STEM TRAIL Center builds on success, envisions updated strategic plan
The STEM TRAIL Center at the University of Nebraska at Omaha is building on the past and looking to the future as it develops an updated strategic plan for the UNO STEM community.
Work on Phase III of UNO's STEM Strategic Plan started in January 2024 and is scheduled to conclude by December ahead of its January 2025 launch.
"Phase III of the strategic plan will serve as a guide for UNO and its community partners," said Dr. Tracie Reding, senior research associate at the Center. "It will reflect a range of strategic priorities and potential partnerships as well as goals that are challenging yet achievable."
The original STEM Priority at UNO dates back to 2012, and the work "to advance science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) on the campus and in the region" has involved multiple UNO and community partners over the years. In 2013, an inaugural strategic plan was implemented, and in 2018, Phase II of the UNO STEM Strategic Plan was launched to further accelerate achievement of the plan's foundational objectives.
The next strategic plan, which will cover a five-year period from 2025 to 2030, will build on the many successes from Phases I and II and provide a new framework to guide efforts around its four overarching focus areas (teaching/learning, research, service/community engagement, and STEM infrastructure), while also exploring the possibility for additional areas.
The STEM TRAIL Center is in the process of hosting focus groups to solicit feedback and insights from stakeholders within the UNO STEM community to aid in the planning process. The Center serves an important role in the development of the strategic plan, providing continual infrastructure and operational support.
"Since the initial launch of UNO's STEM Priority in 2012, the effort to advance STEM on our campus and in the region has been an exciting, collaborative journey among UNO students, staff, faculty, and administrators as well as our partners in the Omaha metro area," said Dr. Chris Moore, director of the STEM TRAIL Center. "With the development and implementation of Phase III in 2025, the STEM TRAIL Center and UNO will be well-positioned to capitalize on our successes and explore new opportunities."