Overview
The White House and business leaders have urged educators to improve math and science lessons for all American students. President Obama has called on colleges to graduate 10,000 more engineers a year and 100,000 new teachers with majors in STEM. But the critical groundwork happens earlier, especially in middle school and high school. New York City is pouring resources into STEM education which includes training – and retaining – qualified teachers, improving the lab and computer facilities, and setting higher benchmarks for statewide standards and tests. It has also formed partnerships with companies, large and small, who say they’re desperate for qualified workers to fill jobs in STEM-related fields.
This event is sold out, but you can still watch a live webcast, right here at 5pm.
Co-moderated by the host of WNYC’s New Tech City Manoush Zomorodi and WNYC’s Contributing Editor for Education Beth Fertig, the event will cover a range of questions:
* Why do we need to expand STEM education?
* How can we attract more people trained in science and technology to the classroom?
* What’s being done to recruit more minority students and girls to the STEM fields?
* What would the ideal school look like in terms of STEM, and what would it cost to bring that model citywide?
* What needs to happen in the public and private sectors to bring this to the next level?
PANELISTS:
Alicia Abella, executive director of the Innovative Services Research Dept at AT&T and vice president of the Young Science Achievers Program and chair of the AT&T Labs Fellowship Committee.
Vikram Kapila, professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at NYU/Polytechnic University.
Michele Cahill, vice president, National Programs at the Carnegie Corporation of New York.
Ben Esner, director of K-12 STEM Education at NYU/Polytechnic University.
Saranii Muller, technology teacher at Fort Greene Preparatory Academy in Brooklyn, where she also coaches the Lego Robotics teams.
Ryan Cain, science teacher at P.S. 3 The Bedford Village school in Brooklyn. He also works with students after school on robotics and gardening.
Josh Thomases, Deputy Chief Academic Officer for New York City’s Department of Education.
Plus, educators, students and a representative from the New York City Department of Education.