“I CAN STEM” NJ Inductees 2026

I CAN STEM

Role Models

New Jersey Inductees

2026 New Jersey Inductees

*New Inductees announced each month!

January

Carlos Miranda

Planetarium Manager at Paterson Public Schools

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Carlos Miranda, Ed.D., is the Planetarium Manager for the P-Tech Planetarium in the Paterson
Public School District, where he leads innovative, equity-centered STEM programming rooted in
student agency and leadership. His work prioritizes empowering students not only as learners
but also as leaders, providing them with opportunities to design, facilitate, and lead outreach initiatives that serve their schools and the broader community.

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February

Miette Brown

K-5 STEM Educator at Dunellen Public School

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Miette Brown is a K–5 STEM educator at John P. Faber Elementary School in Dunellen, NJ, where she leads a vertically aligned STEM curriculum grounded in the Engineering Design Process and the 5E model. She also serves as a Learning Experience Leader, supporting professional learning and inclusive, data-driven instruction across her district.

Her impact extends internationally through her work with MAST STEM Academy in Shenzhen, China, delivering culturally responsive STEM instruction in topics such as biomimicry, astrophysics, and sustainable energy. Passionate about hands-on, real-world learning, Miette empowers students to see themselves as innovators and future leaders.

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March

John Robinson

Founder of Gotta Go Gaming Hub & Sci- Tech Learning Center

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John Robinson is a clinical research scientist with over 27 years of experience in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industries, contributing to global clinical trials in oncology and other complex diseases. He currently supports a Phase III pancreatic cancer trial, focusing on safety, efficacy, and tumor response evaluation.

In addition to his scientific work, John is the founder of the Gotta Go Gaming Hub & Sci-Tech Learning Center in Jersey City, where he provides STEAM education, digital literacy, and technology training to underserved communities. He is passionate about expanding access to STEM and creating pathways into the digital workforce.

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April

Sheila Tabanli, Ph.D

Associate Teaching Professor, Department of Mathematics at Rutgers University

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Dr. Sheila Tabanli is an Associate Teaching Professor of Mathematics at Rutgers University–New Brunswick and a globally recognized leader in STEM education. With over 25 years of experience across K–16 classrooms, her work focuses on expanding access and opportunity by bridging the gap between research and practice through asset-based, evidence-driven approaches.
Grounded in cognitive science and social-emotional learning, she developed an interdisciplinary course that has produced longitudinal evidence of reduced DFW rates in gateway math courses. Recognized by students as a “trendsetter” and “game changer,” this work led to the development of the RR2PG (Reducing the Research-to-Practice Gap) instructional framework and the CONNECT-STEM Community of Practice, a cross-disciplinary faculty network advancing inclusive, evidence-based teaching.
As a Rutgers fellow, she authored a guidebook and developed the 3C Pedagogical Model (Compassionate, Connected, and Community-centered learning through cognitive apprenticeship). A recipient of the Rutgers–New Brunswick Chancellor’s Faculty Excellence in Broadening STEM Access Award and the 2026 NJ STEM Educator of the Year Award, Dr. Tabanli is deeply inspired by her students’ resilience and committed to empowering the next generation of diverse STEM leaders. Her scholarship has been featured in Forbes, Inside Higher Ed, and The Chronicle of Higher Education.

 

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I CAN STEM

New Jersey Inductees

The I CAN STEM New Jersey Inductees are selected through a nomination process which is reviewed by the NJSPN’s ​New Jersey STEM Strategic Advisory Board​. 

By including role models right in our State, students will have the opportunity to meet or hear from them in real life and learn about the various STEM industries that are right here in New Jersey.

Nomination a 2026 I CAN STEM Inductee