science identity, and further recommendations from our national survey on Belonging in Science. We’re leading the charge on a more inclusive and innovative future, and inviting you to join the fun!
EVENT DESIGNED FOR:
-
Teachers/Educators
-
STEM Employers
-
Aspiring and Established STEM Professionals
PRIMARY THEME(S):
-
Science
-
Arts
-
Professional Development
-
Mathematics
-
Technology
-
Engineering
DESCRIPTION
During this interactive experience, students will explore the world of STEM through fun building challenges, screen-free coding activities, teamwork, and hands-on learning. Participants will have the opportunity to think like inventors as they design, build, test, and improve their creations while developing important skills in engineering, coding, critical thinking, communication, and collaboration.
The experience is designed to make STEM approachable, engaging, and memorable for children of different learning styles and experience levels. No previous coding or engineering experience is required—just imagination and a willingness to create.
DESCRIPTION
Participants will step into the role of a cosmetic chemist as they explore how science, technology, engineering, and mathematics are used to develop everyday beauty products. Students will learn about ingredients, measurements, ratios, mixing techniques, product consistency, and the importance of following a formula. They will then apply what they have learned by formulating and creating their own custom lip gloss to take home.
Throughout the lab, participants will discover how chemistry connects to the beauty and cosmetics industry while gaining exposure to careers in cosmetic science, product development, formulation, and entrepreneurship. Beauty Meets Chemistry demonstrates that STEM can be creative, engaging, and connected to industries students already know and love.
DESCRIPTION
As part of Penn State Abington’s annual Tech Week, the student-led AI Club is hosting a Halloween-themed tech trivia event. Guests will rotate through interactive “haunted house” stations, each representing a different area of technology.
Explore a Haunted Computer Lab, Zombie Robots, and an AI Apocalypse zone. Join us for a fun way to test your tech knowledge while learning about AI, cybersecurity, software, and robotics. Registration is required as space is limited.
STEMposium: Powerful Partnerships
& Creative Collaborations
October 29
8:30am-3:30pm
DESCRIPTION
Don't miss the chance to connect with peers and forge new partnerships for lasting impact. In the morning, we'll explore the importance of partnerships and how they can enhance program effectiveness and outcomes. The afternoon will feature highlights of innovative projects funded by PSEC, followed by an dynamic session on grant development best practices, evaluation criteria, and insights into what funders seek.
Together, we aim to broaden access to STEM careers and promote economic mobility for Philadelphians through the power of collaboration. For more information, agenda and registration
go to our STEMposium 2026 page.
Math Night @ Marian Anderson Neighborhood Academy
October 29
4:00pm - 6:00pm
DESCRIPTION
Math is amazing! And what could be more fun than exploring math with friends and family? Students, families, educators, and community members will convene for an early evening of games, puzzles, creativity, and collaboration—inspired by mathematics. Teachers, volunteers, and students in our junior chapter of the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) leadership council will facilitate math-themed activities.
DESCRIPTION
Celebrate our newest Distillations podcast season, American Vice. From cigarettes to alcohol to fireworks, this season is all about our relationship with risk, how science plays a role in it, and how it has shaped the American experience.
To do it, we’re partnering with our friends at the Crossroads Comedy Theater to bring you a special edition of their popular Study Hall: Comedy Inspired By Lectures show.
Join us for an experience unlike any you have seen before—or will ever see again! Enjoy short talks about topics from our podcast episodes, after which Crossroads’ cast of amazing improvisers will use what they learned (or didn’t learn) to create hilarious scenes right before your eyes!
DESCRIPTION
This interactive showcase highlights students’ progress on their Senior Capstone projects as they explore STEM careers, identify resources, and develop a vision for life beyond high school. Using GIS and opportunity-mapping tools, students will examine how geography, community assets, education, career pathways, and other resources connect to their individual goals.
Students will share works in progress, maps, research, and reflections that demonstrate both where they are in their Capstone journey and where they hope to go next. Rather than simply presenting finished products, the showcase creates an opportunity for students to receive feedback, make new connections, and discover resources that can strengthen their plans.
DESCRIPTION
Join Providence Center for The Art of STEM, our STEM Equity Week gallery created by students in grades 1–8. Explore artwork that moves with magnets, glows with light, reveals patterns in personal data, and reimagines spaces for young people in Philadelphia. Each piece shares the question students asked, what they tried, and what they discovered along the way.
Come celebrate their creativity, meet the young artists and problem solvers behind the work, and see how many ways STEM connects to our lives and community.
DESCRIPTION
Expect an even bigger, bolder, more transportive event this year, kicking off at 6 p.m. with a garden party in the Benjamin Rush Medicinal Plant Garden. Guests will enjoy music, drinks, and mingle before the main event.
The full immersive experience begins at
7 p.m., when visitors enter a medieval village that transports them to the 16th century for an energetic, unusual, and theatrical experience.
DESCRIPTION
Join STEM Prep for HallowSTEM, a spooky and exciting hands-on STEM experience designed for young scientists! During this interactive event, children will explore science, engineering, creativity, and problem-solving through four Halloween-inspired STEM activities.
Participants will mix and experiment during our bubbling Witch’s Potion Lab, put their engineering skills to the test with a Pumpkin Engineering Challenge, design and build their own Spider Web structures, and finish the experience by creating spooky Halloween slime to take home. HallowSTEM combines seasonal fun with meaningful STEM learning in an engaging, age-appropriate environment. Come dressed in your favorite costume and get ready for a morning filled with spooky science, creative challenges, and hands-on STEM fun!
DESCRIPTION
We are excited to join Mayor Brown for a special Move with the Mayor event! Visit our pop-up storywalk at Naylor’s Run Trail and read “The Little Old Lady Who Wasn’t Afraid of Anything!” by Linda Williams.
Story Walk is a fun way for children and adults to experience reading. Laminated pages of a children's book will be posted around the trail for all to enjoy at their own pace. Read through the book and follow the motions as you move your Superhuman body!
Participants will get a STEM extension activity to do at home.This program is also made possible through a partnership with the Upper Darby Township.
DESCRIPTION
Ever wondered how a tiny seed and a satellite in space can work together?Students will dive into NASA space science, from seeds to satellites, exploring how to grow food in space and how technology makes it possible. Through hands-on activities, they will plant and observe seeds, learn how astronauts grow crops aboard the International Space Station, and discover how satellites help monitor plant health and farming here on Earth.
Along the way, students will think like real scientists and engineers by asking questions, collecting data, and designing solutions to the challenges of feeding people in space. By the end, they will see how science and technology work together to help us live and explore beyond our planet.
DESCRIPTION
Join us for a signature hands-on workshop where children and can unleash their creativity by designing, building, and decorating their very own functional robots. Our screen-free STEAM learning approach offers immersive, trial-and-error engineering lessons that teach basic circuitry and mechanics in a fun, engaging way. Plus, every participant gets to take home their unique robot creation, making memories that last long after the activity ends!
Are you a community-based or
STEM-focused organization interested in hosting an event during Philadelphia STEM Equity Week?
Register your event HERE no later than October 15, 2026.
SPONSOR an Activity
Are you a local business, foundation or philanthropist interested in supporting Philadelphia STEM Equity Week? For inquiries and partnership opportunities, please contact
Diana Lievano, PSEC’s Executive Director.
STEMposium - Oct. 29
Join us as we celebrate recent accomplishments, connect with peers, and strategize about a future in which we work together to expand access to STEM careers and build sustainable pathways for economic mobility in Philadelphia.
Register HERE.
CONTACT Us
For more information or if you have any questions, please contact
Betsy Payne, Philadelphia STEM Ecosystem Manager, PEF.
SOCIAL Media
Follow us on Instagram @PhillySTEMCo and on LinkedIn @philadelphia-stem-equity-collective or search hashtags #STEMEquityWeek #STEMposium #STEMEquity #DiversityInSTEM #YeahthatsSTEM! #PSEC.
VIEW STEM Equity Week 2025
Explore the activities and captivating pictures showcasing the events that promoted equity in STEM fields from STEM Equity Week 2025 HERE.