Maya Heiland

Maya Heiland is the Senior Director of STEM Education Initiatives at the University City Science Center in Philadelphia. She has been working in STEM education for 15 years and joined the Science Center in 2014.12 In her role, Heiland oversees the Science Center's FirstHand program, which is a STEM education initiative celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2024.12

Professional Background

Heiland has a passion for creating meaningful experiences for youth in non-traditional learning spaces.3 Her work at the Science Center involves:

• Managing the FirstHand program, which provides hands-on STEM activities for middle and high school students in West Philadelphia1
• Collaborating with local schools, companies, and nonprofits to develop STEM curricula and provide career exposure for students1
• Overseeing programs that aim to build confidence and STEM identity in young learners1

Achievements and Vision

Under Heiland's leadership, the FirstHand program has grown significantly:

• It now partners with 10 middle schools, mostly in West Philadelphia1
• A high school program was launched in 2016 to provide more opportunities for FirstHand alumni1
• The program has established strong relationships with local companies and professionals to design and deliver STEM "sprints" for students1

Heiland is focused on expanding the impact of the FirstHand program. She envisions:

• Building more collaborative partnerships with other programs1
• Exploring how the FirstHand model can be implemented in other cities across the country1
• Encouraging industry professionals to participate actively in building their workforce pipeline through mentorship and knowledge sharing1

Maya Heiland's LinkedIn username is maya-heiland-9b536986, as confirmed by the query.