After a brief hiatus, the STELAR team is pleased to resume our newsletter. Please take a moment to read our newly released publications, and also please share your publication news with us! If STELAR can be of assistance with your project implementation work or new proposal development, please don't hesitate to be in touch with us at stelar@edc.org. For updates, follow us on LinkedIn:www.linkedin.com/company/stelar-nsf-itest/
Sincerely,
Sarita Pillai (PI) and the STELAR Team
The NSF ITEST Program & National Priorities for AI
The integration of AI across all industry sectors is rapidly changing the future of work. The ITEST program remains one of NSF’s most important talent and workforce development initiatives, developing the foundational interests, skills, knowledge, and dispositions needed to ensure students are successful in STEM and ICT career pathways. STELAR continues to support existing projects and prospective PIs committed to strengthening our domestic workforce to fuel economic prosperity, national security, and global S&E competitiveness.
The ITEST program is currently “waiting for a new publication.”
We expect to hear soon about a new solicitation, and once released, we will update our website and send an email announcement to notify the community. Between now and then we are working on updating resources and methods to best support your next steps!
Call for Publications
Help STELAR demonstrate the impact the ITEST program by sharing your recent publications!
STELAR is collecting recent findings from ITEST projects that have been published or submitted for publication within the past year. Your work will be added to the STELAR website, shared, and promoted through our social media channels, and included in syntheses designed to showcase the importance of K-12 STEM and workforce development projects like those supported by the ITEST Program.
It’s now more important than ever to highlight the ITEST program’s many impacts! Share your publications: go.edc.org/ITEST-Impact
Translating Career Development Research to Practice in ITEST
The ITEST program has been supporting the development of STEM identity and career awareness in PreK-12 youth since 2003. In this two-part paper, we provide a background in career development research and highlight successful application of career development theory by ITEST projects.
Part 1: What Research Tells Us About Career Development (released in fall of 2025) examined the foundational theories of career development, and what research tells us about translation of this research into practice.
Part 2: The Career Development Continuum & ITEST At-a-Glance (now available) explores the three stages of career development that youth experience, beginning early in developing career awareness, engaging in career exploration, and building into career preparation. These stages are illustrated by an “ITEST At-a-Glance” examination of the projects that have successfully engaged with youth at each of the stages.
Together, these papers shed light on the underpinnings of career education and its relevance to preparing youth for the innovation-driven technological workforce.
Co-design in Action in the ITEST Program
Partnerships play an important role in integrating technology into pre-K–12 STEM education. ITEST projects forge partnerships with school districts, colleges and universities, business and industry, and community and nonprofit organizations. Read more about how ITEST projects approach co-design in Co-designing STEM Innovations in the NSF ITEST Program.
STELAR continues to serve the ITEST program, its grantees, and proposal writers. To request support, please reach out via email: stelar@edc.org.