Grow a Generation offers fellowships, opportunities for kids, teens, and classroom teachers to receive scheduled time, space, support and resources to pursue a meaningful project at the cutting edge of science and technology. 

Meaningful Projects Made Possible

WHAT IS AN ODYSSEY FELLOWSHIP?

Fellowships are an opportunity to dedicate time each week to adventure into the cutting edges of science and technology solutions that are being used to respond to today’s most pressing problems.  Fellows partner with mentors from around the globe and venture deep into a topic that resonates with them and fuels their motivation.  Research often finds an outlet in science fairs, engineering competitions, maker faires, and real-world solutions that make a meaningful difference in the world.  As fellows gain expertise and talk with experts, many fellows go on to publish books, mobile apps and games, and YouTube videos to leave a legacy worthy of college scholarships and internship applications. They produce meaningful projects and unique contributions that don’t simply add to their resume but engage them as autonomous and purposeful learners.

We help you pick your topic!  Fellows choose from diverse fields of study which pique their imaginations and resonate with their unique talents and individual passions. Their real-world project suggestions must make valuable contributions to the community that will be shared and disseminated with published materials, digital artifacts, competition entries, and teaching opportunities. A discussion with a fellowship coordinator allows us a chance to partner your interests with real-world scientists, charitable organizations, and successful entrepreneurs looking to support students pursuing STEM.

Once accepted into the program, research fellows engage in projects that instill and strengthen the skills needed with a future of robotics and AI (innovation, critical thinking, collaboration, emotional intelligence, resilience, leadership, and vision). 

Visit our Project Page to click into the websites and digital odysseys of our many fellowships past and present!  Sort by topics like ceramics, space, geology, 3D printing, and others.

You can also look over the YouTube playlist of recent fellowship projects.

CURRICULUM

The Grow a Generation Odyssey Fellows at the STEM Leadership Center, Baden Academy, and other sites use ISUMTAQ Resources. Lessons include cloud computing, writing a mission statement, building a brand, writing scripts, producing videos, authoring books, publishing apps and games, professional correspondence and communication skills, and the resources to lead STEM competition teams and clubs. Each fellow follows a unique path that crisscrosses the skills and competencies of imagineering, critical thinking, collaboration, emotional intelligence, resilience, leadership, and vision. The ISUMTAQ Resources are used to partner Odyssey Fellows with leaders around the world seeking to solve the real problems and make meaningful projects possible.

MENTORS

Mentors from around the globe are solicited to assist our research fellows as they face the challenges of their project. Mentors communicate their own experience and take a special interest in helping each fellow develop into a successful professional with unique interests and skills in their chosen field.  Innovation Lab Research Fellows’ mentors are specifically expected to:

●      Help the Research Fellow arrive at clearly stated goals and objectives of any proposed research projects;

●      Monitor the fellow’s research experience at least once a quarter to discuss progress, results and plans for next steps;

●      Participate as available in the completed projects celebrations in the press and in person.

Research and Teaching Mentors are also invited to join the fellows at an annual celebration at the end of the school year.

Past mentors include Dr. Teri Dankovich CEO Folio Water, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency, RoPro Design, Software Engineers from Fed Ex, Beaver County Humane Society, ASPCA, Dream Flight Adventures, Beaver County Youth Entrepreneurship Network, Lincoln Learning Solutions, BeautyCounter, Park Rangers, Dr. Subha Das at CMU, Dr. Joseph Ayoob at University of Pittsburgh, Professors and Conservation Officers from New South Wales Australia, the Pittsburgh Zoo and PPG Aquarium, the Marine Mammal Center, Pittsburgh Filmmakers, the Epilepsy Foundation, Paws with a Cause, the Sisters of St. Joseph, Outreached Arms, Air Heritage Museum, Emergency Response Providers, RedMorph, Baden United Food Bank, We Schools, Future City, Future Engineers, TED-Ed Clubs, and FIRST Robotics.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Applications are accepted at the beginning of the school year at our sponsor schools. They are accepted year-round for the STEM Leadership Center and online projects.