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Developing the innovation economy envisioned by Gov. Phil Murphy will require the state to keep talented students from leaving. But according to research by the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, New Jersey is the worst state for out-migration in the country.

“When you talk to industry thought leaders in the state of New Jersey, one of their pain points is the fact that there are not enough qualified applicants; that lower down the STEM pipeline this talent has not been cultivated and identified,” said Rebecca Lubot, director of the Governor’s STEM Scholars Program.

The scholars program is a five-year-old public-private partnership between the Research and Development Council of New Jersey, the governor’s office, the New Jersey Department of Education, the office of the Secretary of Higher Education and private industries. The goal is to identify and retain top talent in science/technology/engineering/mathematics, or STEM, among students in tenth grade to doctoral levels, and introduce them to New Jersey’s STEM economy, Lubot explained.

The program’s students showcased their research to 40 legislators in March. The application process for the latest round runs through June.

The STEM Scholars Program requires applicants to earn a grade point average of at least 3.5, to receive letters of recommendation from professional sources and to submit essays in which they describe a project that may be vital to STEM in New Jersey, Lubot said. A major component of the Scholars Program is to perform a research project.

The Governor’s STEM Scholars program focuses on promising STEM scholars who have reached the penultimate part of the career pipeline and introduces them to the vast opportunities in government, academia, and industry with a goal of retaining that talent in New Jersey.

– Rebecca Lubot, director of the Governor’s STEM Scholars Program

Besides the research project, the Governors STEM Scholars must attend four conferences about STEM careers in government, academia and industry. These activities are in addition to other academic work at their respective high schools, colleges, and doctoral programs.

“The Governor’s STEM Scholars program focuses on promising STEM scholars who have reached the penultimate part of the career pipeline and introduces them to the vast opportunities in government, academia, and industry with a goal of retaining that talent in New Jersey,” Lubot said.

“It is important to introduce these scholars to the opportunities available to STEM [students] in New Jersey,” she added. “They are aware of it. They also have these opportunities to network with potential mentors and really get a good understanding of what these companies do and where they might fit so they can see a fuller picture.”

These students take part in intimate “In Conversation With” chats between C-suite level STEM executives, Lubot said. One especially meaningful conversation occurred with Public Service Enterprise Group President and Chief Executive Officer Ralph Izzo.

Industry involvement

The program is cultivating sponsorships for both operational and programmatic support, Lubot said. Her priorities include increasing staff so that the program will have the capacity to recruit the top STEM talent across New Jersey, increasing the visibility of the program, fostering partnerships with community thought leaders and creating more programs for scholars in grades 10 through the doctoral level that allow for additional networking.

One company that works with the STEM Scholars Program is Eatontown-based SubCom, a developer and operator of undersea fiber optic cable networks. “I am thrilled that SubCom gave me the opportunity to participate in the Governor’s STEM speed-networking,” said SubCom senior member of technical staff Stacy Test. “I enjoyed explaining to the students what SubCom does, the many career opportunities available at SubCom, and my personal experiences to assist these students in determining their fields of advanced study and to provide life lessons.”

SubCom became aware of the NJ Governors’s STEM Scholars Program through its involvement in the Edison Patent awards and has provided financial support since 2014, said General Counsel and Chief Compliance Officer MaryAnn Brereton. She volunteers as the community ambassador for the Eatontown headquarters site and is responsible for community outreach and corporate giving.

Brereton was previously associate general counsel at Tyco Electronics before SubCom was sold to Cerberus.

Test and other members of the research and development team at SubCom have participated in the program’s annual speed-networking event. They have also served as judges of final project presentations.

“By partnering with industry in all things STEM, the Governor’s STEM Scholars program fills a crucial need in the STEM career pipeline here in New Jersey,” said Kim Case, executive director of the Research & Development Council of New Jersey. “Every research university in the state has participated. Elected officials are active in the program and enthusiastic. There really isn’t anything similar.”