Greetings from ISTC/I Leadership

Created over 30 years ago in partnership with the State of Illinois, the Coalition began as a technology advisor and economic development champion for the state. From those simple beginnings, we have grown and transformed into the Illinois Science & Technology Coalition (ISTC), a member-driven nonprofit organization that serves as a shared voice for the state’s R&D community, as well as established, the Illinois Science & technology Institute, our 501c3 with a focus on STEM education. To measure, connect, and advocate for the state’s innovation stakeholders is the ISTC mission. Our focus is to advance the state’s economic growth and support the broader innovation ecosystem by promoting, and benchmarking, the key areas of talent, research, and entrepreneurship. 

We look at the innovation landscape as a whole and work to connect and align the public and private members of the technology community. Our goal is to strengthen the economy and talent pipeline in Illinois. We work closely with the state’s research universities, federal labs, leading companies, high schools, emerging startups and a network of civic/non-profit organizations to identify and address talent gaps in our ecosystem. 

We would like to recognize and thank our supportive members and funders, who represent the fabric of the state’s innovation landscape and who share our passion and mission. 

Through the Institute, we continue to support schools and companies who want to impact the next generation of innovators, to build a stronger, more inclusive talent pipeline. The ISTI’s primary programs—STEM Challenges and Mentor Matching Engine (MME)—have grown and now include two student showcases to highlight solutions that have sprung from the collaboration between the students and their STEM professional mentors. In 2019, we reached a record number of students across more than 40 Illinois high schools, engaged more than 500 mentors, and partnered with 17 companies. Both programs have expanded the students’ line of sight to the diversity of STEM careers in the state.

Finally, we thank our wonderful board of directors for their leadership and guidance. Please take a moment to learn more about our work throughout 2019 in the pillars of data, education, and advocacy. This is what impact looks like, and we look forward to building and growing those efforts in 2020.

  • Roxy Atienza
  • Interim President 
  • ISTC & Institute
  • Geoff Curtis
  • Board Chair
  • Executive Vice President, Corporate Affairs & Chief Communications Officer, Horizon Pharma plc

Students