⊕ Multi-year • Cohort-based • Career-ready
Advanced Saturday STEMM learning—built for persistence, readiness, and real-world impact.
Sept-Apr
One Saturday per month
3 Years
Sequence-based progression
6 hours
Monthly instructional block
Up to 9
Undergraduate credit hours
STEMM Scholars Academy Plus (STEMM Plus) deepens student mastery across high-impact domains—Mathematics, Public Health, AI & Communications, Biochemistry, and Anatomy—while connecting scholars to renowned faculty and college-aligned learning.
Start with STEM—and go anywhere.
Core Faculty
Stephen A. Martin, Jr., Ph.D., M.P.H.
Executive Director, CPASS Foundation • Adjunct Assistant Professor of Epidemiology, UIC School of Public Health
Program lead and instructor; focuses on epidemiology foundations, public health systems, and applied learning that builds confidence and purpose.
*Epidemiology *Public Health Systems
*Healthcare *Instructional Lead
Jason J. Keleher, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry, Lewis University
Co-program lead and instructor; focuses on nanomaterials, polymeric and biomimetic materials, and advanced surface and electrochemical processes with applications in sensing, remediation, and semiconductor manufacturing.
*Nanotechnology *Organic Chemistry
*CMP *Instructional Lead
*Biomaterials
Coretta C. Patterson, DVM, DACVIM-SA, PG Cert Vet Med Ed
Dean, proposed Chicago College of Veterinary Medicine, Midwestern University • Board Member, CPASS Foundation
Program advisor and instructor; focus centers on veterinary education, student mentorship, and advancing innovative, One Health–oriented training to prepare the next generation of veterinarians.
*Veterinary Internal Medicine *Small Animals
*Instructional Lead
William A. McDade, M.D., Ph.D.
Adjunct Faculty, Rush University College of Medicine • Board Member, CPASS Foundation
Program advisor; focus centers on advancing health equity and strengthening the physician workforce through medical education reform, systems-level accountability, and the intentional development of inclusive leadership within academic medicine.
*Anesthesiology *Sickle Cell Disease
*Healthcare *Medical Education
Adam Schultze, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Lewis University
Program instructor; focus centers on algebraic combinatorics—particularly combinatorial models of Lie algebra representations—along with undergraduate research mentorship and applied mathematical modeling, including predictive analytics.
*Mathematics *Instructional Lead
Holly Snyder, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor of Biology, Lewis University
Program instructor; focus centers on undergraduate biology instruction, laboratory education, and fostering engaging, student-centered learning environments, with expertise rooted in bacterial signal transduction and antimicrobial resistance.
*Biology *Anatomy
*Microbiology *Instructional Lead
Maurice E. Dawson, Jr., MS, MBA, Ph.D., D.CS, SMIEEE
Associate Professor, Department of Information Technology and Management, College of Computing, IIT • Director, Center for Cyber Security and Forensics Education
Program advisor; focus centers on advanced cybersecurity principles, software assurance, cyber operations, and emerging technologies such as the Internet of Things, with an emphasis on workforce development and cyber defense strategy.
*Cyber Security *Forensics Education
*Information Systems *Instructional Lead
Katey Sheets, M.S.
Graduate Researcher & Teaching Assistant, Department of Chemistry, Lewis University
Program instructor; focus centers on materials chemistry research, including slurry formulations for semiconductor polishing and hydrogel development for wound healing, alongside laboratory instruction and community science outreach.
*Chemistry *Biochemistry
*Instructional Lead
Samson Quaye, M.S.
Graduate Teaching Assistant, College of Computing, IIT
Program instructor; focus centers on security and privacy through robust machine learning and deep learning, integrating cryptographic techniques to build privacy-preserving systems.
*Mathematical Engineering *Computing
*Phython *Neural Networks *LLM
*Applied Mathematics *Instructional Lead
Kshitij Tapre, M.S.
Graduate Student, College of Computing, IIT
Volunteer program instructor; focus centers on threat intelligence, AI-driven security, and the practical application of Secure SDLC methodologies.
*Computer Engineering *Applied Cybersecurity
*Digital Forensics *LLM
*Instructional Lead
Guest Lecturers
Kelechi Ibe-Lamberts, Ph.D., MCHES
Clinical Associate Professor, Community Health Sciences, UIC School of Public Health
Guest Lecturer; focus centers on health behaviors, health disparities, and population health outcomes, with particular emphasis on refugee and immigrant health and the transnational experiences of Black immigrant communities.
*Community Health Sciences *Public Health
*Health Disparities *Population Health
Charlesnika Tyon Evans, Ph.D., M.P.H.
Professor, Preventive Medicine (Epidemiology), Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
Guest Lecturer; focus centers on epidemiologic methods, infectious diseases, and health outcomes research, with particular emphasis on preventing healthcare-associated infections, antimicrobial resistance, and improving quality of care for complex patient populations.
*Epidemiology *Public Health
*Antimicrobial Resistance *Population Health
Kristina A. Hamilton, M.P.H.
Adjunct Lecturer, Health Policy and Administration, UIC School of Public Health • Director of Advocacy for Illinois and Iowa, American Lung Association
Guest Lecturer; focus centers on on advancing evidence-based policies to improve lung health, healthcare access, air quality, and tobacco control while educating future public health practitioners.
*Health Policy *Public Health
*Health Administration
Allecia Harley, M.P.H.
Nonprofit Strategist • Founder of The Strategy Studio
Guest Lecturer; focus centers on organizational capacity building, health equity, and leadership development, helping nonprofit and civic organizations design strategies that strengthen community outcomes.
*Epidemiology *Public Health
*Social Epidemiology *Population Health
Request Information
Interested in STEMM Plus?
Send a note and we’ll follow up.
Faculty volunteers: If you’re interested in serving as a guest lecturer, please include your domain (e.g., Public Health, Environmental & Global Health, Health Policy, AI & Communications, Biochem, Anatomy).