April 10, 2014

Welcome!

Here's this week's edition of the STEM Ed Update.

Don't forget to register for the U.S. News STEM Solutions National Leadership Conference, being held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C from April 23-25. Make sure to use the Coalition's discount code: SEC14.

Top Article:

This Is Not Your Father's STEM Job

The Atlantic

Much has been written about the need to encourage women to embark on careers in STEM-science, technology, engineering, and math-and fill the demand for future STEM employment. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand recently pointed out that "only 26 percent of STEM workers in the United States are women" despite the fact that they comprise nearly half of the U.S. workforce. Michelle Obama has proclaimed, "If we're going to out-innovate and out-educate the rest of the world, we've got to open doors for everyone. We need all hands on deck, and that means clearing hurdles for women and girls as they navigate careers in science, technology, engineering, and math."

Read more here.

Stay in the Know:

Latest STEM Education Policy News Across the U.S.

Focus on STEM Fields a Revival for Shop Class

The Seattle Times

If an eighth-grader in the Seattle school district played her cards right, she could line up free college credits, paid internships and industry certifications while still in high school - a strategy that could lead straight to a job in the trades or manufacturing.

Read more here.

Obama Wants Students Trained for 'In-Demand' Jobs

US News & World Report

The Obama administration on Monday announced two new initiatives aimed at better training students for "in-demand jobs of the future" at both the high school and college levels.

President Barack Obama announced 24 awards totaling more than $100 million to schools and partner institutions throughout the country to redesign high schools and prepare students for either college or registered apprenticeships.

Read more here.

Bringing Low-Income Students into STEM Education

Forbes

First, because America urgently needs to create the next generation of STEM leaders from the full array of talented students nationwide. The United States owes much of its global leadership to our ability to educate extraordinary scientists, engineers, and innovators. To cite just one example, Wanda Austin - CEO of the Aerospace Corporation, which is responsible for the Pentagon's satellites and space programs - is a Bronx-born F&M math major, and the first in her family to go to college.

Read more here.

Researchers Identify Key Traits of Effective, 'Inclusive' STEM Schools

Education Week

The recent proliferation of open-enrollment STEM high schools has been a "bolt of lightning" to the field of K-12 science, technology, engineering and math education, researchers say, but more study is needed on what makes such schools effective.

Read more here.

#SportsInSTEM Series: Applying Sports to Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Issues

Sport Techie

In recent years, the United States has fallen behind other nations with educating students in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. Only 16 percent of U.S. high school students are proficient in math and actively pursuing STEM careers. In a world run by technology, where the majority of jobs in the near future will require advanced education in technical fields, these trends are troubling and must be reversed...As we consistently examine the intersection of sports and technology, we are excited to broaden our focus to try and help with this issue.