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STEMposium: Building Sustainable,
Transformative Economic Mobility Pathways

As a cornerstone of STEM Equity Week, PSEC's STEMposium event centered on this year’s theme: Building Sustainable, Transformative Economic Mobility Pathways. Keynote speaker, Crystal Cubbage, kicked things off with a call to action for policymakers, industry leaders, youth-serving organizations, communities, and families to find the collective strength to build robust structures and programs that nurture the development of students' STEM identities. Building on this powerful message, a dynamic panel discussion brought together diverse voices to reflect on Philly's collective strengths, envision bold solutions, and spark new ideas for advancing economic mobility through workforce development in and around the city.

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​​​Below you will find more information on the event, including the our Keynote Speaker, the sessions presented, and plenty of pictures of the event!

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*Stay tuned for a summary of highlights and outcomes coming soon!

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Crystal Cubbage

Keynote Speaker

We were thrilled to have Crystal Cubbage, EdM as the STEMposium’s Keynote Speaker.  ​Crystal is a Philadelphia native and Lincoln University Physics graduate who began her career as an Electronics Engineer at NASA Glenn Research Center before joining the Peace Corps in Cameroon (1992) as an education volunteer. Passionate about education, she transitioned to teaching physics and chemistry in Philadelphia schools (1996-2006), including Girard College, Shipley, and Germantown Friends. Simultaneously, she helped launch The Forerunners' International Institute's Journey to Freedom program, providing international exchanges for over 50 students to Africa and Italy.

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After earning a Master’s in School Leadership from Harvard (2007), Crystal conducted research at Jobs for the Future, founded Teachable Moments International, and opened innovative public schools with Drexel University and the Philadelphia School District. Recently, she served as the founding Executive Director of The Philadelphia Learning Collaborative before launching her consulting firm in July. She also volunteers on the boards of the EduColor and the School District of Philadelphia.

STEMposium Presentations

  • Panel Discussion - "Building Sustainable Transformative Economic Mobility Pathways" 

This session aimed to foster a constructive dialogue among stakeholders to identify strengths, envision solutions, and ignite new ideas for potential strategies to address economic mobility, through workforce development in Philadelphia.

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  • Facilitator: Phil Brooks - Vice-President, Programming and Innovation,  Graduate Philadelphia 

  • Nick Imparato - Program Director, Launchpad

  • Jannette Diaz – CEO, Congreso de Latinos Unidos

  • Adrian (AJ) Adams - Director of Strategic Partnerships, The Skills Initiative

  • Rebecca Grant - Senior Director, Life Sciences & Innovation, Philadelphia Department of Commerce

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  • STEMM Opportunity Alliance National Strategy - Stephanie Rodriguez, inaugural Director of the STEMM Opportunity Alliance at the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)                                                       

  • Data Workshop - Strategic Planning for STEM pathways (Data Gallery) - Katie Martin, Project Director of the Philadelphia research and policy initiative at The Pew Charitable Trusts

This interactive data gallery is designed to empower participants with insights from regional and national STEM data on educational attainment and workforce trends. Through collaborative visioning exercises, we’ll explore equity-centered strategies to broaden participation in STEM careers. This session will foster dynamic discussions aimed at identifying actionable interventions that drive inclusive change and strengthen the STEM talent pipeline.

 

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Event Pictures

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