Regional STEM Leaders to drive Industry Collaboration
The new advisory board for Overt stem Summit and Awards 2026 met for the first time recently to discuss its collective vision for the future of STEM in the South Midlands and Oxford-Cambridge corridor.
Focusing on the key challenges within STEM, including a shortage of skills and the gap between education and industry, the group, which includes a university learning and development leader, civil engineer, technology headhunter, and the national lead at STEM Learning UK, set the scene for an event that will showcase industry opportunities, support and funding, collaboration to help bridge the gap and a celebration of innovation, leadership and impact.
Held on Tuesday 3 March, 2026 at MK Conferencing, the Overt stem Summit and Awards will target regional STEM businesses, local authorities, not-for-profit industry organisations, and education institutions.
Meet the Overt stem Advisory Board:
- Meena Chander - Founder of MK STEM Awards and Overt Stem Summit and Awards
- Brenda Jefcoate - STEM and Aviation Skills Consultant at Civil Aviation Authority
- Jacqueline Gavin - Director of 5 Senses of Inclusion
- Ajay Sharman - National Lead at STEM Learning UK
- Emma Kent - Managing Director of Testing Engineering Consultancy, Initivo
- Paul Minns - Director at Lucid Connect
- Jagdish Chander - CEO of Intellectual Collaboration (Global Transformation & Supply Chain)
- Storm Rae - Learning and Development Leader at Cranfield University
- Laura Giddings - Founder of The STEM Project and Operations Hub Lead at South Midlands Careers Hub
- Eman Martin-Vignerte - Director at Bosch
- Tony Lake - Founder of Production Live
- Anne Walsh - Comms Lead at Stratos
Commenting on his role on the board, Ajay Sharman says: “I’m delighted to be invited onto this STEM advisory board to support employers and industry, driving an increase in future talent from education through a targeted STEM Summit, future Expo and recognising change makers and STEM Ambassadors and role models.
“It was great to meet the influential, pragmatic and inspirational board, to help involve STEM employers to share practice and drive positive change.”
Overt stem is now calling for expressions of interest and abstract submissions for presentations and workshops at the summit on March 3, 2026. Core themes, which abstracts should be focused on include; Regional collaboration, Bridging the gap between education and industry, STEM support and funding, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the future workforce and Social Mobility.
Email [email protected] to get involved.
Follow Overt stem on LinkedIn for all of the latest information and updates.