Where STEM Takes Root
Students from Westminster Community Charter School ended a field trip to the University at Buffalo by making slime.
By Daniel Robinson
Published February 3, 2026
How UB and National Grid are helping Buffalo students find wonder — and opportunity — in the science of everyday life
In a Buffalo classroom, first graders lean over their desks, pressing popsicle sticks, straws and rubber bands into handmade kazoos. As they blow into their creations, the room fills with buzzing, squeaks and bursts of giggles—each sound part of a lesson in how vibration, pitch and play can bring science to life.
“They don’t always know what engineering is, but they know how their toys work,” says Christina Escobar, associate director of outreach at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences. “We start there. And then we build.”
Starting with Curiosity
That hands-on, joyful introduction to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) is just one prong of a long-running partnership between SEAS and National Grid—with the utility’s ongoing philanthropic support central to sustaining and expanding these efforts. Since 2012, the initiative has reached more than 1,000 K-12 students each year, helping young people across Buffalo see science and engineering not as abstract concepts, but as part of their daily lives—and their future.
“UB has the expertise to reach students and advance STEM education in a way that really connects,” says Ken Kujawa (MA ’91), regional director at National Grid. “When you look at what we’re trying to achieve—building a STEM-ready workforce for this region—UB is the perfect partner.”
Over the past dozen years, the collaboration has expanded into a full calendar of activities—Saturday academies, field trips, family nights, mentor matching and more—giving students in Buffalo Public Schools chances to experiment, ask questions and imagine where STEM can take them.
Pathway to the Future
It’s a pathway that grows with students over time—sparking interest early, building skills year by year and helping them find direction. Some return later as mentors. Several have gone on to pursue engineering professionally.
“We’ve heard from several campers that these experiences changed their lives,” says Escobar. “It’s science that sticks because students jump in, get hands-on and make discoveries for themselves.”
For many, that journey starts—or deepens—in the summer. Each year, UB and National Grid offer six hands-on, immersive camps for local high school students. They stay overnight in North Campus dorms, take on team design challenges, experiment in university labs and visit National Grid facilities. They meet engineers, ask questions and explore what a future in STEM could mean for them.
Each encounter adds something new—a skill, an insight, a shift in perspective. Those moments add up.
“We stay connected—we build relationships,” says Escobar. “Kids grow up with us, from first grade to high school. Along the way, they learn that they’re capable of so much.”
Educators Inspiring Change
Creating those experiences for students also serves a broader goal: building a more inclusive, homegrown STEM workforce. With a focus on access and equity, the partnership welcomes all willing students—regardless of GPA—and intentionally engages those historically underrepresented in science and technology.
That commitment extends to the educators who shape how students learn.
This year’s inaugural Energizing Buffalo STEM Teacher Forum brought together more than 40 local educators to try out new ways of teaching sustainability and energy systems. Some received mini-grants to bring their ideas to life in the classroom.
It’s a full-circle approach: empowering students, equipping teachers and investing in programs that open doors.
“When we invest in education, we invest in the future of Western New York,” says Kujawa. “Every young person who builds a future here helps strengthen the community around them.”
