From Projects to Partnerships: Growing STEM Advisory Boards via Project-Based Learning and Vibe Coding

Too often, STEM advisory boards struggle with low engagement and unclear purpose. This round table discussion explores how Project-Based Learning combined with Vibe Coding, an approach emphasizing creativity, collaboration, rapid prototyping and real-world application, can grow and sustain a high-impact advisory board of local and regional businesses. Participants will discuss how coding projects such as apps, automation tools, data dashboards and simulations create meaningful entry points for industry partners, who serve as project co-designers, technical mentors, reviewers and evaluators while observing emerging talent in action. The conversation covers recruiting advisory members through project challenges, defining partner roles throughout the PBL cycle, and aligning projects to industry-valued skills like problem-solving and iteration. You will leave with a practical framework, sample structures for integrating partners into the PBL cycle, and strategies for using student artifacts such as code repositories, prototypes, demos and presentations to demonstrate return on investment and turn advisory boards into active collaborators.