HAWAII INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON SYSTEM SCIENCES (HICSS 59), Hyatt Regency Maui, Hawaii, January 6-9, 2026
SPECIAL TRACK: IT, Social Justice, and Marginalized Contexts
MINITRACK: Future of STEM Education & Workforce Development: Broadening Participation
OPPORTUNITIES FOR FAST TRACK TO JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS: Selected papers accepted to this Minitrack will be invited to submit an extended version (min. +30%) of their paper for consideration to be published in one of the following journals. Submitted papers will be fast-tracked through the review process.
STEM fields offer numerous exciting and lucrative career opportunities, but unfortunately, these fields are often characterized by a lack of diversity and inclusivity. Educational institutions have encountered challenges in promoting STEM education among underserved populations. More recently, the research funding uncertainty in countries such as the United States has placed some STEM PhD programs at risk. This minitrack will focus on addressing barriers to equity and social justice in STEM education and careers, with a particular emphasis on underserved populations.
At the same time, the 'half-life' of knowledge is getting shorter with the current accelerated rate of technological advancement. STEM education needs to extend and expand beyond college education into supporting lifelong learning among working adults to keep pace with technological advancement and keep ahead of digital disruption.
The minitrack will explore new angles and approaches to promoting equity and social justice in STEM education and workforce development, including but not limited to the following topics:
- Cultivating interest in and fostering access to high-quality STEM education (student and/or workforce motivation, K-12 and lifelong STEM initiatives, innovative programs, etc.)
- Implementing inclusive and innovative curricula and practices in STEM education (culturally responsive pedagogy, high-impact practice, project-based learning, learner empowerment, psychological safety etc.)
- Addressing systemic barriers to underserved populations in STEM education across different demographic groups (barriers, strategies, policy change, community outreach, mentorship programs, etc.)
- Examining STEM career choices and interests and development of students and working adults (internship and apprenticeship programs, career development workshops, STEM career trajectory, digital reskilling and upskilling, industry partnership, professional development programme, etc.)
- Assessing and sustaining effective STEM programs (data and assessment:, accountability, best practices in STEM education, interventions, framework and models, etc.)
- Broadening STEM education in the age of AI (AI literacy, AI skill divide, individual adaptability in an AI-integrated workplace, lifelong learning)
- Adapting STEM PhD Education under research funding uncertainty (shrinking federal funds, institutional strategies to address budget constraints, individual resilience, etc)
June 15, 2025, 11:59 pm (HST): Paper submission deadline
August 17, 2025, 11:59 pm (HST): Notification of acceptance/rejection
September 22, 2025, 11:59 pm (HST): Submission of final manuscript for publication
October 1, 2025, 11:59 pm (HST): Registration deadline (at least one author must register)
Nancy Deng (Primary Contact), California State University, Dominguez Hills, ndeng@csudh.edu
We look forward to your submissions!