Teen Science Café Network
Impact Innovations Award
Teen Science Café Network
In 2006, the idea emerged to use the newly popular “science café” outreach model to appeal to a hard-to-reach segment of the public: the high school teenager. With the support of an NSF grant, teen café programs were prototyped in four communities of diverse character in northern New Mexico. Additional NSF funding expanded the program to become the Teen Science Café Network (TSCN), which grew to five sites around the country in 2012. From that point the Network took off and has rapidly grown to about 133 sites in 46 states. Dr. Michelle K. Hall and Dr. Michael Mayhew were founders of the TCSN, and currently Michelle actively promotes the network and Mike, now retired, is a member of the network’s advisory board.
The program has proven to be as popular with teens-and their host organizations-in other states as in the original small network in New Mexico. The TSCN is a dynamic, growing community of practice that has spread across the country with the mission of connecting high school teenagers with STEM and STEM experts via the science cafe model. By connecting teens with scientists, the program seeks to instill understanding of the nature of science, scientific habits of mind, awareness of science careers, and motivation for lifelong learning in science, empowering them to positively contribute as adult citizens to the civic life of their communities. TSCN members have readily embraced it by mentoring new members, providing professional development, and writing about their experiences in their programs and within the network.
In Fall 2022 a new TSCN website was launched with an extensive library of resources recommended by members. The site hosts a blog showcasing our members with published “Cool Cafe” reports submitted by the sites (often written by teen leaders). In addition to the website, TSCN staff connect with members one on one, and facilitate connections between members with like interests to help further their goals.
About Dr. Michelle K. Hall
Dr. Hall began her career as a geological engineer in industry, then became a geophysicist in academia. Her interests turned to the challenge of making science accessible to broad audiences through science-based games, curriculum, and inquiry. In academia, she developed and evaluated technology-based curriculum, explored effective use of data and visualizations for learning, and fostered scientist-teacher partnerships. At this time, via her company and a non-profit organization, she is promoting Teen Science Café choice learning programs for youth and developing games that promote STEM learning.
About Dr. Michael Mayhew
Dr. Mayhew received a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Ohio State University and a PhD in marine geophysics from Lamont Geological Observatory at Columbia University. As a senior research scientist for Science Education Solutions, he co-developed TCSN and a panel-based peer review system for digital educational resources and edited a four-volume GIS-based high school Earth science curriculum. He is a former program director for the Geosciences Directorate at the NSF. He received the Excellence in Geophysical Education Award from the American Geophysical Union in 2007 and was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science in 2020.