Mobile Laboratory Coalition (MLC) Annual Meeting

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Mobile laboratories provide a unique opportunity for improving access of students to cutting-edge, hands-on science and technology activities; they also present unique challenges. The Mobile Laboratory Coalition (MLC) was formed in 2005 and is now considered an international partnership of mobile science education programs that are committed to providing equal access opportunities to science and technology education and workforce preparation for all populations. The MLC has held a conference for member programs, formal and informal STEM educators, partners and other key stakeholders in the field annually since 2005. These annual conferences are critically important to provide a forum for mobile laboratory educators and their partners to build and strengthen their own knowledge and skills in areas relevant to their mobile lab program, and to share program successes as well as challenges. There is no other conference for mobile laboratories and their partners. The proposed project seeks to enhance and expand the MLC annual conference over the next three years by offering scholarships and through strategic marketing to increase attendance and membership in the MLC. This project would make it possible for smaller and/or independent mobile laboratory programs to host the annual meeting and broaden the scope of expertise represented at the conference, both of which would benefit all MLC members and conference attendees. The expected outcomes for the conference are an increase in effectiveness of program staff of all levels through professional development, the development of collaborations, improved quality of programs and the development of shared resources such as evaluation tools and curriculum. The end result is that students participating in mobile science laboratory programs receive higher quality and higher impact science education and have greater awareness of the career possibilities in the STEM fields.