In India, the search for sufficient STEM education faces many challenges – from inadequate infrastructure to cultural and social barriers, and a shortage of quality educators. Shaping the next generation of innovators, problem-solvers, and tech leaders.

Since 2006, the Indian Stem Foundation (ISF) have been striving towards their mission. With The Spectris Foundation grant, we hope to support ISF with revolutionising STEM education, making quality STEM education accessible to all through their state-of-the-art STEM programmes, tinkering labs, infrastructure, teachers training, and championing girls in STEM. The goal? To remove all barriers and inequalities for underprivileged and underrepresented groups in the tech industry.

ISF aim to ignite curiosity, encouraging a passion in the minds of young people for science and technology. Their mentor-driven programmes don’t just educate, they encourage students to rise to the challenges of our tech-driven world.

The Spectris Foundation is continuing to fund the Tinkering Lab at The Bharat English School and Junior College in Pune. A science classroom which provides students the opportunity to learn hands-on science and technology in their school; the India Stem Foundation provide a qualified technician to teach the students and teachers, and help schools transform unused space into creative STEM classrooms.

In a world transitioning towards digital transformation, many young people are being left behind as they lack the necessary knowledge and skills to thrive in our digital world due to adversity or disadvantage. The number of students pursuing IT courses at various levels (GCSE, A-Level, further education courses, and apprenticeships) are declining at an alarming rate.

Apps for good believe that all young people should be empowered to take action on the things they care about most. They provide free tech innovation courses to schools, giving teachers ready-made education content, so young people from all backgrounds can develop computing and essential skills to create a brighter future through technology.

The Spectris Foundation are delighted to be partnering with Apps for Good to launch and expand their new project, Apps for Social Action (ASA). ASA is a solution-focused tech course focusing on young people who are facing adversity, disadvantage, or part of a minority group. By equipping them with the essential skills to tackle pressing societal issues through digital innovation. Empowering young people to use digital technology to positively influence the world they are living in.

Many disabled children in special schools either have no access to a STEM education or simply believe it’s not meant for them. Despite the ever-growing demand for STEM jobs, a staggering 78% of the autistic community and 95% of people with learning disabilities remain unemployed.

The Lightyear Foundation are plotting a long-range roadmap to revolutionise STEM education in special schools.

Their mission is to empower both students and STEM organisations, unlocking the potential disabilities that can be tremendous assets in the STEM sector.

The Spectris Foundation is awarding an unrestricted grant to the Lightyear Foundation to enable them to continue breaking down barriers in STEM education. We are excited to see their groundbreaking initiatives in special educational schools and the dynamic collaboration with the broader STEM community. They are crafting a future that’s inclusive, accessible, and full of opportunity.

Technovation are a global tech education non-for-profit that empowers girls to become leaders, creators and problem-solvers. Their innovative program equips young women with the support of volunteer mentors and parents; girls work in teams to code mobile apps that address real-world problems and help them develop into our future entrepreneurs and leaders.

In the dynamic world of technology, a striking gender gap persists, with just a 25% representation of women in the sector. Amidst this global challenge, Technovation has emerged as a beacon of hope, a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering young women by using technology to solve real-world problems in their communities.

The Spectris Foundation are supporting Technovation’s ambitious 15 year strategy and over the next two years hopes to impact 1,426 young women’s lives through Technovation Girls.

The Spectris Foundation are excited to be continuing our impactful partnership with the SAE Foundation. Providing students with high-quality, STEM programming that ignites their interest in STEM subjects and delivering training for teachers that helps increase their comfort level with teaching STEM subjects.

The SAE Foundation’s award winning A World In Motion (AWIM) programme incorporates 21st century power skills like critical thinking and communication in addition to inspiring young learners in STEM. They’re mission is to reach all students, regardless of socioeconomic status, gender, race, or ethnicity, thereby increasing equitable access to STEM.

AWIM program sparks passion for STEM, Kei’Andre a student who participated in the project last year loved learning about Newton’s laws of motion and gravity. Through the Straw Rockets Challenge Kei’Andre created an interactive comic book where students could battle computer viruses.

Because of his experience with AWIM, Kei’Andre wants to become a scientist!

The goal of the program is to provide students with high-quality, STEM programming that ignites their interest in STEM subjects. As well as providing training for teachers which will increase their abilities and interest in STEM, thus helping many more young minds of the future.

Our grant will continue to facilitate creative STEM learning, making a big difference in schools and communities who haven’t had the chance to access such amazing STEM education.

In 2022 we reached 300 students by supporting AWIM and over the next year our aim is to reach a further 800!

Since its inception in 1989, the Engineering Education Scheme Wales (EESW) has been working tirelessly to show young people how valuable a career in engineering can be. EESW endeavors to bridge the gap between students and industry, which benefits young students and propels the Welsh economy towards a successful future.

With The Spectris Foundation’s continued partnership, the EESW are expanding the Sustainable Farming project, where traditional agricultural practices are blended with cutting-edge technology. Students collaboratively construct and code a digital greenhouse, fostering a deep appreciation for the role of technology in bolstering sustainability and efficiency. With a goal to engage a further 24 schools and a total of 700 young minds.

Furthermore, our grant will also facilitate the delivery of the First Lego League (FLL) activity, a global science and technology competition for teams of students, to encourage an interest in real world issues and develop key skills that are crucial for their future careers.

We have supported the African Gifted Foundation since 2022; their world-class stem education fosters talent and enables young women with a passion for STEM the opportunity to fulfil their potential. By providing support, increasing confidence and supporting women from all backgrounds, the African Gifted Foundation are creating inspiring, future leaders.

At the heart of their endeavor lies the African Science Academy (ASA), an institution that annually welcomes 50 exceptionally gifted students from underprivileged backgrounds, gifting them world-class STEM education – entirely on full scholarships.

The Spectris Foundation has awarded the African Gifted Foundation a two year grant of £100,000 to allow them to continue giving full scholarships to young women across Africa and contributing to reducing the gender gap in Stem learning, and to make a transformative impact.

A new curriculum which brings STEM to life is being piloted in pupil referral units and with army cadet students in the south of England. Students are asked to plan, develop and evaluate expeditions by using STEM learning.

This pilot project is aimed at engaging students from all backgrounds, with a key focus on developing learning for pupil referral unis, where students are unable to attend mainstream school.

The Royal Society of Chemistry’s vision is a world in which the chemical sciences fulfil their potential as a force for good. They are a global charity who work to connect chemical scientists with each other and society.

In 2022 The Spectris Foundation and The Royal Society of Chemistry launched a project called Chemistry for Science Teachers. The project aims to enhance and build the skill levels and confidence of early career chemistry teachers and non-chemistry specialist teachers in delivering high quality chemistry lessons to address students’ lost learning during the pandemic. This project is being delivered online to make it realistic and accessible for all participants across the UK and Northern Ireland.

Formed in 1998 as a non-profit and the social innovation arm of CompTIA – the world’s largest (IT) industry association – CompTia Spark shares our ethos that technology should be exciting, accessible and inclusive.

Over the next two years, The Spectris Foundation are partnering with CompTia Spark to fund their TechGirlz programme. This initiative develops cutting-edge tech education curricula for girls ages 11-14. CompTia Spark offers an open-source library alongside in-person and virtual workshops. They use ranging topics, from designing mobile apps, Arduino programming, building websites and animation. Workshops are hands-on and designed to engage girls with no previous experience.

The Spectris Foundation have awarded a grant to ENTHUSE Charitable Trust!

A £100,000 has been awarded to ENTHUSE Charitable Trust to deliver five new Stem Learning partnerships across the UK. Over the next two years we aim to support 200 teachers and 22,500 students, making a positive and long-term impact to STEM education where it is most needed.

ENTHUSE Partnerships, run by STEM Learning through Project ENTHUSE, brings schools and colleges together to work collaboratively, to develop an intensive two-year programme to raise aspiration and achievement in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Each partnership works with a group of six-to-ten schools and colleges, providing access to continuing professional development, free resources, immersion in industry or university through teacher placements, STEM Ambassadors and enrichment activities.

The five new partnerships will be based in Malvern, Dundee, Crowborough, Chapel-en-le-Frith and Royston, will reach up to 50 schools. Our foundation will fund £20,000 for each partnership to support teacher professional development and raise engagement and achievement in STEM subjects, especially those from disadvantaged groups. This tailor-made project aims to inspire excellence in schools, and raise aspirations of the students and teachers.

In supporting an ENTHUSE Partnership, the Spectris Foundation joins organisations from across the charitable and business world, including such diverse names as ASDA, GSK, Goldman Sachs, Jacobs and the Vertex Foundation.

Anna Gawthorp, Strategic Partnership Lead at the National STEM Learning Centre, said:

“I am delighted to welcome the Spectris Foundation to join our ENTHUSE Partnership supporters. The Partnership will help STEM Learning’s mission to change the lives of thousands of young people, nurturing future talent for crucial STEM skills.”

This two year project will enable more young people, from all backgrounds, to progress in their STEM education, with more students entering high-value STEM-related careers as a result. By doing so, STEM Learning improves social mobility and the life chances of some of the UK’s most vulnerable young people.

By Scott Campbell

Kate Kerr didn’t necessarily set out to have a tech career, but she’s happy that after all the twists and turns to get there that it led her to exactly where she is now.

“I studied psychology and my profession now is research within the tech space,” said Kerr, senior lead researcher at Monzo Bank in the UK and a board trustee at The Spectris Foundation, which provides grants to give access to science, technology, engineering and mathematics education globally, to some of the world’s most disadvantaged communities. “I stumbled into tech not really knowing how to connect what I’d studied with all the different roles I could go on to do.”

Today, Kerr recognizes the importance of exposing students of all ages to technology—and the breadth of potential careers in tech—is critical to developing the next generation of tech worker, especially for young girls and those from underrepresented cultures in the industry. It’s one reason The Spectris Foundation is a supporter of organizations like CompTIA Spark. “I don’t want people to have to rely on finding a tech career by chance. We need to bridge their interest in tech with real opportunities to fill that gap,” she said.

Help Wanted: More Confident, Competent Tech Workers

Of course, supporting tech education programs accomplishes more than attracting future tech workers—it also instills confidence and soft skills that helps young people strive for more than what they thought they could even do.

“I think this is really important,” said Kerr. “You need hard skills but also soft skills like problem solving to build confidence. That’s where I think The Spectris Foundation can help and why programs like CompTIA Spark are so helpful. Tech is not just coding. It’s helping you grow the skills you need to be successful. When you start out, you don’t know what you don’t know. It’s about opening up the space to more people and showing them what opportunities there are and how to get there.”

Initiatives either in school or out of school that help people develop a wide variety of skills that complement each other in real-world environments are important and deserve increased attention, added Rebecca Levy, foundation director at Spectris Foundation.

“I think too many people think if they take a physics course, they can only go down that career avenue. Or if they want a math degree, they only need math skills. There’s a piece missing and that’s knowing what academic skills and soft skills are needed to enhance the overall experience,” Levy said.

The mission of Spectris Foundation is to provide equal opportunities to science, technology and math (STEM) education, said Kerr. “As a female in tech, I am very passionate about that. Only about 30% of tech roles are filled by women and there are more drastic drops in computer science and engineering,” she said.

Modern Programs Have Flexibility, Innovative Approaches

The best programs to attract and develop young people into tech should also include more than traditional textbook learning, Kerr said. For example, project-based learning, including hands-on demonstrations and real-world examples of technology in practice helps students understand how technology works and how it delivers results.

Tech education can be challenging if the curriculum doesn’t keep pace with the rapid pace of tech innovation. “I think the biggest frustration I found was how outdated the skills I was learning at the time and how they were applying in the real world,” Kerr said. “The world changes quickly and tech education is absolutely not changing quickly enough.”

To obtain the latest tech knowledge and soft skills necessary to advance, Kerr started networking with other tech professionals, going to industry events—and asking lots of questions.

“People learn from real-life role models. I was learning and connecting those dots,” she said. “We should be doing the roles, living the roles in an educational setting. We need to make sure what you learn, you can do it in real life—and that goes back to problem solving and having the resilience to solve the problem.”

For example, one much-valued skill of project-based learning is figuring out why something didn’t work—and how to correct it.

“It’s important to learn to fail and how to respond when you get things wrong. You don’t get that by reading a book,” Kerr said. “It goes back to having a problem-solving mindset and when you can fail in a safe space and pick yourself up, that’s one of the big benefits of hands-on learning.”

Why Support Tech Learning Programs?

Supporting initiatives like CompTIA Spark help organizations fulfill goals that they may not have the resources to achieve themselves, Levy said.

“We have fabulous people but we are not experts in tech education for young people,” she said. “We want to serve underprivileged students in deprived areas. How many students are being helped? How many young women are participating? How do we bridge the gender gap in STEM? These are the areas where we can all have a deeper impact by supporting STEM education programs.

For example, The Spectris Foundation recently supported a challenge to build sustainable racing cars and one student assumed some project management and leadership responsibilities that she didn’t seek—but also didn’t shy away from.

“She was just doing it all. She got a hands-on opportunity to make it happen and it gave her so much confidence,” Levy said. “From that, she made more friends, joined after school clubs. All through an opportunity to work on something practical in a team environment and in a safe place.”

“The reach that STEM education programs have is really inspiring to us,” Kerr said. “I think TechGirlz [a CompTIA Spark program] has served 40,000 students in 25 countries and on a range of topics and all areas of STEM. I believe 82% of girls have a positive view of tech after taking a course. That is very close to our hearts. When we are giving grants, we want to know what the impact is and that it’s really changing girls’ minds and they are looking at roles in tech.”

Get Involved
Learn more about the partners and supporters of CompTIA Spark and how you can support tech education programs.

In September , our Foundation trustee Amit Agarwal, participated in the AI Forward Alliance at UNGA in New York, in collaboration with UNICEF. This event brought together worldwide influential partners including the UN, Google, and non-profit organisations like Technovation and UNICEF. The focus was on harnessing the power of AI innovators, entrepreneurs, and leaders to make positive changes in the world.
The alliance has two primary objectives:

1.  To reach and empower 25 million girls and young women through education in AI, coding, and entrepreneurship.
2. To see 6 million of these young women, enter technology-related fields by 2030.

Amit explained, “We’re currently not leveraging half of the world’s population (females) to attack the big problems and opportunities. Hence, the need for this initiative. The picture boards paint the picture.”

The Spectris Foundation also actively supported Technovation by participating in their World Summit. Karen Kresonja, a volunteer for The Spectris Foundation and who works as Vice President for Spectris owned business, Particle Measurement Systems (PMS), was invited to attend the World Summit as a judge. Teams from all corners of the globe showcased their innovations, and the best teams earned a spot at this event.

Reflecting on the experience, Karen said, “The Technovation event was fantastic. I was completely blown away by the young women participating, truly amazing. The teams were enthusiastic, innovative, and absolutely brilliant. I left feeling very inspired for the future of women in technology.” She continues, “it was astonishing to see Technovation’s global reach, with teams from small villages in Kenya and Nigeria. These girls were using AI technology to develop applications that address community needs.”

The future with Technovation

The Spectris Foundation has awarded Technovation with £200,000 grant over two years. We are delighted to be strengthening our partnership, dedicated to providing underrepresented girls from low-income communities and developing nations the opportunity to access skills in technology. Together we are championing the future of women in technology.

On Tuesday 13^th June The Spectris Foundation supported their project partner ENTHUSE, by attending the Sustainability Summit at The University of Hertfordshire. This event was designed to raise aspiration of our future leaders in climate change, and to focus on possible solutions future technologies can have in having a positive impact in sustainability. 120 students, 14 teachers from 12 local schools attended the day, where the foundation and Spectris exhibited alongside Leaf, ENTHUSE and the Environment Agency to build resilience and inspire students! It was an incredible day full of enthusiasm, one student explained how his life mission is to stop climate change, and he had already changed school policy by stopping all meat consumption!

Damien Phillips, Group General Counsel, joined Rebecca Levy, Foundation Director, in the exhibition area and was surprised at the level of interest and knowledge in the field of sustainability! He explains, “It was very cool to spend a day doing something different – I got quite impassioned about patented hexapod technology in our VI grade simulators…!”

Helena Nathan-King, Group Head of Sustainability, and Ariel Brunner, Sustainability Analyst, designed and held workshops for the students. These interactive workshops explored options of investing in a sustainable future.

“We were impressed by the level of engagement and knowledge from the students about climate change. We heard stories of students teaching their parents how to recycle and convincing them to install solar energy, as well as attending climate marches and growing their own food. Our future needs them!” – Helena Nathan-King.

Thank you to everyone who made this event possible, it was a great opportunity to connect with schools, universities, charities and businesses which are all contributing to a more sustainable world.

The Spectris Foundation aims to provide quality STEM education globally. For more information on our grant programme please go to “apply for funding”

We champion women in Tech and aim to help bridge the gender gap in STEM education.

On Tuesday 20^th June to celebrate the International Women in Engineering Day we teamed up with grant recipient TechGirlz, our corporate donor Spectris and student network Young Professionals UK to host an online collaborative workshop, seminar and panel discussion – all about women in Tech!

The event kicked off with an introduction from Foundation Director, Rebecca Levy, followed by a warm welcome from Spectris’s CEO and Foundation Trustee, Andrew Heath. Andrew spoke to the importance of diversity within STEM education and introduced the schedule for the evening.

Danielle Garrett, TechGirlz Partner Success Specialist from TechGirlz facilitated an interactive a workshop named “think like a digital designer”. This stimulating session taught the importance of user experience and helped the participants learn to think about different consumer groups when designing and developing an app. During one activity Danielle asked the participants to write a letter to their favourite app and the students wrote their creative and insightful letters in the chat box. One participant wrote to Spotify;

“Dear Spotify, You’re my everyday because you’re always here for me, when I am down, when I am happy, when I want to relax, you are always there for me and I love you for that.”

After the workshop the students had the freedom to visit different breakout rooms where, The Spectris Foundation, Spectris Scientific, Spectris Dynamics, and Servomex and Red Lion held inspiring lightening talks and discussions on their business areas, and personal experiences working as women in tech. These impressive women gave practical advise and expertise in their fields. In The Spectris Foundation booth, Kate Kerr, foundation trustee,  talked about the importance of psychology in STEM and how she progressed within the User Experience sector. She was joined by Karen Usher, founder of NMITE and foundation trustee, who gave practical and insightful advice to the students.

To close the event, Dan Miller from Young Professionals facilitated a panel discussion and Q&A with women leaders from Spectris Plc and The Spectris Foundation trustees. They spoke about perspectives on the future of engineering, emerging trends in technology, and the importance of diversity and inclusion in this ever-evolving field. It was a chance to share knowledge, stories, advice to help guide the participants on their own journeys.

Thank you to everyone who made this event possible – we reached an amazing 277 students from across the UK and the US.

The Spectris Foundation awarded a £10,000 grant to the SAE Foundation in June 2022 to help over 300 school children across the US gain practical STEM education through the AWIM hands-on project this academic year.

AWIM is an inquiry-based learning experience that brings STEM concepts to life, setting students on a path of lifelong learning and discovery. All students participate and gain an insight to how exciting stem education can be!

Amit explains;

“I had a great visit to the Goethe Elementary School and saw the SAE STEM program in action. We went to six different classrooms spanning from kindergarten to 5th grade. In every classroom, students were very engaged with the hands on STEM kits. I saw how the teachers were interested in teaching the scientific concepts in a fun way!” (Amit, Agarwal, Trustee).

The goal of the program is  to provide students with high-quality, STEM programming that that ignites their interest in STEM subjects and to provide training for teachers that helps increase their abilities and interest in STEM.

The Spectris Foundation aims to provide quality STEM education globally. For more information on our grant programme please go to “apply for funding.”

The network works to empower the SEN (Special Educational Needs) in STEM and aims to make STEM more accessible for people living with a disability. The event took place at The Royal Observatory in Greenwich.

Rebecca Levy, The Spectris Foundation’s Director, was joined by Dominique Sleet, from the Royal Academy of Engineering, Tom Mansell and Anna Hoddinott from the John Lyon’s Charity, and Christina Fuentes Tibbitt from the British Science Association to discuss accessible projects in STEM. The speakers shared their advice and experience on the grant-making application process and ongoing management of grants.

“It was such a brilliant experience to talk at the Royal Observatory and meet inspiring people who use science as a tool of learning and engagement for people with Special Educational Needs. The Spectris Foundation have project partners who are working to improve attainment in science for students with Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND). We aim to develop progressive, skills-based, practical learning in STEM education – which is accessible for all. This event highlighted the importance of creative learning in the sciences, and I’m excited to see the outcome of these charities innovative projects!

I was asked to describe what accessibility, inclusivity and diversity mean to The Spectris Foundation. For us, it means togetherness, opportunities and skill. We are proud of be a funder of STEM education and even prouder to be providing grants which are making STEM inclusive and possible.” – Rebecca Levy, The Spectris Foundation Director.

Following the talks there was a range of questions from the attendees and fruitful discussions on the beneficiaries of SEN in STEM projects. David Jones from the Life Science Centre spoke to the importance of parents participation and inclusion in SEN projects. He explained how powerful it can be for parents to feel empowered in science and see the positive impact it is having on their child.

If you would like to find out more about The Spectris Foundation’s grants, please see our apply for funding page.

Throughout 2022, we awarded small grants to the following charities:

• The Sheffield UTC Academy Trust
• Saint Francis Hospice
• Taylor made dreams
• Baby2Baby
• Texas Adaptive Aquatics
• Preble Street
• Reengage
• ALL ENGLAND TAEKWON-DO ASSOCIATION
• Chestnut Tree House Children’s Hospice
• The Encephalitis Society – Yorkshire, UK
• BEAT for eating disorder
• Hospice in the Weald
• Retina UK
• Heart wings, The Amity Foundation
• Leg Up Farm
• Olivia’s House
• Bonterre CIC – Sensory Garden
• Malvern Youth and Community Trust
• Mary’s Community Meal
• Larmena – Lar do Menor Amparado
• Tecnológico de Monterrey – Asociación EXATEC Contadores
• New Life for Girls
• Boulder Emergency Squad
• Appledore Book Festival
• The Footsteps Foundation
• Ignite Adaptive Sports
• Bucks Youth Chess Association
• Waisman Center
• Aki Ambulanter Kinder
• Younger People with Dementia (YPWD)