We are deeply grateful to Sara Gomez, who is wrapping up her time with the Minnesota Academy of Science (MAS) after being at the heart of our organization for nearly a decade.
In 2016, Sara moved from Texas to Minnesota to work as our State Science Fair and Junior Science & Humanities Symposium (JSHS) coordinator. She excelled at organizing these complex events due to her passion for science and her remarkable ability to juggle details and schedules. Despite the drastic climate and cultural differences from where she grew up, Sara wholeheartedly embraced her new home in the Twin Cities.
Sara with students at the 2019 National JSHS.
During the State Science Fair and JSHS events, Sara observed how critical both conducting independent research and interactions with scientific professionals are for encouraging students’ interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). She also saw that students from certain racial and ethnic backgrounds were drastically underrepresented at these events. Sara believed that all students deserve the ability to conduct scientific research about topics they care about and to learn from scientists who look like them. This belief led her to advocate for a new program within MAS to serve students from backgrounds underrepresented in STEM.
In the 2017-2018 school year, Sara designed and piloted a new program called Fostering Opportunities and Relationships in STEM Education (FORSE) that connected STEM mentors to twenty students at Bdote Learning Center to complete science fair projects. In the next few years, Sara brought STEM learning opportunities to more students by adding enrichment opportunities and creating relationships with more schools. At the same time, she continued her work organizing the annual State Science Fair and JSHS events.
In early March of 2020, the State Science Fair and JSHS were less than two weeks away when the magnitude of the COVID-19 pandemic became clear. In what was to be our last in-person staff meeting for over a year, we made the difficult decision to rapidly shift the events to virtual formats. Sara and Program Assistant Ally Milenkovic worked tirelessly for the next two weeks to set up a system for students to submit their research and receive feedback online. They also organized a virtual award ceremony and fun online activities for students, ensuring that some of the important social aspects of the events continued. As the pandemic lasted into 2021, Sara innovated a hybrid Science Fair event that enabled students to come together safely to celebrate their achievements while conducting judging online.
Sara at the 2022 State Science Fair celebration with former MAS Executive Director Lara Maupin (left) and Director of Events and Outreach Liz Buhmann (right).
In October of 2022, Sara moved out-of-state but remained with MAS as a Senior Program Consultant. In this role, she mentored Liz Buhmann, Director of Events and Outreach, as she assumed responsibility for organizing the State Science Fair. Today, the State Science Fair continues to be an unparalleled annual opportunity for over 350 Minnesota students.
Sara also provided guidance to our FORSE Program Director Evangeline Holley, who works with community partners to organize dozens of STEM opportunities for students each year, including family nights, field trips, play days, and author fairs. The FORSE program that Sara built has now brought STEM learning opportunities to more than 10,000 Twin Cities students.
Sara at the 2023 State Science Fair help desk with Director of Events and Outreach Liz Buhmann.
In recent years, Sara has led MAS’ efforts to incorporate Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) into all aspects of our programs, initiatives, and office culture. Through her efforts, we have grown from an organization with good intentions to an organization that actively prioritizes DEIB in our strategic planning, hiring practices, external communications, and more. We see the results of her efforts in our more inclusive events and in the way we as staff communicate with and convey respect for each other. Although Sara will no longer guide these efforts, we now have a structure in place at weekly staff meetings as well as monthly meetings devoted to DEIB where we can continue her important work.
Sara’s legacy at MAS will be felt for many years to come. We will miss her dazzling command of planning spreadsheets, her ability to remain calm under pressure, and her great hugs. Through the years, Sara has been relentless in her belief in MAS’ ability to bring the benefits of STEM learning to Minnesotans of all backgrounds. As we move forward, we honor her time at MAS by continuing to work toward this goal every day.
