The University of Houston, Cougars Athletics and ConocoPhillips are launching a new K-12 educational program that leverages sports to inspire the next generation of STEM — science, technology, engineering and math — students and leaders.
As The Official STEM Partner of UH Athletics, ConocoPhillips has committed to a five-year partnership supporting the UH STEM Center's ConocoPhillips STEM Zone, an interactive program for elementary, middle and high school students across Greater Houston, including Third Ward and underserved communities. The program, which kicks off this fall, is expected to engage thousands of students during the 2024-25 academic year.
"Houston is our hometown, and we are focused on making a difference in our community, particularly in the areas of student enrichment and math education. As the first-ever Official STEM Partner of UH Athletics, ConocoPhillips is excited to work with the University of Houston to help students connect their passion for sports to STEM studies and careers," said Heather Hrap, Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Real Estate and Facilities Services for ConocoPhillips. "Our goal is to strengthen our city's workforce and expand the pipeline of talent into our industry and others."
"This partnership with ConocoPhillips enables the University of Houston to make a lasting impact on students in our community," said Eddie Nuñez, vice president of UH intercollegiate athletics. "It provides us with a unique opportunity to use their enthusiasm for UH Athletics as a gateway to inspire academic curiosity and exploration. Our goal is for the students attending our athletic events to leave with not only a love for the Houston Cougars, but also a passion for shaping their own futures."
ConocoPhillips STEM Zone will offer interactive, hands-on activities on the UH campus throughout the year at weekend and game-day events tied to football, soccer, volleyball, baseball, basketball, golf and track and field. Students will dive into subjects like data science and statistics by analyzing clock management or player performance metrics. Concepts in gravity and geometry will come through explorations of ball launch angles, trajectories and the parabolic arches that define sports like basketball and golf. UH STEM faculty will mentor students near the University and across Houston.
"At the University of Houston, we're committed to transforming how students engage with STEM by linking it to their passions—like sports, robotics, gaming, music or art," said Ramanan Krishnamoorti, UH vice president of energy and innovation. "This opportunity to coordinate STEM learning with the excitement of UH Athletics will help us reach a broader cross-section of students and inspire future leaders to tackle the pressing challenges of tomorrow."
Students who attend all the ConocoPhillips STEM Zone events will be invited to participate in the ConocoPhillips STEM Zone Day at the end of the year, along with special guests from UH Athletics and ConocoPhillips.
About ConocoPhillips
ConocoPhillips is one of the world's leading exploration and production companies based on both production and reserves, with a globally diversified asset portfolio. Headquartered in Houston, Texas, ConocoPhillips had operations and activities in 13 countries, $96 billion of total assets, and approximately 10,200 employees at June 30, 2024. Production averaged 1,923 MBOED for the six months ended June 30, 2024, and proved reserves were 6.8 BBOE as of Dec. 31, 2023.
