Our Programs
The CTE Science Alliance advances its mission through four integrated program areas — each designed to produce tangible, shareable evidence that CTE is applied science, and to build the public narrative that makes that case stick.
CTE Teach-Ins
CTE students go into elementary and middle school classrooms — and teach real science.
In each Teach-In event, high school and postsecondary CTE students visit a classroom and teach a hands-on applied science lesson they've designed themselves. The lessons are grounded in the science they're actually learning: an electrical student guides kids through building a simple circuit to understand electron flow and conductivity; a construction student leads a structural load challenge connecting materials science to how buildings stay standing; a process technology student demonstrates density and miscibility to explain how refineries separate crude oil into useful products.
Each event runs about an hour. CTE students leave with formal award recognition for their portfolios. Host teachers are surveyed on their likelihood of incorporating applied science into future lesson plans. And every event is built to generate earned media coverage — the kind of human-interest story that changes how a community thinks about CTE.
Cross-Industry Convenings
The CTE Science Alliance convenes cross-industry leaders — from trade associations, major employers, education institutions, and policy organizations — to share emerging research, compare workforce challenges, and develop shared strategies for advancing applied science in CTE. In our first year, that means a curated roundtable of roughly 25 senior leaders in Washington: an agenda anchored in our science mapping findings, Chatham House rules, and enough time for real conversation rather than prepared remarks. Participants leave with a summary of findings they can bring back to their teams — and relationships with peer leaders from industries fighting the same battle they are.
These aren't conferences. They're working sessions designed to produce insight and action that no single industry could generate on its own.
Science Mapping
Most people have never thought about what scientific concepts are actually taught in a CTE classroom. We have — and the answer is remarkable.
The CTE Science Alliance produces detailed science maps for CTE pathways: documented, visual breakdowns of the specific scientific concepts taught in each course. A process technology program teaches thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, and chemical reaction principles. A construction program teaches structural physics, materials science, and soil mechanics. A welding program covers metallurgy, electrochemistry, and thermal dynamics.
These maps serve multiple purposes. They give educators and parents a concrete, evidence-based answer to the question "is this rigorous?" They give industry partners a shareable asset that connects their workforce pipeline to scientific knowledge. And they give policymakers a tool for understanding the STEM value already embedded in CTE funding.
Infographics & Reports
Science maps become visual products — infographics and reports designed to travel across industry communications, social media, and policy channels. These are assets that industry partners can use immediately: in member newsletters, on Capitol Hill, in recruitment materials, and in media outreach.
Every infographic is built from the science mapping work and designed to be industry-specific, accessible, and shareable. A petrochemical association gets a visual that speaks to the science inside process technology. A construction association gets one that speaks to the physics and materials science in their trades. The content is the same rigorous science — the framing is tailored to the audience that matters most.