Washington D.C.– Society for Science (the Society) has selected 70 extraordinary educators for its 2025–2026 Advocate Program. This program provides training, stipends and year-round support to mentors assisting students to enter science fairs and other research competitions. This year, the Society is awarding a total of $228,000 in funding, with 61 Advocates each receiving $3,000 and nine Lead Advocates each receiving $5,000. Lead Advocates mentor and support their educator cohorts, while all Advocates work to increase the number of students they guide through independent research projects and STEM competitions each year.
The Society’s Advocate Program is dedicated to broadening student access to science and technology by empowering educators to mentor students in building essential research skills and a confidence in their own STEM ability. As classrooms integrate AI, data science and other emerging technologies, educators play a pivotal role in preparing students to solve urgent global challenges, invent transformative solutions and shape the future of science.
A cornerstone of the Advocate Program is the Advocate Training Institute, an intensive summer professional development experience. This year’s sessions covered cultivating student curiosity, building and promoting a high school research program, as well as fostering scientific integrity and ethical research practices. From newcomers learning the ropes to seasoned leaders expanding their reach, Advocates are setting ambitious goals to increase student participation in STEM competitions, guiding students from research question to competition entry while managing logistics and deadlines.
Advocates this year hail from 34 states and Puerto Rico. Twenty-two mentor middle school students, thirty-eight mentor high school students, and ten mentor students across all grade levels. This year’s Advocates reach students across a diverse range of geographic locations, with 59 in public schools, 2 in private schools and 9 in charter or other types of schools.
In total, 439 teachers from 47 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands, and the Mariana Islands have participated in the program. Since its inception in 2015, the Advocate Program has been a key part of the Society’s outreach initiatives, building and connecting a national community of STEM and research educators. Two educators from Oklahoma were selected to be advocates. Dr. Abraham Borbor Kamara from Memorial Middle School was selected in the Tulsa Area.
Dr. Kamara is a dedicated STEM educator and program leader with over 23 years of experience in both Africa and the United States. He currently leads the award-winning STEM program at Memorial Middle School in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where his students have earned national and international recognition in robotics and engineering competitions. Dr. Kamara’s journey from a tropical rainforest village in Sierra Leone to becoming a nationally recognized science advocate reflects his passion for empowering underserved communities through education.
Dr. Kamara stated, “From the mines of Sierra Leone to the frontlines of STEM education, I am living proof that with opportunity and perseverance, any child can rise and lead the future.”