Students to explore STEM careers at Dallas ISD Expo – Dallas Independent School District

Report on the Dallas ISD STEM Expo and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Event Overview

The Dallas Independent School District (ISD) will host its annual STEM Expo, a significant educational event designed to promote student engagement in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. The event is scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 24, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Automobile Building in Fair Park. This initiative serves as a critical platform for connecting students with future academic and career pathways, directly supporting several key United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Core Objectives and Activities

The primary objective of the STEM Expo is to provide students of all grade levels with exposure to real-world STEM applications. This is achieved through a collaborative effort involving district departments, campuses, and external industry and academic partners. The event’s activities are structured to foster inquiry-based learning and practical skills development.

• Interactive Exhibits: Hands-on science activities designed to make complex concepts accessible and engaging.
• Technology Demonstrations: Showcases of emerging technologies, including aircraft technology and virtual-reality experiences.
• Engineering Challenges: Practical problem-solving tasks that encourage critical thinking and design skills.

Contribution to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

The Dallas ISD STEM Expo makes substantial contributions to the global agenda for sustainable development by aligning with the following SDGs:

1. SDG 4: Quality Education: The expo directly promotes inclusive and equitable quality education by providing accessible, hands-on STEM learning opportunities outside the traditional classroom. It enhances the curriculum by offering technical and vocational skills development, preparing students for future employment and lifelong learning.
2. SDG 5: Gender Equality: By showcasing diverse role models and career paths in STEM, the event actively encourages participation from all students, including young women and girls, helping to close the gender gap in these critical fields.
3. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth: The event introduces students to high-demand career pathways in STEM, fostering a future workforce equipped for innovation and contributing to sustained, inclusive, and sustainable economic growth.
4. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure: Through its focus on engineering, technology, and design, the expo cultivates a new generation of innovators. It builds a foundation for future advancements in sustainable industrialization and resilient infrastructure.
5. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals: The event is a model of a multi-stakeholder partnership, bringing together public educational institutions (Dallas ISD), private sector industry partners, and academic organizations to achieve shared educational and developmental objectives.

Historical Context and Growth

Since its inception in 2014 with approximately 500 attendees, the STEM Expo has experienced significant growth. It is now recognized as the largest event of its kind in Texas, demonstrating the district’s sustained commitment to advancing STEM education and its alignment with broader development goals.

Logistical Information

• Date: Saturday, January 24, 2026
• Time: 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
• Location: Automobile Building, Fair Park
• Registration: Further details and registration are available on the official Dallas ISD website.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Relevant Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

1. SDG 4: Quality Education
   • The article focuses on the Dallas ISD STEM Expo, an educational event designed to provide students with hands-on learning experiences. Its goal to “spark curiosity in STEM subjects” and offer “hands-on science activities” directly aligns with ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.
2. SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
   • By “introducing students to potential career pathways” in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the expo contributes to preparing the future workforce. Developing these skills in students is crucial for future economic productivity and innovation, which supports sustained and inclusive economic growth.
3. SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
   • The event’s focus on STEM fields is fundamental to fostering innovation. The expo showcases “aircraft-technology demonstrations” and “engineering-design challenges,” which are key components of industrial and technological advancement. By encouraging students to pursue these fields, it helps build a pipeline of future innovators.
4. SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals
   • The article explicitly states that the event “brings together district departments and campuses, as well as industry and academic partners.” This collaboration is a clear example of a multi-stakeholder partnership to achieve educational and developmental goals, which is the core principle of SDG 17.

2. Specific SDG Targets Identified

1. Target 4.4: By 2030, substantially increase the number of youth and adults who have relevant skills, including technical and vocational skills, for employment, decent jobs and entrepreneurship.
   • The expo directly addresses this target by providing “real-world opportunities in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics” and introducing students to “potential career pathways,” thereby equipping them with exposure and interest in skills relevant for future employment.
2. Target 8.6: By 2020, substantially reduce the proportion of youth not in employment, education or training.
   • Although the target year has passed, the expo’s mission aligns with its spirit. By engaging students in educational activities and showing them clear career paths, the event serves as a proactive measure to keep youth engaged in education and training, guiding them toward future employment.
3. Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors… including… encouraging innovation and substantially increasing the number of research and development workers.
   • The STEM Expo acts as a foundational step towards this target. By sparking “curiosity in STEM subjects” among students, it helps cultivate the next generation of scientists, engineers, and researchers needed to drive innovation and enhance technological capabilities.
4. Target 17.17: Encourage and promote effective public, public-private and civil society partnerships.
   • The event is a model of this target in action. The collaboration between Dallas ISD (a public entity), “industry and academic partners” (private and civil society entities) to host the expo demonstrates a successful partnership for achieving a common educational goal.

3. Indicators for Measuring Progress

1. Number of Participants
   • The article implies this as a key metric for success by noting the event’s growth “from about 500 participants” in 2014 to becoming the “largest STEM Expo in Texas.” This number serves as a direct indicator of the reach and impact of the educational initiative, reflecting progress towards increasing the number of youth exposed to STEM skills (Target 4.4).
2. Number and Diversity of Partners
   • The article mentions the involvement of “district departments and campuses, as well as industry and academic partners.” The quantity and range of these partners can be used as a qualitative indicator to measure the strength and effectiveness of the partnership (Target 17.17) and the quality of the real-world opportunities being offered to students.

Summary Table: SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: thehub.dallasisd.org