Expanding Partnerships for Stronger Communities

In 2016, our office will be focusing on expanding partnerships in northern New Mexico to help the Laboratory serve our neighboring communities even more effectively.
 
Partnership may seem like a much overused buzzword, but we see it as the opportunity to work with other entities to advance mutual interests. For example, we have recently started a new partnership with the Pojoaque Valley School District. The schools are looking for professional development opportunities for their science teachers.

As we all know, scientific developments come at a rapid pace which leaves teachers struggling to try and keep up with all the latest advancements while still being in the classroom on a daily basis. Late last year, the Laboratory started hosting Pojoaque science teachers for tours of scientific facilities and interactive discussions with Los Alamos researchers in areas such as climate change, biosciences and physics. The mission of our office is to support communities in the areas of education, economic development and community giving. We are also keenly aware that 40 percent of our workforce comes from northern New Mexico. By partnering with the school district, we can help improve teachers knowledge of science and the students who may very well be our future workforce.

By working with partners we increase the likelihood of achieving our mission. We already have valued partnerships with organizations like the United Way of Northern New Mexico, United Way of Santa Fe County, the Regional Development Corporation, the LANL Foundation, higher education institutions and 59 organizations that lead programs to engage elementary and secondary school students in math and science.

As we look to grow relationships with existing partners and form new partnerships, we have decided to change the name of our office from the Community Programs Office to the Community Relations and Partnerships Office. Community leaders in northern New Mexico tell us through an annual survey that their biggest concerns are lack of job and educational opportunities. Creating more opportunities in these areas will take many organizations working toward the same goal to bring about the results we all want to see in Northern New Mexico. We hope that expanding the Laboratory’s partnerships will help identify and align organizations with mutual interest for maximum impact.

– Kathy Keith