Stephen Gilman

Stephen Gilman is the Founder and Executive Director of MakerState, a global maker-centered learning platform that focuses on STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Math) education for children.1

Background and Education

Gilman has an impressive educational background, including:

• BA in Government and Politics, Education Policy and Programming from George Mason University
• MA in Education, Secondary Social Studies Education from City University of New York City College (with a 4.0 GPA)

Professional Experience

Before founding MakerState, Gilman's career spanned various sectors:

• Paratrooper with the 82nd Airborne Division of the US Army
• Assistant producer at Dayspring International
• Systems manager for Rep. Herb Bateman
• Communications manager for United Way of the National Capital Area
• Marketing manager at VoxCap.com Network
• Business development manager for WorldWeb

MakerState and Educational Vision

Gilman founded MakerState with his son Ben to bring fun STEAM building and learning projects to children, schools, and communities.1 The organization focuses on:

• Robotics
• Coding
• Game design
• 3D prototyping and printing

Gilman's mission is to transform K-12 education from lecture-based memorization to student-centered, inquiry-based, experiential learning.13 MakerState hosts over 100 makerspaces nationwide in schools, after-school programs, community workshops, and summer camps.2

Additional Roles and Interests

Beyond MakerState, Gilman has been involved in various educational initiatives:

• Founding board member of the Urban Assembly Maker Academy
• Founder of the Carnegie Learning Center
• Founding teacher and dean of Bronx Collegiate (a public school based on Outward Bound experiential learning)
• Founding board member of the volunteer network, UlsterCorps1

Gilman is also an author, having written a novel called "Nightshade". In his free time, he enjoys historical fiction writing, game design, geocaching, hiking, and biking around New York City.1