This month, we turn our STEM spotlight on the Quad City Engineering & Science Council, an organization in the Quad Cities area that hosts and sponsors several STEM outreach events and initiatives each year to support and engage K-12 students, professionals, and the whole community in STEM.

The mission of the Quad City Engineering & Science Council (QCESC) is to promote and support engineering, science, and technical professionals and associated societies in the Quad Cities and surrounding areas, and to encourage and support students to study STEM-related fields. The council has been advancing this mission since the 1960s. Throughout the year, the QCESC hosts STEM events for students and teachers, including a Battle of the Bridges, a Trebuchet Egg Toss, a Cardboard Boat Regatta, FIRST Tech Challenge/FIRST LEGO League activities, STEM Teacher Night Out, and much more. Each school year, the council also awards scholarships for students seeking to pursue careers in STEM.

Scholarship applications are now open. This year, more than 17 scholarships of between $1,000 and $2,500 will be awarded. In addition to the scholarship, awardees will be recognized at the annual QCESC STEM Celebration on February 20, 2025. Learn more about QCESC programs and opportunities, including information about the scholarships, here.