The Conservation Science Center’s 10th Annual STEM Showdown brought together 208 students from a dozen schools across San Miguel, Guadalupe, Rio Arriba and Santa Fe counties for hands-on, outdoor learning in September. The 7-day STEM event is held in partnership with NM MESA and participating schools including Robertson High School, Memorial Middle School, West Las Vegas High and Middle schools, Anton Chico Middle School, Santa Rosa High and Middle schools, Española Valley High School, Carlos Vigil Middle School, Mesa Vista High and Middle schools, and El Dorado Middle School.
Students learned about soil health, archaeology, food waste, water quality, watersheds, pollution, endangered species, native and invasive species, forest diseases and restoration, and fall bird migration through activities led by 16 participating partners. Partners included federal, state and county agencies such as Carson National Forest, Fort Union National Monument, Mora Fish Hatchery, Natural Resources Conservation Service, NM Environment Department, NM Forestry Division, U.S. Geological Survey; environmental organizations including Audubon NM, River Source, and Western Landowner Alliance; and academic institutions including NMHU’s Natural Resources, Biology and Forestry departments, the University of New Mexico, NMFWRI, and the STEM Innovation Network’s Northeast Hub. The Conservation Science Center is part of NMFWRI, based at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, NM.
