BACKGROUND Transforming the culture of STEM higher education to be more inclusive and help more students reach STEM careers is challenging. Herein, we describe a new model for STEM higher education transformation, the Sustainable, Transformative Engagement across a Multi-Institution/Multidisciplinary STEM, (STEM)2, "STEM-squared", Network. The Network embraces a pathways model, as opposed to a pipeline model, to STEM career entry. It is founded upon three strong theoretical frameworks: Communities of Transformation, systems design for organizational change, and emergent outcomes for the diffusion of innovations in STEM education. Currently composed of five institutions-three private 4-year universities and two public community colleges-the Network capitalizes on the close geographic proximity and shared student demographics to effect change across the classroom, disciplinary, institutional, and inter-institutional levels. RESULTS The (STEM)2 Network has increased the extent to which participants feel empowered to be change agents for STEM higher education reform and has increased collaboration across disciplines and institutions. Participants were motivated to join the Network to improve STEM education, to improve the transfer student experience, to collaborate with colleagues across disciplines and institutions, and because they respected the leadership team. Participants continue to engage in the Network because of the collaborations created, opportunities for professional growth, opportunities to improve STEM education, and a sense that the Network is functioning as intended. CONCLUSION The goal to increase the number and diversity of people entering STEM careers is predicated on transforming the STEM higher education system to embrace a pathways model to a STEM career. The (STEM)2 Network is achieving this by empowering faculty to transform the system from the inside. While the systemic transformation of STEM higher education is challenging, the (STEM)2 Network directly addresses those challenges by bridging disciplinary and institutional silos and leveraging the reward structure of the current system to support faculty as they work to transform this very system. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40594-020-00262-z.

中文翻译：

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(STEM)2 网络：转变本科 STEM 教育的多机构、多学科方法。

背景 将 STEM 高等教育文化转变为更具包容性并帮助更多学生实现 STEM 职业生涯具有挑战性。在此，我们描述了 STEM 高等教育转型的新模式，即跨多机构/多学科 STEM 的可持续、变革性参与，(STEM)2，“STEM-squared”，网络。该网络采用路径模型，而不是管道模型，以进入 STEM 职业。它建立在三个强大的理论框架之上：转型社区、组织变革的系统设计以及 STEM 教育创新传播的新兴成果。该网络目前由五所机构（三所私立 4 年制大学和两所公立社区学院）组成，利用紧密的地理邻近性和共享学生人口统计数据来影响课堂、学科、机构和机构间层面的变化。结果 (STEM)2 网络增加了参与者认为自己有权成为 STEM 高等教育改革的变革推动者的程度，并加强了跨学科和机构的合作。参与者被激励加入网络以改善 STEM 教育，改善转学生的体验，与跨学科和机构的同事合作，并且因为他们尊重领导团队。由于创建的合作，参与者继续参与网络，专业成长的机会，改善 STEM 教育的机会，以及网络按预期运行的感觉。结论 增加进入 STEM 职业的人数和多样性的目标是基于转变 STEM 高等教育系统以采用通往 STEM 职业的途径模型。(STEM)2 网络通过授权教师从内部改造系统来实现这一目标。虽然 STEM 高等教育的系统性转型具有挑战性，但 (STEM)2 网络通过弥合学科和制度孤岛并利用当前系统的奖励结构来支持教师努力改造这一系统，从而直接应对这些挑战。补充信息 在线版本包含可在 10.1186/s40594-020-00262-z 获得的补充材料。