STEM Ed Update 1/22/2018

Please enjoy this week's STEM Ed update.

Top Story:

Latest Report on State of U.S. Science Enterprise Shows America Leads as China Rapidly Advances Global Position in S&T

National Science Foundation

According to the National Science Foundation's Science and Engineering Indicators 2018 report released today, the United States is the global leader in science and technology (S&T). However, the U.S. global share of S&T activities is declining as other nations - especially China - continue to rise.The National Science Board (NSB) is the governing body of the National Science Foundation and publishes the congressionally mandated report on the state of science and engineering (S&E) every two years. The 2018 report shows the U.S. invests the most in research and development (R&D), attracts the most venture capital, awards the most advanced degrees, provides the most business, financial, and information services, and is the largest producer in high-technology manufacturing sectors. The complete report, which covers data on the domestic and global science and engineering landscape, is available here. Continue reading here.

Stay in the Know:

Latest STEM Education News

New Survey Reveals Crisis of Confidence in Workforce Readiness Among College Students

Cision

Gallup and Strada Education NetworkSM today released findings from the 2017 College Student Survey, a new nationally-representative survey of current students examining their perceptions about preparation for the workforce and the career-related support they receive from their institutions. Representing the views of more than 32,000 students at 43 randomly-selected four-year institutions, the survey reveals a crisis of confidence among most students regarding their readiness to launch careers: Read more here.

Behavioral Nudging Model Increases Persistence in STEM Majors at Community Colleges

Cision

Through a joint initiative by Jobs for the Future (JFF) and Persistence Plus, approximately 10,000 students at four leading community colleges in the United States are receiving personalized text message "nudges" that keep them on the path toward college completion and STEM success. A randomized trial this past summer with nearly 2,000 students showed that STEM students who received the nudges returned for the 2017 fall semester at a rate 10 percentage points higher than a control group of students who did not receive nudges. These are very promising results. Continue reading here.

Op-Ed: STEM Education Needs More Shop Floors

U.S. News

When John Walsh started his first year at Northern Michigan University, he had his heart set on graduating with the perfect set of skills to become a mechanical engineer.

But as he investigated the many fields associated with that career choice, Walsh, now 23, was struck by the demand for workers in another industry. "Once I got to school I saw the need for new jobs in manufacturing," he says. "There's a real shortage right now, with all the baby boomers retiring and all that." Continue reading here.

STEM in the States:

California Gov. Brown Proposes $4 Billion Boost for Schools and More Local Control
Education Week

California's Gov. Jerry Brown, a Democrat, said last week he wants to add $4 billion to the state's school funding formula, empower local officials to make better decisions to improve schools, and curtail a teacher shortage that's hampered schools throughout the state.

The ambitious education agenda, detailed in his state-of-the-state speech and in a subsequent press conference, could help set the education agenda for statewide elections: Brown and state chief Tom Torlakson are not running for reelection because they have reached their term limits. Continue reading here.

Around the Community:

Rebuilding Science Education in Puerto Rico

Scientific American

This past September, back-to-back hurricanes devastated Puerto Rico. The archipelago had already been struggling with a decade-long economic recession, fragile infrastructure and floundering institutions. Irma and Maria plunged Puerto Rico into an even deeper crisis. But could these natural disasters create once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for change? Read more here.

Check out the STEM Magazine January Issue!

STEM Magazine

This special "football" edition for Superbowl Sunday features a cover story on the STEM of Football. Additional features are on exciting topics such as Academic Silos and Curiosity Cubes. Read this issue here.

Join the Coalition!

We at the STEM Education Coalition hope you have enjoyed this week's edition of the STEM Ed Newsletter.

Any organization may join the Coalition, and there is no cost to become an Affiliate Member. Affiliate members are listed on our website, receive periodic communications on policy matters, and will be signed up for the weekly newsletter.

Your organization can also apply to join the Coalition's Leadership Council, where they play an active role in setting the public policy agenda for the Coalition and are invited to participate in frequent interactions with policymakers.

If you would like to join the Coalition at any level, please read our message to prospective members or email us at info@stemedcoalition.org.

We appreciate your continued support and involvement.

Our Coalition's Co-Chairs

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