innovate-educate.org

FIRST Holds Annual Robotics Championship

2012-05-07T23:19:20+00:00

Innovate+Educate, a co-host of the US News STEM Solutions Summit this June, is also pleased to announce that Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and FIRST founder Dean Kamen will also be attending the STEM Solutions Summit, June 27-29 at the Sheraton in Dallas. Register for the Summit now and be a part of the solution!

Photo Caption: NBA’s All-Time Leading Scorer, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar meets with a FIRST Robotics Competition team and checks out their robot, Skyhook, named in honor of Kareem’s signature basketball move - at FIRST Championship, in St. Louis, April 26, 2012.

Published in: by Amy Schilling

High Level Thinking

2011-12-12T16:15:21+00:00

Dr. Tom Ryan, the former Chief Information Officer for Albuquerque Public Schools is pioneering education reform from within the system, moving into 2012 as a lead education strategist for Innovate+Educate. Education 360 emphasizes a blended learning model where students have access to highly qualified teachers and learning resources 24/7. The results have been incredibly positive. Three years ago the initial school, eCademy started with 40 students under the new model. Today eCademy serves over 2,000. All of these students have failed in the traditional system. This past summer students had a 93% passing rate in classes they had previously failed.

Jami Grindatto of Intel Corporation is dedicated to showing the critical role industry has to play in working with education to prepare the future workforce. Despite a national unemployment rate of 9% nearly 52% of employers surveyed in a recent Manpower study reported having difficultly filling open positions because candidates lack the skills needed to do the job. As a high-tech leader, Intel understands the need to solve our national skills-gap crisis and find a way to create more STEM-trained workers.

Innovate+Educate believes that more meaningful collaboration at the state level between industry, education, philanthropy and state-level government is critical to addressing the issues we face in education and workforce. Only by aligning industry and public dollars we can begin to transform education and produce a qualified workforce. Industry must focus on their ROI and how they can make their investments meaningful for the transformation required.

2012 will continue the work that began in New Mexico and is now scaling to other states, bringing together meaningful industry partnerships with the leadership in States.

Published in: by Amy Schilling

Jamai Blivin Blogs for BHEF

2011-12-09T17:58:43+00:00

the crtical need for industry to take leadership in advancing education and workforce transformation. Read the article now and send us your thoughts.

Published in: by Amy Schilling

STEMconnector Launches TODAY! By Jamai Blivin

2011-11-30T19:00:16+00:00

In June 2011, Innovate+Educate was asked to partner with STEMconnector to develop “snapshot” profiles for all 50 states for the launch of STEMconnector in November 2011. I agreed to take on this work for our organization because not only did I know that Edie Fraser was an amazing connector and visionary, I knew that with Edie’s leadership, STEMconnector was going to be an amazing resource. I also believed that it would be a true asset that would provide industry a tool to for determining how their investments could be maximized in the states in which they have a footprint. In New Mexico (as an example), the NM STEM Network matched corporate investments with a 100% match of state dollars to show true industry and public/private partnership. The formal STEM networks that exist in some of the more mature STEM states have experts that truly know their state, their STEM portfolio, and their constituents in P-20 and state government.

It took six months and a lot of emails and phone calls. But, along with effort came success. Today is the launch of all 50 State STEM Snapshots and which includes key information on state umbrella efforts working to advance STEM. The results are truly amazing and every state has something to be proud of. States like Texas, New York, North Carolina, Arizona, and California “shine” with industry partnerships. Arkansas highlights their new launch of STEM practices under Governor Beebe’s leadership. Through our research in Oklahoma, the Governor’s office connected us to Ben Robinson advancing STEM in Oklahoma by aligning the aerospace industry with education across the state. The Oklahoma Aerospace Industry, comprised of over 400 companies, employs over 140,000 people directly or indirectly and contributes $12.5 billion to Oklahoma’s economy each year. Ben is a retired Brigadier General in the US Air Force, with 29 years experience as a pilot and spent 6 years with Boeing managing over 300 aerospace engineers. General Ben, as we like to call him, understands at a personal and professional level the critical connection between education and industry and the need for industry to take leadership in working with education to prepare the workforce of tomorrow.

I congratulate everyone at STEMconnector for their indcredible work under the leadership of Edie Fraser and I look forward to watching the success and growth of STEMconnector.org.

Published in: News by Amy Schilling

The New Face of the Innovate+Educate Blog

2011-11-30T17:00:53+00:00

STEM on the Streets, dedicated to our national STEM work, the people we meet and the places we travel. We'll also feature a monthly Guest Blog from pioneering thought leaders who are on the ground doing the heavy lifting. We are thrilled to launch this new series with an article by Jon Dudas, the President of FIRST, a leading not-for-profit organization that inspires an appreciation of science and technology in young people. His article on letting kids fail will make you think so let us know your thoughts. We'll also feature relevant news in the areas of industry, education, government, policy and STEM in the mainstream media. Over the next six months we'll have regular updates on the development of the US News STEM Solutions Summit that we are co-hosting with US News & World Report and STEMconnector.org. So let's start a dialogue - send us your comments, thoughts, ideas and feedback - and together our words can lead to action.

Published in: by Amy Schilling

Letting Kids Fail Leads to Innovation by Jon Dudas

2011-11-30T16:59:58+00:00

When it comes to learning and thinking differently, kids are natural innovators. They love to build, design and explore new ways of doing things. This kind of experiential learning requires kids to try, fail and fail again, and to keep trying until they succeed in solving the task at hand. The result: kids collaborate with one another as they test their ideas, and they develop the confidence and persistence needed to explore the innovation process.

In the classroom, kids learn key concepts in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). However, if we tell them what they can’t do and make them conform to certain rules, we will discourage the innovation process. By infusing new and different ways of learning without boundaries, we can enhance STEM education and inspire the innovation process.

For example, a science teacher in New Hampshire hosts an annual “Motion and Forces” lesson for her students in all five of her classes. It starts with applying science and engineering concepts to everyday life, such as how supermarket doors open or how touch sensors work. After she introduces these key concepts, she’ll create an all-day building and design challenge with LEGO® robotic parts. In this challenge, there is no one right answer – only a collaborative process.

The first class of students will work on designing and building a robot and then leave notes for the next class to continue solving the challenge. This “try, fail and succeed” process continues until the end of the school day when the robot is worked on by all five classes and completed for the teacher’s final review. Based on this fun, hands-on learning experience in Motion and Forces, many of these students engage in the school’s FIRST® LEGO® League run by the same teacher. FIRST® is a not-for-profit that offers four levels of mentor-based, hands-on robotics programs that inspire kids ages 6-18 to get involved in science and technology, and many teachers serve as FIRST team coaches. Much to this FIRST coach’s delight, many of her FIRST students become professional engineers and FIRST team coaches and mentors.
According to an independent study from Brandeis University, students who participate in the FIRST® Robotics Competition are three times as likely as their peers who do not participate in FIRST to study engineering in college. They are also more likely to secure internships, to pursue STEM careers and volunteer to help their communities.

Whether it’s through a FIRST program or a Motion and Forces lesson, we need to let kids explore new ideas that support experimentation and failure in the path to learning and innovation. In one lesson, we can help kids bridge the gap from STEM concepts to real-world applications to one day creating inventions that can help improve lives. After all, isn’t this why we want students to get excited about STEM education and career opportunities?

We need new thinking, experiential learning and bold ideas to build a path to innovation and economic growth, and it starts with how we teach our kids. Let’s ask kids to try and fail without fear, to imagine the possibilities beyond the parameters within an assignment. By investing in the innovative learning process with our students today, we are cultivating the problem-solvers of tomorrow.
As famous innovator Michelangelo said, “The greater danger for most of us lies not in setting our aim too high and falling short; but in setting our aim too low, and achieving our mark.”

Jon W. Dudas is president of FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), a not-for-profit organization that inspires an appreciation of science and technology in young people. FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from three out of every five Fortune 500 companies and nearly $14 million in college scholarships, FIRST hosts four robotics programs for students ages 6 – 18 years of age and an annual FIRST Championship. For more information, visit www.usfirst.org.

Photo By Adriana M. Groisman

Photo Caption: Students in FIRST LEGO League, one of four robotics programs in FIRST, learn how to solve problems in a collaborative, fun and supporting environment, allowing them to explore the innovation process without fear of failure. More than 200,000 kid scientists are exploring solutions to food contamination for this year’s FIRST LEGO League challenge, FOOD FACTOR®.

Published in: Guest Blog by Amy Schilling

Are Hispanics America’s Next Great STEM Innovators? by James Marshall Crotty

2011-11-30T16:57:18+00:00

Moreover, according to the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce, 63% of those with only associate’s degrees in STEM earn more than those with bachelor’s degrees in non-STEM occupations. In addition, 47% of those with bachelor’s degrees in STEM occupations earn more than Ph.D.s in non-STEM occupations. Also, there is a much smaller salary gap between men and women in STEM fields than in other occupations. Nevertheless, 3.2 million STEM jobs go unfilled because there are not the qualified applicants to fill them.
With these facts as a backdrop, you would think that every kid in America would be scrambling to take a STEM major. Wrong. One study showed that nearly half of high school students surveyed say they will most likely not pursue a STEM-related degree. Whom then can we get to qualify for these high-paying, readily available, yet evidently not very popular jobs?
Answer: Hispanics. Over the last several decades, it has primarily been Hispanic immigrants, legal and illegal, who’ve done America’s dirty work. Janitors, construction labor, factory workers, meatpacking, housecleaning, cooks, chefs, you name it, Hispanics have done these jobs with drive and aplomb, and nary a complaint. No matter where you stand on illegal immigration, there’s no denying that Hispanic immigrants have taken jobs most Americans eschewed.
As Americans seem to be eschewing key white-collar STEM jobs too, now comes the next and most important chapter of the Hispanic immigration experience in America: how to move en masse from low-paying but steady work as America’s default blue collar labor force to the leaders of the STEM education revolution that must happen if this nation is to maintain its top-tier economic status.
Consider this: the U.S. Hispanic population has now surpassed 50 million, and is projected to more than double by 2050. It’s the largest, youngest, fastest-growing minority group in America.
Now consider these numbers. Non-Hispanic growth rate in the past decade? 5%. Hispanic growth rate? 43%. Average Hispanic age in 2009? 27.4 years. Nearly 10 years younger than the population overall. One in three Hispanics in the U.S. are under 18, most of them U.S.-born and learning English in public schools. The stats go on, and all point to one question: how do we bridge the gap between this country’s young, fast-multiplying, yet woefully undereducated Hispanic cohort and this nation’s ever-expanding demand for STEM-educated labor?
Enter SHPE, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers. SPHE was founded in 1974 in Los Angeles, California by a group of engineers employed by the city of L.A.. Their objective was to form a national organization of professional engineers to serve as role models in the Hispanic community. Networking was the key basis for the organization. SHPE quickly established two student chapters to begin the network that would grow to encompass the nation as well as reach countries outside the U.S.
Recently, SHPE has taken the STEM crisis as their exclusive mandate. With mentoring programs, scholarships, and science-related events for students and their parents, SHPE is working with corporations and educational partners to expand their network and motivate kids to major in STEM fields. One such way is through an ad campaign created by For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, or FIRST, using celebrities to show Hispanic students that science is hip, or, in the words of U2′s Bono, “Science is rock and roll.”

The biggest roadblock faced by SHPE is historically poor academic performance by Hispanic-American students. Dropout rates among Hispanic-Americans are notoriously higher than those identifying as non-Hispanic. 40% of Latino adults in the U.S. over 20 lack a high school diploma. Nearly 20% of Hispanic males dropped out of high school in 2008, citing language barriers and a need to help support their families via full-time work. And even when Hispanics indicate a strong desire to finish high school and attend college, their chances for employment in lucrative STEM fields is hurt by their academic weakness in core STEM subjects. For example, while Hispanic college enrollment rates have been on the rise, research shows that the average Hispanic high school senior does math at the same level as a white 8th grader.
With these facts in mind, getting Latino kids excited about science and math seems daunting. But SHPE keeps plugging away. For example, at SHPE’s next national conference, November 14-18th, 2012 in Fort Worth, Texas — the largest technical and career conference for Hispanics in the country — over 200 corporations will be present to recruit Hispanic students and professionals for work in STEM fields. In addition, university advisors from across the nation have joined to develop a stronger network in which schools and SHPE chapters can be more effective in recruitment and retention of Hispanics obtaining STEM degrees. SHPE will also continue to stage regional leadership development conferences on a yearly basis for the SHPE student chapter leaders to improve their organizational, managerial, and technical skills.

If SHPE proves successful, we expect to see a notable shift upwards in Hispanic male and female employment and income in the coming years. Heaven knows, both the economic viability of Hispanics, and the future standing of the U.S. in world affairs, completely depends on it.

Originally posted on forbes.com November 22, 2011

Published in: News by Amy Schilling

U.S. News, Innovate+Educate & STEMconnector to host Major June 2012 STEM Solutions Summit

2011-10-18T16:24:16+00:00

Following its successful STEM Summit 2011 at the National Press Club, the 2012 “STEM Means Jobs” event will draw thousands of participants, bringing together industry, government and associations with educators, top policymakers, and media. U.S. businesses are alarmed by the declining supply of STEM-trained workers. Many STEM-related jobs are going unfilled despite high unemployment.

“STEM education and science-related jobs are one of the nation’s most critical issues” according to Mortimer B. Zuckerman, chairman and editor-in-chief of U.S. News. “There is much good work being done in different parts of the country, but it is essential to bring the best people and the best practices together. We want to highlight the most successful programs and help shape greater awareness of how important STEM education is for so many segments of society, including for women and economically disadvantaged communities. If we don’t get better at this, we’re going to miss the future.”

Reflecting the urgency of the issue, major organizations were eager to lend support. The first National Co-Chairs include: Aerospace Industries Association (AIA); Alliance for Science & Technology Research in America (ASTRA); American Institute of Architects (AIA); American Geophysical Union (AGU); American Society for Engineering Education; Business and Industry STEM Education Coalition (BISEC); The Business Roundtable; Center for Adult and Experiential Learning (CAEL); Center for Energy Workforce Development (CEWD); Change the Equation; Coalition for Science Afterschool (CSAS); College Board; The Conrad Foundation; Converge US; Entertainment Industries Council; Corporate Voices for Working Families; Governing.com; Great Minds in STEM; Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities (HACU); Hispanic College Fund; Institute for a Competitive Workforce (U.S. Chamber of Commerce); Jobs for the Future; The Manufacturing Institute (of the National Association of Manufacturers); National Association for Equal Employment in Higher Education (NAFEO); National Center for Women & Information Technology (NCWIT); National Conference of State Legislatures; National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA); National Girls Collaborative; NMSI; National Research Center for College & University Admissions (NRCCUA); Project Lead the Way; TechNET; and Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM (TIES).

Over the past ten years, growth in jobs needing STEM skills was three times that of other sectors. The Commerce Department projects those jobs will continue to outpace other sectors over the next ten years. Those jobs include many specialized fields such as computer engineering that are among the highest paying in the country, but also include attractive entry-level positions such as computer technicians.

“Technology and innovation are key drivers to economic growth and jobs,” said John Engler, president of the Business Roundtable. “U.S. workforce training has to catch up to a global economy where more and more jobs require STEM training. CEO’s and education leaders have an important role to play in linking STEM education to job creation.”

“We believe this Summit is critical to bringing industry, policy, and education thought leaders together to create a collective impact to advance the future STEM workforce that will move our economy forward,” said Jami Grindatto, Intel Corporation and chairman of Innovate+Educate. “We are pleased to partner with STEMconnector™ and U.S. News for this important conversation that will develop into action for our nation.”

Intel is a founding sponsor along with Lockheed Martin, Monster, CSC and Ingersoll Rand. Each organization has a significant presence in promoting STEM education and careers.

“Lockheed Martin is proud to partner with Innovate+Educate and summit partners in highlighting national-level efforts that bring the excitement of science and technology to students,” said Dr. Ray O. Johnson, the company’s chief technology officer. “As a global security company, we understand the importance of fostering the next generation of innovators. A diverse technical workforce is vital to the success of our corporation and to our competitiveness as a nation.”

The conference will organize the broad array of STEM workforce issues from how to engage middle school students to how technology can better link job openings with skill sets, connecting educators with job creators. A key challenge will be increasing public awareness of STEM among parents and students. While businesses are keenly aware of the shortfall in STEM work skills, most people are unfamiliar with the term STEM, let alone its connection to jobs.

“The entertainment industry and news media are key to creating the mass public awareness needed to inspire young people towards education and spotlight career paths that lead to innovation. We must connect these cornerstones of our economy,” said Brian Dyak, president and CEO of the Entertainment Industries Council Inc.

“Connectivity – as exemplified by the STEM Summit -- is a key to smarter organization and linking the millions of stakeholders at all levels,” said Dr. Mary Good, chairman of ASTRA and past president of the American Society for the Advancement of Science.

As one example of the breadth of the issues, Ray Mellado, CEO of Great Minds in STEM, focused on the need to advance Hispanic students in the field. “As we focus on the new American students and where they will find jobs, it means looking for new ways to collaborate.”

“The work of earth and space scientists touches every aspect of our lives,” said Christine McEntee, executive director of the American Geophysical Union. “The future depends on filling the shortage for earth and space scientists.”

“Architecture is a STEM career,” said Clark Manus, president of the American Institute of Architects. “In particular we are thrilled to be part of a program that will support AIA’s ongoing diversity initiative which seeks to engage underrepresented youth about the design profession.”

Added Rey Ramsey, president and CEO of TechNet: “It’s critically important that our next generation of leaders have strong skills in the STEM fields.”

Texas officials welcomed the conference, stressing the strong technology sector in the state and Dallas region as well as a progressive approach to education in U.S. News’s recent ranking of Best High Schools for Math and Science; two were in Dallas and one in Houston.

“I am excited about the city of Dallas hosting this national STEM conference,” said Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings. ”Schools with a math and science emphasis are especially key to the success of our workforce, our economic growth and our future.”

A Dallas host committee for STEM Summit 2012 is being formed by Innovate+Educate board member Eric Reeves.

Published in: Events by Amy Schilling