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LANL Foundation  /  Policy & Impact  /  Research & Advocacy 

Research & Advocacy 

As part of advancing our mission, the LANL Foundation seeks to expand and enhance our approach to advocacy. We strive to be non-partisan, strategic and accountable in our advocacy and to align any advocacy work directly with our mission, vision and strategic plan. Our goal is to be a resource for non-biased information and data, quantitative and qualitative, as it relates to New Mexico communities. To fulfill this aspiration, we have started to engage in more research that draws data from local and national experts, as well as directly from the communities we serve. We ensure that the community’s perspectives and experiences inform our work and the community benefits from our efforts through sharing local information and voices as well as best practices.

A STEM Innovation Network for New Mexico: Partner Convening Report

On November 7th, 2024, Kersti Tyson, PhD, LANL Foundation and Monica Martinez Archuleta, PhD, Triad/
LANL, co-chairs for the Northern NM STEAM Coalition and the STEM Innovation Action Team (a collective of
STEM education advocates in New Mexico), in partnership with the Encantado Foundation, hosted a statewide
day-long convening of stakeholders to discuss the creation of a STEM Innovation Network for New Mexico
(STEM IN NM). Representatives from multiple sectors of the community were present in person and virtually
including educators from K-12 schools, out-of-school time organizations, and higher education institutions;
state government representatives; business and industry representatives; nonprofit leaders; Tribal community
representatives; and community advocates. Zach Taylor from the Center for Transforming Education facilitated
the convening with the support of the STEM Innovation Action Team. Heather Summers from Project ECHO
expertly facilitated the virtual space, ensuring those participating on Zoom were fully included throughout the
day.
The STEM IN NM Convening was divided into two parts. Despite a sudden snow storm in the region, over 100
people attended the morning session in person and virtually to learn about past and current efforts to create a
STEM Innovation Network in New Mexico, to hear panels of experts speak about the need for STEM education
innovation in NM from employers and workforce development perspectives, and to learn from leaders of STEM
Innovation Networks in other states. In the afternoon, a smaller group of about 50 participants engaged in
discussions to envision the work they would like to see a STEM Innovation Network accomplish in NM.

Learn MoreA STEM Innovation Network for New Mexico: Partner Convening Report
Image of grandmother reading to young child.

Resilient Families: Helping Grandparents and Kin Raise Children in New Mexico

“Resilient Families: Helping Grandparents and Kin Raise Children in New Mexico” details the growth and specific needs of kinship families in the state and making recommendations for how these families can be better supported.

Grandparents and kin play an increasingly important role in raising children in New Mexico. From 2017 to 2023, the number of children in kinship care (where grandparents or kin raise children) rose from 30,000 to 36,000, an increase of 20 percent. This is likely an undercount, however, since many families rely on informal arrangements. By some census estimates, as many as 55 children are being informally raised by kin for every one child being raised by kin through the state’s foster care program.

Learn MoreResilient Families: Helping Grandparents and Kin Raise Children in New Mexico
An Employer's Guide to Creating an Internship Program

The Employer’s Guide to Successful Internships

Internship programs give New Mexican employers a way to find, develop, and retain local talent. Young people in our state have deep connections to culture, family, and community. Participating in internships enables young people to envision themselves as professionals, to find work opportunities without leaving the state, to understand what is needed to succeed in the workplace, to make informed educational choices, and to find lasting purpose in both their community and their career. By investing in young New Mexicans today, employers can build their stable workforce of tomorrow.

Learn MoreThe Employer’s Guide to Successful Internships
The LANL Foundation's Research Report on the status of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) in Northern New Mexico schools.

Integrating Social Emotional Learning in Northern New Mexico’s Schools

SEL nurtures our social, emotional, and cognitive development from birth to adulthood. This report is the result of extensive surveys and focus groups with hundreds of teachers and school leaders about their understanding and approach to SEL in their classrooms and schools. Our findings reveal strengths and weaknesses in how SEL is approached in our region.

Learn MoreIntegrating Social Emotional Learning in Northern New Mexico’s Schools