Your partner in outdoor education, STEM enrichment, and experiential learning

Our Services

  • Backcountry Adventures and more

    Experiential Learning

    Sierra STEM’s Experiential Learning programs are highly customized outdoor educational experiences developed in collaboration with schools and non-profits to help students explore a carefully designed set of learning outcomes.

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  • Data Consulting, DEI, and Curriculum Design

    Educational Consulting

    Sierra STEM partners with educators and institutions to scaffold organizational growth. We use novel insights to help you make data-driven decisions, optimize your organization’s programs, and identify institutional and curricular blindspots.

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  • Offsite Retreats and Teambuilding Programs

    Professional Development

    Let Sierra STEM organize and facilitate your organization’s next offsite retreat or PD Day. A pause from the daily crush will promote strategic alignment, identify unmet needs of your team, and grow resilient professional relationships.

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The 7th grade class at @sffriendsschool joined us for a week of place-based learning about community here in Payahüünadu. They explored community building, human and ecological communities, and community resilience through snowshoeing, hear
The 7th grade class at @sffriendsschool joined us for a week of place-based learning about community here in Payahüünadu. They explored community building, human and ecological communities, and community resilience through snowshoeing, hearing from Indigenous experts, and visiting Manzanar National Historic Site. A huge thank you to @cody.mathison for these incredible photos! πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Nüümü (Northern Paiute), Newe Segovia (Western Shoshone), and Nüümü Witu (Eastern Mono/Monache)
What. A. Staff! These incredible folks came together for a jam-packed few days of staff training. We’re so grateful to these incredible facilitators and staff for sharing their knowledge and time with us! πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Nüü
What. A. Staff! These incredible folks came together for a jam-packed few days of staff training. We’re so grateful to these incredible facilitators and staff for sharing their knowledge and time with us! πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Nüümu (Northern Paiute)
🚨Job alert!🚨 We are hiring a backpacking program facilitator for an upcoming program in Yosemite National Park’s Hetch Hetchy valley. Wilderness First Aid required, Wilderness First Responder preferred. Our staff training will be taking pla
🚨Job alert!🚨 We are hiring a backpacking program facilitator for an upcoming program in Yosemite National Park’s Hetch Hetchy valley. Wilderness First Aid required, Wilderness First Responder preferred. Our staff training will be taking place April 26 to April 28, with the program beginning April 29 and ending on May 3. Check out the "Join Our Team" page in our bio for more information! To apply, email nfox@sierrastem.com with a resume and cover letter.
Sierra STEM is hosting FOUR summer camps this year! Here are the highlights: πŸ§ͺ 2 camps for ages 6-9 and 2 camps for ages 10-14 πŸ”οΈ hikes and labs to learn about Sierra ecology during Our Big Backyard 🎨 STEM-related arts, crafts, and performances du
Sierra STEM is hosting FOUR summer camps this year! Here are the highlights: πŸ§ͺ 2 camps for ages 6-9 and 2 camps for ages 10-14 πŸ”οΈ hikes and labs to learn about Sierra ecology during Our Big Backyard 🎨 STEM-related arts, crafts, and performances during STEAM Camp 🧠 brain dissection and psychological experiments during Brain Camp πŸ•οΈ overnight backpacking trip during Explorations of Wilderness πŸ˜ƒ PAID summer Experiential Education Internship for local HS student πŸ’° registration fees for Mono County locals are subsidized thanks to generous grants from @junelakelittleloopers , the June Lake Women’s Club, and the DeChambeau Creek Foundation! We can’t wait! sierrastem.com/camps
Staff Adventures: Death Valley Edition! Sierra STEM’s Executive Director, Neal, went to Death Valley National Park with his family to see the ephemeral Lake Manly, which only forms during major precipitation events in the Badwater Basin. We lov
Staff Adventures: Death Valley Edition! Sierra STEM’s Executive Director, Neal, went to Death Valley National Park with his family to see the ephemeral Lake Manly, which only forms during major precipitation events in the Badwater Basin. We love to see the desert with so much water! . . πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Nüümü (Northern Paiute) and Newe Sogobia (Western Shoshone)
Roses are red. violets are blue. We love STEM outdoors, and hope you do too! This Valentines’ Day, we’re thinking about the places we love at Sierra STEM. Swipe to see the places we love, here in our backyard here at Sierra STEM! . . πŸ“An
Roses are red. violets are blue. We love STEM outdoors, and hope you do too! This Valentines’ Day, we’re thinking about the places we love at Sierra STEM. Swipe to see the places we love, here in our backyard here at Sierra STEM! . . πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Nüümü (Northern Paiute), Nyyhmy (Western Mono/Monache), Newe Sogobia (Western Shoshone), and Tübatulabal
Happy Women in STEM Day! We love inspiring women and girls to pursue their passions for STEM through meaningful fieldwork and lab experiences with Sierra STEM. Thanks to all of the incredible woman scientists who have participated in our programs! .
Happy Women in STEM Day! We love inspiring women and girls to pursue their passions for STEM through meaningful fieldwork and lab experiences with Sierra STEM. Thanks to all of the incredible woman scientists who have participated in our programs! . . πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Kootzaduka’a and Nüümü (Northern Paiute)
Ever wanted to go snowshoeing? We promise, these students had snow fun at all walking around this winter wonderland… (just kidding!). Snowshoeing is the highlight of many of our winter programs. Come experience the snow globe with us here in
Ever wanted to go snowshoeing? We promise, these students had snow fun at all walking around this winter wonderland… (just kidding!). Snowshoeing is the highlight of many of our winter programs. Come experience the snow globe with us here in the eastern Sierra! . . πŸ“Έ: @highsierraphotography πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Kootzaduka’a, Nüümü (Northern Paiute), and Me-Wuk (Central Sierra Miwok) #snowshoeing #winterwonderland #easternsierra
Sierra STEM Staff Adventures: Associate Program Director, Jackie, spent 5 days snowboarding Wyoming powder on a yurt trip in the Grand Tetons! It’s not the Sierra, but we sure love this other beautiful mountain range! . . πŸ“ Ancestral Lands of
Sierra STEM Staff Adventures: Associate Program Director, Jackie, spent 5 days snowboarding Wyoming powder on a yurt trip in the Grand Tetons! It’s not the Sierra, but we sure love this other beautiful mountain range! . . πŸ“ Ancestral Lands of the Tséstho’e (Cheyenne), Cayuse, Umatilla and Walla Walla, Newe Sogobia (Eastern Shoshone), and Shoshone-Bannock
Sierra STE(A)M? We absolutely love bringing STEM and art together through our programs. Swipe to see our Sierra STEM student art gallery… . . πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Kootzaduka’a and Nüümü (Northern Paiute) #STEAM #art #
Sierra STE(A)M? We absolutely love bringing STEM and art together through our programs. Swipe to see our Sierra STEM student art gallery… . . πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Kootzaduka’a and Nüümü (Northern Paiute) #STEAM #art #easternsierra
Are you afraid of the dark? We love dark skies… because we can see so many stars! Death Valley National Park @deathvalleynps — one of our operating locations — is home to some of the best stargazing in the United States. The East
Are you afraid of the dark? We love dark skies… because we can see so many stars! Death Valley National Park @deathvalleynps — one of our operating locations — is home to some of the best stargazing in the United States. The Eastern Sierra also hosts incredible views of the sky, framed by snow-capped mountains. No city lights, no light pollution – just twinkling lights. Come see the stars with us! . . πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Nüümü Witu (Eastern Mono/Monache), Nüümü (Northern Paiute), and Newe Sogobia (Western Shoshone)
🚨 Instagram Takeover! 🚨 Today, we have handed the reins to Sierra STEM program alum πŸ”οΈ and photographer extraordinaire πŸ“Έ, Lena BP from @crystalgryphons! Read Lena’s photo caption below, and swipe ⏩️ to see a few of her favorite photos and m
🚨 Instagram Takeover! 🚨 Today, we have handed the reins to Sierra STEM program alum πŸ”οΈ and photographer extraordinaire πŸ“Έ, Lena BP from @crystalgryphons! Read Lena’s photo caption below, and swipe ⏩️ to see a few of her favorite photos and memories from her backcountry experiential learning program πŸ•οΈ! 🏞️ “Memories from last summer when I got the chance to go on a Sierra STEM trip to Yosemite: We hiked from Hetch Hetchy to Lake Vernon, rock climbed in Yosemite Valley, rafted down the South Fork of the American River, made lots of inside jokes, had lots of fun, and ate LOTS of trail mix. Throughout the trip, I took photos so I could remember the views and experiences forever. I loved spending time in nature while talking about the history of the land we were on, and Dr Fox made the whole trip a lot of fun!” — Lena BP . . πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Kootzaduka’a, Nuumu (Northern Paiute), and Me-Wuk (Central Sierra Miwok)
Recently, our Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Neal Fox, was interviewed on π™‡π™žπ™›π™š π™–π™›π™©π™šπ™§ π™‹π™π˜Ώ, a new conversational podcast about the diversity of career paths after earning a PhD. Dr. Fox discusses following his passions for science, tea
Recently, our Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Neal Fox, was interviewed on π™‡π™žπ™›π™š π™–π™›π™©π™šπ™§ π™‹π™π˜Ώ, a new conversational podcast about the diversity of career paths after earning a PhD. Dr. Fox discusses following his passions for science, teaching, and the outdoors to eventually found Sierra STEM. If you’re interested, you can listen at the link in our bio! Podcast host, Dr. Brielle Stark, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Speech, Language and Hearing Sciences at @iubloomington and she is always interested in interviewing PhDs with alternative career paths; if you’re interested in being a guest, please get in touch with Brie! brielle.stark [at] gmail.com or on Twitter at: BrielleStarkPhD . . πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Kootzaduka’a and Nüümü (Northern Paiute)
Master Chef Junior or a Sierra STEM program? Did you know that ALL students on Sierra STEM programs learn to cook on their trips? We provide detailed, hand-crafted recipes and delicious ingredients. Living Learning Communities are divided into cook
Master Chef Junior or a Sierra STEM program? Did you know that ALL students on Sierra STEM programs learn to cook on their trips? We provide detailed, hand-crafted recipes and delicious ingredients. Living Learning Communities are divided into cook teams, and students work together to make their own food. The cooking and family-style meal experience is a highlight of Sierra STEM programs! . . πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Kootzaduka’a and Nüümü (Northern Paiute)
Curious about what’s new at Sierra STEM in 2024? Sneak peek below… NEW WINTER CURRICULUM: We’re developing a brand new, snow science curriculum that we can’t wait to take into the field. Get excited to snowshoe, dig pits, an
Curious about what’s new at Sierra STEM in 2024? Sneak peek below… NEW WINTER CURRICULUM: We’re developing a brand new, snow science curriculum that we can’t wait to take into the field. Get excited to snowshoe, dig pits, and talk mountain weather, water resources, and avalanche science. NEW PROGRAM: We are developing a new program called Highest Peak, Lowest Valley: Explorations of the Rain Shadow. This program will take place between Mount Whitney and Death Valley, the highest and lowest points in the contiguous United States. We’ll be focusing on learning about Indigenous people, geology and geography, and water in the rain shadow. More backpacking trips (and a fleet of new packs)… stay tuned! These new programs will be highly customizable to meet your organization’s needs! πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Kootzaduka’a, Nuumu (Northern Paiute), Newe Sogobia (Western Shoshone), and Nüümü Witu (Eastern Mono/Monache)
2023 was a huge year for Sierra STEM! We ran our first-ever local summer camps in June Lake, took students backpacking in Yosemite National Park, dissected brains, and hired our full-time Associate Program Director, Jackie! It was also a record-shatt
2023 was a huge year for Sierra STEM! We ran our first-ever local summer camps in June Lake, took students backpacking in Yosemite National Park, dissected brains, and hired our full-time Associate Program Director, Jackie! It was also a record-shattering snow year here in the Sierra. Swipe for a recap of an incredible year at Sierra STEM. . . πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Kootzaduka’a, Nuumu (Northern Paiute), and Me-Wuk (Central Sierra Miwok)
We’re taking a break for the holidays here at Sierra STEM! We are so excited to take this time to get outdoors, play in the newly-fallen snow, and spend time with family and friends. Maybe we’ll even get out for @junemountain opening day.
We’re taking a break for the holidays here at Sierra STEM! We are so excited to take this time to get outdoors, play in the newly-fallen snow, and spend time with family and friends. Maybe we’ll even get out for @junemountain opening day. What are you doing for the holidays? πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Kootzaduka’a and Nüümü (Northern Paiute)
Let’s talk about Leave No Trace! We practice @leavenotraceorg principles on all Sierra STEM trips, and work to educate all participants on our trips about minimal impact recreation and camping! Scroll to refresh your knowledge of LNT principles
Let’s talk about Leave No Trace! We practice @leavenotraceorg principles on all Sierra STEM trips, and work to educate all participants on our trips about minimal impact recreation and camping! Scroll to refresh your knowledge of LNT principles… . . πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Me-Wuk (Central Sierra Miwok) and Nüümü (Northern Paiute)
We love seeing the little scientists of June Lake wearing their lab coats! Not all scientists wear lab coats… but it sure feels extra exciting to do experiments when you do! Swipe for some of our favorite photos of these small scientists. @ju
We love seeing the little scientists of June Lake wearing their lab coats! Not all scientists wear lab coats… but it sure feels extra exciting to do experiments when you do! Swipe for some of our favorite photos of these small scientists. @junelakeloop @junelakelittleloopers . . πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Kootzaduka’a, Nuumu (Northern Paiute), and Me-Wuk (Central Sierra Miwok) #labcoats #STEM #junelake #scientists
Belmont Hill School takes on the High Sierra to the High Desert! Throwing it back to this awesome trip last spring during our record snow year here in the Sierra Nevada. From rock climbing in the high desert to snowshoeing in the high Sierra, we had
Belmont Hill School takes on the High Sierra to the High Desert! Throwing it back to this awesome trip last spring during our record snow year here in the Sierra Nevada. From rock climbing in the high desert to snowshoeing in the high Sierra, we had an absolute blast! πŸ“ Ancestral Lands of the Nüümü (Northern Paiute), Nüümü Witü (Eastern Mono/Monache), and Newe Sogobia (Western Shoshone)
The 7th grade class at @sffriendsschool joined us for a week of place-based learning about community here in Payahüünadu. They explored community building, human and ecological communities, and community resilience through snowshoeing, hear What. A. Staff! These incredible folks came together for a jam-packed few days of staff training. We’re so grateful to these incredible facilitators and staff for sharing their knowledge and time with us! πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Nüü 🚨Job alert!🚨 We are hiring a backpacking program facilitator for an upcoming program in Yosemite National Park’s Hetch Hetchy valley. Wilderness First Aid required, Wilderness First Responder preferred. Our staff training will be taking pla Sierra STEM is hosting FOUR summer camps this year! Here are the highlights: πŸ§ͺ 2 camps for ages 6-9 and 2 camps for ages 10-14 πŸ”οΈ hikes and labs to learn about Sierra ecology during Our Big Backyard 🎨 STEM-related arts, crafts, and performances du Staff Adventures: Death Valley Edition! Sierra STEM’s Executive Director, Neal, went to Death Valley National Park with his family to see the ephemeral Lake Manly, which only forms during major precipitation events in the Badwater Basin. We lov Roses are red. violets are blue. We love STEM outdoors, and hope you do too! This Valentines’ Day, we’re thinking about the places we love at Sierra STEM. Swipe to see the places we love, here in our backyard here at Sierra STEM! . . πŸ“An Happy Women in STEM Day! We love inspiring women and girls to pursue their passions for STEM through meaningful fieldwork and lab experiences with Sierra STEM. Thanks to all of the incredible woman scientists who have participated in our programs! . Ever wanted to go snowshoeing? We promise, these students had snow fun at all walking around this winter wonderland… (just kidding!). Snowshoeing is the highlight of many of our winter programs. Come experience the snow globe with us here in Sierra STEM Staff Adventures: Associate Program Director, Jackie, spent 5 days snowboarding Wyoming powder on a yurt trip in the Grand Tetons! It’s not the Sierra, but we sure love this other beautiful mountain range! . . πŸ“ Ancestral Lands of Sierra STE(A)M? We absolutely love bringing STEM and art together through our programs. Swipe to see our Sierra STEM student art gallery… . . πŸ“Ancestral Lands of the Kootzaduka’a and Nüümü (Northern Paiute) #STEAM #art # Are you afraid of the dark? We love dark skies… because we can see so many stars! Death Valley National Park @deathvalleynps — one of our operating locations — is home to some of the best stargazing in the United States. The East 🚨 Instagram Takeover! 🚨 Today, we have handed the reins to Sierra STEM program alum πŸ”οΈ and photographer extraordinaire πŸ“Έ, Lena BP from @crystalgryphons! Read Lena’s photo caption below, and swipe ⏩️ to see a few of her favorite photos and m Recently, our Founder and Executive Director, Dr. Neal Fox, was interviewed on π™‡π™žπ™›π™š π™–π™›π™©π™šπ™§ π™‹π™π˜Ώ, a new conversational podcast about the diversity of career paths after earning a PhD. Dr. Fox discusses following his passions for science, tea Master Chef Junior or a Sierra STEM program? Did you know that ALL students on Sierra STEM programs learn to cook on their trips? We provide detailed, hand-crafted recipes and delicious ingredients. Living Learning Communities are divided into cook Curious about what’s new at Sierra STEM in 2024? Sneak peek below… NEW WINTER CURRICULUM: We’re developing a brand new, snow science curriculum that we can’t wait to take into the field. Get excited to snowshoe, dig pits, an 2023 was a huge year for Sierra STEM! We ran our first-ever local summer camps in June Lake, took students backpacking in Yosemite National Park, dissected brains, and hired our full-time Associate Program Director, Jackie! It was also a record-shatt We’re taking a break for the holidays here at Sierra STEM! We are so excited to take this time to get outdoors, play in the newly-fallen snow, and spend time with family and friends. Maybe we’ll even get out for @junemountain opening day. Let’s talk about Leave No Trace! We practice @leavenotraceorg principles on all Sierra STEM trips, and work to educate all participants on our trips about minimal impact recreation and camping! Scroll to refresh your knowledge of LNT principles We love seeing the little scientists of June Lake wearing their lab coats! Not all scientists wear lab coats… but it sure feels extra exciting to do experiments when you do! Swipe for some of our favorite photos of these small scientists. @ju Belmont Hill School takes on the High Sierra to the High Desert! Throwing it back to this awesome trip last spring during our record snow year here in the Sierra Nevada. From rock climbing in the high desert to snowshoeing in the high Sierra, we had