IITA Forest Center advances global STEM dialogue at the NESST–Smithsonian Convening

IITA–CGIAR is proud to announce the in-person participation of Dr Adewale Awoyemi in the NESST-Smithsonian convening hosted by the Smithsonian Science Education Center (SSEC) in Washington, DC. Dr Awoyemi is the IITA Forest Center Manager, Conservation Biologist, and NESST Scientist Ambassador at the 2025 Network for Emergent Socio-Scientific Thinking (NESST).

The convening was the first since the founding of NESST in 2021, and it was held between 15 and 20 November. More than 100 members of the global NESST network—scientists, teachers, youth, community leaders, and STEM professionals—gathered physically to reimagine education for a sustainable planet.

NESST, with support from the Gordon & Betty Moore Foundation, is a global impact network united by a shared mission: transforming STEM education for a future shaped by the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Its work is anchored on four pillars—scholarship and research, professional community building, youth engagement, and network growth.

Read more