Briefing on improving STEM education

Our nation must commit to increasing and improving the quality and diversity of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) workforce if we are to sustain and strengthen America’s ability to compete in the global economy.

On July 18, 2008, I convened a briefing on recent reports, trends, and policy recommendations to address the critical needs of our STEM education community. A brief overview of my bill, the Enhancing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Act was also presented.

You can listen to a complete recording of the briefing or listen to podcasts from the presentation of each speaker.

Speakers:

Dr. Shirley Malcom

Director of Education and Human Resources, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) (bio)

Dr. Malcom spoke about the urgent need to address the needs of a fractionated STEM education system and identified areas requiring the greatest attention, such as including increasing the participation of underrepresented minorities.(podcast)

Dr. Jeffrey J. Kuenzi

Specialist in Education Policy, Congressional Research Service (CRS) (bio)

Dr. Kuenzi highlighted the recommendations and rationale of the American Competiveness Council's recent report evaluating Federal STEM education initiatives.(podcast)

Dr. Craig Robinson

Acting Executive Director, National Science Board (bio)

Dr. Robinson presented the recommendations of the National Science Board's recent "National Action Plan" and an overview of the Board's recommendations to improve STEM teacher quality. (podcast)

Ed Potosnak

Office of Congressman Mike Honda

Mr. Potosnak reviewed key provisions of the Enhancing Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Act of 2008, which would improve STEM education coordination and coherence among federal and state governments. (podcast)

Biographies

Dr. Shirley Malcom

Director of Education and Human Resources, American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Shirley Malcom is Head of the Directorate for Education and Human Resources Programs of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The directorate includes AAAS programs in education, activities for underrepresented groups, and public understanding of science and technology. Dr. Malcom serves on several boards—including the Heinz Endowments and the H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the Environment—and is an honorary trustee of the American Museum of Natural History. In 2006 she was named as co-chair (with Leon Lederman) of the National Science Board Commission on 21st Century Education in STEM. She serves as a Regent of Morgan State University and as a trustee of Caltech. In addition, she has chaired a number of national committees addressing education reform and access to scientific and technical education, careers and literacy.

Dr. Jeffrey J. Kuenzi

Specialist in Education Policy, Congressional Research Service (CRS)

Jeff Kuenzi has conducted education policy research at the Congressional Research Service since the fall of 2001. His areas of specialization include teacher policy, math and science education, and international education. Prior to joining CRS, he conducted research at the U.S. Census Bureau and assisted with the planning and administration of Census 2000. Jeff has held education research positions in the administrative offices of Smith College and the University of Massachusetts-Amherst and has taught undergraduate courses in sociology and statistics. He received a bachelor's degree in sociology and psychology from the University of Oregon and a doctoral degree in sociology from the University of Massachusetts-Amherst.

Dr. Craig Robinson

Acting Executive Director, National Science Board (NSB)

Craig Robinson has been acting Executive Director of the National Science Board since January 2008. At the NSF he been in variety of management and leadership positions and worked on the development and implementation of the first web-based proposal and review system in government and also development of NSF’s Strategic Plan. He taught at Simmons College and Babson College near Boston while working as an astronomer at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He also served as a research scientist on NASA’s Compton Gamma Ray Observatory leading efforts to study gamma-ray bursts and black hole binaries while at the Marshall Space Flight Center. In 2002, he took an assignment as an Embassy Science Fellow at the U.S. Embassy in Lisbon, Portugal, and from January 2007 to January 2008 he served as a Brookings LEGIS Fellow working on the America COMPETES Act and education legislation in the office of Senator Joe Lieberman.