Students from more than 30 schools competing in Governor’s STEM Challenge
The STEM Innovation Network, in collaboration with the LANL Foundation, is proud to announce the Seventh annual New Mexico Governor’s STEM Challenge, a statewide STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) competition that empowers high school students to work in teams to design innovative, STEM-based solutions to real-world challenges facing New Mexico.
The event will be held Feb. 7 in the Sub Ballroom at New Mexico Highlands University in Las Vegas, New Mexico, with students from more than 30 schools participating.
“This is a great opportunity for New Mexico Highlands to highlight its commitment to STEM education, training and research,” Highlands Provost Dr. Dann Brown said. “We’re thrilled to be able to host this special event and to see all of these great young minds in action.”
The 2026 challenge question asks student teams from across New Mexico to lead the state’s response to climate and disaster:
“As natural disasters continue to affect New Mexico (e.g., wildfires, floods, drought, heat waves, dust/windstorms, etc.), how can innovations in STEM help your community predict disaster, mitigate harm, respond effectively, and/or recover long term?”
The Governor’s STEM Challenge is about more than competition; it’s about equity, access and giving young people the tools to solve the problems that affect their own communities. By engaging students, teachers, industry, and higher education, we are collectively building pathways into high-demand STEM careers while strengthening New Mexico’s ability to respond to real-world challenges. This year’s participants include 300 students representing 33 schools from across the state. These students come from every corner of New Mexico, from large urban high schools to small rural, tribal, and frontier communities, demonstrating the statewide reach of STEM innovation. Teams are supported by 57 teacher mentors and 23 Industry Partners, and will gather in Las Vegas for the competition.
Participating Schools
- Alamogordo High School
- Albuquerque School of Excellence
- Alta Vista Early College High School
- Axiom Christian Classical School
- Bernalillo High School
- Cloudcroft High School
- Deming High School
- East Mountain High School
- Española Valley High School
- Mandela International Magnet School
- Mayfield High School
- Mescalero Apache School
- Middle College High School (MCHS)
- New Mexico Connections Academy
- New Mexico Military Institute
- Northpoint Charter School
- Ramah Middle/High School
- Robertson High School
- Sandia High School
- Santa Rosa High School
- Santa Teresa High School
- Siembra Leadership High School
- South Valley Academy
- Taos Academy State Charter School
- Taos Integrated School of the Arts Charter School
- Technology Leadership High School
- The ASK Academy
- The MASTERS Program Early College Charter School
- Tucumcari High School
- Tohatchi High School
- UWC–USA
- Volcano Vista High School
- Zuni High School
Student teams will present prototypes and solutions that address disaster prediction, mitigation, emergency response, and long-term recovery. Projects will be evaluated by 80 judges, all representing industry partners, providing students with authentic feedback from professionals actively working in STEM fields.
Participating Industry Partners
The challenge is supported by 23 industry partners, including:
- Anchorum
- Arcadis
- Boeing
- Century Bank
- Chevron
- Deloitte
- El Paso Electric
- Exxon Mobil
- Freeport-McMoRan
- Intel
- Los Alamos National Laboratory/Triad National Security, LLC
- Meta
- N3B
- New Mexico Oil and Gas Association
- New Mexico Tech
- National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO)
- Pattern Energy
- Sandia National Laboratories
- Stantec
- Tyler Technologies
- Virgin Galactic
- University of New Mexico (UNM)Wildflower International
- William Sale Partnership (WSP)
The New Mexico Governor’s STEM Challenge continues to serve as a cornerstone for experiential learning, workforce development, and community-centered problem solving. By engaging students in challenges rooted in New Mexico’s unique environmental landscape, the program strengthens pathways from education to high-demand STEM careers.
For more information about the New Mexico Governor’s STEM Challenge, the STEM Innovation Network, or the LANL Foundation, please visit https://newmexicostem.org/, https://steminnm.org/, and https://lanlfoundation.org/