Ohio State, Battelle host NAE conversation on STEM workforce diversity

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On May 3, national science and engineering leaders converged on Columbus to discuss how the U.S. can better prepare our nation’s workforce to compete in a highly competitive and increasingly knowledge-driven global economy. And how to ensure that no one is left out.

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(l to r) President Drake with NAE
Hosted by The Ohio State University and Battelle, the National Academy of Engineering regional symposium attracted nearly 200 from academia and industry to explore solutions in STEM education accessibility and diversity. Speakers included National Science Foundation Director France Córdova, NAE President C. D. Mote, Jr., Ohio State President Michael V. Drake and Ret. U.S. Air Force Major General Suzanne Vautrinot.

NAE launched regional meetings 16 years ago both to share initiatives with those outside of their Washington D.C. headquarters and to observe engineering activity and innovations in situ. Mote said that the event at Ohio State pairs nicely with past symposia at MIT, Microsoft and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, and one to be held at the University of Michigan.

In his opening remarks, Mote also noted the symmetry of the event’s focus with NAE’s new strategic plan. “It’s only the second strategic plan in the Academy’s history, and among its six goals are to increase the representation of women and underrepresented minorities and to promote and inspire competitive engineering talent in the U.S. workforce.”

Córdova noted that many of NSF’s programs are focused on broadening participation, such as the Louis Stokes Alliances for Minority Participation (LSAMP) and NSF INCLUDES. Ohio State is one of 10 institutions in the Ohio LSAMP Alliance.

“Creating the STEM workforce of the future means that we have to tap into the innovation that’s inherent in our nation’s diversity,” she said, “and we can longer leave anyone behind.”

Panels featuring experts from Pacific Northwest National Lab, Toyota, and Project Lead the Way, among others, shared best practices in STEM education for students ages 5 to 25.

Battelle Vice President for Education, STEM Learning and Philanthropy Aimee Kennedy advocated for companies and non-profits to engage in the workforce preparedness and diversity conversation.

She asserted that education “is a problem worth solving.”

The day before the symposium, NAE officials and others toured Metro Early College High School, a public STEM school established by Battelle and Ohio State in 2006.

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Panelists (l to r) American Federation of Teachers
Categories: CollegeOutreach