Our STEM Network
STEM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics. But it means more than that to us.
It’s about learning that draws on math and science concepts, but also incorporates teamwork and makes appropriate use of technology and engineering methodologies. It’s about innovation.
The Cape Cod Regional STEM Network is the hub of the region's STEM Learning Ecosystem. We bring together educators, school districts, business and industry partners, and community members who share a commitment to inspiring and supporting young people’s interest and achievement in STEM learning and careers. In many of our programs, our focus is on the region's Blue Economy, which honors our region's unique natural resources and the legacy of those who came before us, and also integrates STEM and the newest innovations to empower our coastal communities for a bright future.
We’re building a vibrant STEM learning community, with the skills to excel at school and in the world of work. We are an informal network, welcoming all who share this vision to join us.
Supporting STEM at School and in the Community
Since 2014, we have:
- Partnered with over 85 business and organizations to reach thousands of students, teachers, and families each year at Cape & Islands STEM Week and other STEM-focused community events
- Hosted professional development experiences for more than 300 teachers, with programs ranging from one-day workshops to four-day institutes
- Launched a Vex robotics competition league for area middle and high schools with 36 teams competing
- Offered a summer Teacher-in-Residence program that pairs teachers with researchers and leaders at the region’s top STEM-rich institutions
- Sponsored WaterWORKS Blue Economy Career Day and other career and transfer events each semester to encourage high school and college students to pursue STEM pathways
- Awarded over $45,000 in small grants to teachers, faculty, and non-profit educational outreach groups for creating and teaching STEM in exciting ways
Meet our Team
Dr. Ben Latigo, Dean of STEM
Cape Cod Community College
Dr. Latigo serves as the Dean of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics for Cape Cod Community College. Most recently, Ben served as Chief Academic Officer and Interim Executive Director at the University System of Maryland at Southern Maryland. Dr. Latigo brings over 30 years of higher education experience as Vice President of Academic Affairs and Chief Academic Officer at the former Daniel Webster College in New Hampshire; Dean and Professor in the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC); Chair and Associate Professor in the Department of Engineering Technology at the University of Toledo in Toledo; and Associate Professor in the Department of Aeronautical Technology at Arizona State University. Dr. Latigo has held tenured positions at four universities. At UDC, in addition to overseeing advanced STEM programs, he also oversaw Associate Degree programs in Aviation Maintenance, Engineering Technology, Nursing and Allied Health, Information Technology, and Graphic Design. While at Daniel Webster College, Ben served as the Accreditation Liaison Officer with the New England Commission of Higher Education (NECHE). Ben has also served as an accreditor for ABET that accredits programs in Engineering, Technology, Computing, and Applied and Natural Sciences. Ben has experience with institutional accreditation and assessment, programmatic accreditation, new program development, institutional strategic planning, professional development, and application of educational and instructional technologies to meet the needs of the 21ST Century. Ben’s passion is to serve the needs of all students including those from underserved communities. Dr. Latigo earned his Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Southern California, and the M.S. and B.S. with honors, in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arizona and the University of Nairobi, respectively. Dr. Latigo is a member of the American Society for Engineering Education and the American Institute for Aeronautics and Astronautics. In 2022, Omniscriptum published Dr. Latigo’s textbook, Engineering Mechanics: Dynamics. While at Arizona State, Dr. Latigo’s research led to the certification of the anti-torque mechanism for the McDonnell Douglas NOTAR® helicopter. Dr. Latigo’s aviation experience includes serving on a Presidential appointment as CEO of Uganda Airlines. Dr. Latigo is committed to developing new STEM programs at the College and serving the needs of the Cape Cod Community.
Interim Director
Mananjo Jonahson
STEM Starter Academy, Student Success Coach
Chelsea Crowley
What is STEM?
STEM means “Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics”—fields that are increasingly important for solving complex challenges, staying innovative, and building our future economic success as individuals and as nation.
What’s new and important about STEM today is an emphasis on integrating the concepts and methods of these fields into real-world, collaborative problem-solving.
Here in Massachusetts, the Governor’s office created a STEM Advisory Council in 2009. Made up of business and education leaders, the group launched a plan to strengthen all young people’s interest in STEM, and to emphasize it at all levels of education, including in teacher professional development.
As a Regional STEM Network, we’re part of that plan, with a special mission: to support STEM education on Cape Cod, the Islands, and across Plymouth County.
Our Network is partially funded through the Massachusetts Department of Higher Education's STEM pipeline fund, National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1347610, and other in-kind funding.
The most recent version of the Commonwealth’s STEM plan is available here.
