The Center for Learning, Education and Research in the Sciences

Oberlin's STEM Community

CLEAR plays a vital role in building an inclusive STEM community at Oberlin by supporting student leadership and co-curricular initiatives like BRANCHES, by providing microgrants for student-led events, and by welcoming the community into our dedicated space, K100, for events, workshops, and programming.  CLEAR’s programs, projects, and initiatives ensure that students in STEM feel supported both academically and socially.

Students carving pumpkins outside

BRANCHES Pumpkin Carving Event from 2023

CLEAR Builds Community in STEM at Oberlin

CLEAR seeks to build community and foster a sense of belonging beyond the classroom. To that end,  CLEAR has recently hosted community events and launched several important initiatives including:

  1. Microgrants for Student-Initiated Events: CLEAR empowers students by providing microgrants for student-initiated STEM-related events. These microgrants encourage students to collaborate, build connections across disciplines, and create opportunities for community engagement that align with their interests and needs.
  2. K100 Space: CLEAR offers K100, a dynamic physical space on campus, as a hub for STEM collaboration. K100 is more than just a study area—it’s a welcoming environment where students can come together to brainstorm, work on projects, or connect informally. The space is often used for workshops, study groups, and community-building events, making it a central point for fostering peer support in STEM.
  3. CLEAR Newlsetter: CLEAR relaunched a new and revitalized newsletter to help keep the STEM community informed about events, opportunities, and resources. For the first time, CLEAR introduced a WIKI to share important resources and information internally with the CLEAR STEM community.