The New York Academy of Sciences Receives Grant to Connect Young People From Diverse Places and Backgrounds Through Virtual Exchange

A grant from the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative will enable the Junior Academy to give young people global collaboration and learning opportunities – without them having to leave their home communities. 

New York, NY | November 19, 2024 – Today, the Stevens Initiative announced The New York Academy of Sciences (The Academy) is one of nine schools, higher education institutions, and nonprofit organizations to receive funding to run virtual exchange programs that connect young people in the United States and the Middle East and North Africa. The New York Academy of Sciences’ Junior Academy will help reach 8,000 young people along with the new J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative Grantees, supported by the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs.

“I’m proud to celebrate the addition of nine new grantees to our 2024 J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative portfolio today. Over the last year, we have taken great strides to bridge cultural divides and prepare rising generations of global leaders,” said Christine Shiau, Executive Director of the Stevens Initiative. “Everything we do is centered around making transformative global experiences accessible to young people, and that would be impossible without the partnership of these incredible organizations and educational institutions.” 

Through virtual exchange, participants build a better understanding of the world around them and develop critical thinking and cultural fluency skills needed to be successful in an ever changing world. It is a powerful tool to reimagine what global learning looks like, how it can be conducted, and how many people participate. 

The New York Academy of Sciences’ Junior Academy brings together a passionate community of problem-solvers made up of talented students, STEM experts, and organizations around the world dedicated to designing innovative solutions to global challenges. Participants from the Middle East and North Africa and the United States are guided by mentors and have access to world-class STEM learning resources as they work in teams for 10 weeks. Through challenge-based learning, they build their scientific research and critical 21st century skills, as well as form dynamic networks to support their journeys to become the next generation of STEM leaders.

“The Junior Academy was initially launched in the 1970s to provide opportunities for students in New York City to work together. Since moving online in 2016, the Junior Academy has developed into a truly global collaboration program. Students from the US and MENA are using STEM and civic engagement to solve real world problems with great success,” said Meghan Groome, PhD, Senior Vice President, Education, at The New York Academy of Sciences.

The Junior Academy is implemented by The New York Academy of Sciences and is supported by the J. Christopher Stevens Virtual Exchange Initiative (JCSVEI). JCSVEI is a U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs program administered by the Aspen Institute.

More Information

The Stevens Initiative, a program of the Aspen Institute, is an international leader in virtual exchange, which brings young people from diverse places together for dialogue and discovery through everyday technology. Created in 2015 as a lasting tribute to Ambassador J. Christopher Stevens, the Initiative is building a better tomorrow by championing global citizenship, empowering future leaders, and advancing the field of virtual exchange. Learn more: https://www.stevensinitiative.org.

The U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs (ECA) builds relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries through academic, cultural, sports, professional and private exchanges, as well as public-private partnerships and mentoring programs. These exchange programs improve foreign relations and strengthen the national security of the United States, support U.S. international leadership, and provide a broad range of domestic benefits by helping break down barriers that often divide us. Visit eca.state.gov.

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Founded in 1949, the Institute drives change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most important challenges facing the United States and the world.  Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners. For more information, visit www.aspeninstitute.org.

Contact Information

Marie Gentile
The New York Academy of Sciences
mgentile@nyas.org

Maura Daley
Stevens Initiative
maura.daley@aspeninstitute.org

Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs
U.S. Department of State
ECA-Press@state.gov