STEM
One of IowaBio’s core purposes since its formation has been to foster Iowa’s vibrant talent pipeline through Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). Iowa’s STEM students are a critical component to fuel our IowaBio member companies with a skilled workforce. Through our support of STEM education, IowaBio creates meaningful partnerships in order to support students, teachers, schools, colleges, and universities through scholarships, stipends, programming and competitions that encourage and enrich STEM education.
IowaBio's efforts are guided by its STEM Committee, which is comprised of various IowaBio members committed to advancing STEM initiatives across the state. Membership of this committee is updated yearly. To request to be added to the IowaBio STEM Committee, please email info@iowabio.org.
Since its founding, IowaBio has supported nearly 250 students across the state with over $200,000.00 in scholarship support.
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State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa (SSTFI)
The State Science and Technology Fair of Iowa (SSTFI) is open to any student (grades 6-12) residing in or attending school (public, private, parochial and home school) in the state of Iowa. At this time there is no qualifier fair (local, conference, district or regional) required for participation! The mission of the SSTFI is to promote the importance of science and scientific investigation among young people and to encourage them to develop a deeper understanding and appreciation of the world around them. Through participation in the SSTFI, students develop curiosity and deepen their skills of scientific inquiry, problem solving and communication.
The 2025 State Science Technology Fair of Iowa will be held March 27 & 28, 2025, in the Hilton Coliseum, Iowa State University, Ames, IA. To learn more and register, please visit www.sstfi.org.
SSTFI is an Intel ISEF-affiliated science fair. The Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (Intel ISEF), the world’s largest international pre-college science competition, annually provides a forum for more than 1,500 high school students from over 40 countries to showcase their independent research. The ISEF is the premiere science competition in the world exclusively for students in grades 9–12.
Each year, IowaBio awards the Future Biotech Leaders Scholarship to juniors and seniors in high school for exhibiting the best use of biotechnology. Awardees attending an in-state institution of higher learning are awarded a $2,000 scholarship while those attending an out-of-state institution are awarded a $1,000 scholarship. Since 2000, IowaBio has given over 100 scholarships to Iowa students who presented at SSTFI. To apply for the Future Biotech Leaders Scholarship and learn more about the application requirements, click the button below.
The Biotech Workplace Experience
The Biotech Workplace Experience program, founded in 2025, allows our Future Biotech Leader Scholarship recipients to receive a unique, behind-the-scenes look at Iowa’s dynamic biotech industry. These talented students spend a full day at the facilities of IowaBio member organizations, where they dive into lab tours, connect with industry leaders, and get hands-on experience in real-world biotech settings. We hope to inspire the next generation of STEM professionals by giving them a first-hand look at the exciting careers waiting for them in biotech. A huge thank you to Bayer, Boehringer Ingelheim, Eurofins, Feed Energy, and Proliant Health and Biologicals for opening your doors and hosting one of these rising stars!
We could also have an “Other Programs Supported” section and say something along the lines of: The IowaBio STEM Committee reviews opportunities related to STEM programming on a continual basis. Past partnerships have included the FFA Ag Biotechnology Competition, FFA Ag Proficiency Awards, and the American Heart Association’s STEM Goes Red Event. If you have questions about supported program, please reach out to Mary Lyon (mary@iowabio.org).