National news round-up: White House Summit, NSF panel, Army program RFP
The last few weeks have been a whirlwind of events on the national STEM scene. Here’s a rundown of three items STEM members should be aware of.
White House State-Federal STEM Education Summit
In June, we shared that STEMx members would be well-represented at a new summit on STEM, hosted by the White House. The meeting was held to lay the groundwork for an updated Federal 5-Year STEM Education Strategic Plan as required by the America COMPETES Act of 2010. Reflections from the meeting are in.
Here’s what STEMx Director Wes Hall had to say:
The Federal-State STEM Summit provided ample opportunities for state leaders to contribute perspectives and direction on priorities where the next federal-level STEM strategic plan should focus. I was excited and pleased to see so many STEMx leaders at the table providing candid feedback on what’s working in their respective states and illuminating the barriers that we must overcome to expand STEM learning opportunities for more students. The summit was constructed around a spirit of federal and state partnership and I believe including state voices in the process will lead to a plan that will benefit the work of all STEMx members.
Reflections from members:
Empire State STEM Learning Network – Joseph P. Dragone, Ph.D., Leadership Committee of the network and Senior Executive Officer of Capital Region BOCES:
The White House STEM summit was a great opportunity to participate in a discussion that focused on bringing together some of the best thinking in STEM education from across the country and for state leaders to share where there opportunities are for federal support. A shared voice from state and national perspectives will continue to help underscore the importance of STEM education at all levels in terms of lifelong opportunities for students and supporting statewide workforce and economic development initiatives
SC Coalition for Mathematics & Science – Tom Peters, Executive Director:
In South Carolina we have long recognized that human development through STEM learning and economic development through a STEM-capable workforce go hand in hand. As such, the aspirations identified by Office of Science and Technology Policy reaffirmed for our team that while we have made great progress, there is opportunity to improve in diversity, partnerships, breaking down learning barriers, and more. Building a more robust STEM ecosystem will be critical to meeting these aspirations at the state level.
Key takeaways according to the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy
Read the complete summary here: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/Summary-of-the-2018-White-House-State-Federal-STEM-Education-Summit.pdf
- Forging stronger connections for students between education and work. Work-based learning for students in STEM K-20 Education, including apprenticeships, internships, cooperative education, and mentorships, is possible through the external partnerships that support school and workplace collaboration. These partnerships may involve the certification and credentialing of programs at the K-20 levels and beyond. Attendees discussed ways to unite stakeholders across communities and regions to promote STEM careers supporting economic development in the Skilled Technical Workforce sphere and beyond.
- Focusing on innovation and entrepreneurship. Preparing today’s learners for the jobs of the future and empowering America’s workforce is an imperative at the forefront of the Trump Administration’s agenda. Attendees discussed strategies and methods to engage all Americans in cutting-edge programs that focus on innovative ways to encourage entrepreneurship for future generations.
- Integrating Computer Science principals across the educational experience. On September 25, 2017, President Donald J. Trump signed a Presidential Memorandum directing Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos to allocate at least $200 million to STEM Education and Computer Science programs. Attendees discussed how to integrate Computer Science education into classrooms across the Nation to better prepare today’s learners for the jobs of tomorrow.
- Improving access of STEM programs for all Americans. STEM Education is inclusive. By working to improve access to STEM programs for underrepresented and underserved groups, America can close the labor gap that persists between good jobs and qualified workers. We must ensure that all of today’s learners, from curious Kindergartners to re-skilling retirees, have access to high-quality STEM and Computer Science courses. Attendees discussed opportunities to harness the talent and full potential of students, educators, and advocates by prioritizing high-quality educational programs and relevant postsecondary education to achieve goals and turn dreams into realities.
Kennedy appointed to key post
The America Competes Act links to our second announcement for this week. On Wednesday, the National Science Foundation announced the 18 members of a new panel on STEM.
The STEM Education Advisory Panel will advise a group of federal organizations called the Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education (CoSTEM) on matters related to STEM education.
Aimee Kennedy, Battelle’s Senior Vice President of Philanthropy and Education, will bring her experience as a leader and educator to the group. You can read more about her involvement here and the complete list of members is posted here.
Webinar offered Wednesday on key Army STEM program
The deadline approaches for applications from experienced organizations to lead one of the nation’s premier STEM research competitions. Through the Junior Science and Humanities Symposium, thousands of high school students across the nation present their research projects and compete for scholarship prizes. The regional winners are then invited to a national symposium, to compete for even more scholarships and meet leading researchers from labs across the nation.
Battelle and the Tri-Service partnership of Army, Navy and Air Force seek a managing organization for the program.
Wednesday, Battelle staff will join Louie Lopez, Chief of Education/STEM Outreach for U.S. Army Research, Development Engineering Command RDECOM and Cooperative Agreement Manager for the Army’s Educational Outreach Program to answer any follow up questions to assist applicants in finalizing proposals.
JSHS Technical Assistance Q&A Webinar
Wednesday, July 18, 2018 | 1:00 pm | Eastern Daylight Time (New York, GMT-04:00) | 2 hrs
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