BC Inter Blogpost #2 - America's Problem

America has a problem – a science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) problem. With a decline in STEM proficiency, our students may not be adequately prepared for the jobs of the future. If left un-fixed, this problem will impact our country’s ability to be a global economic competitor. Recent statistics confirm this threat:

On the 2009 Ohio Achievement Test, only 62% of eighth grade students scored at or above proficient in science, and only 71% were at or above proficient in mathematics. This means over 50,000 Ohio eighth grade students were not proficient in science and over 38,000 were not proficient in mathematics (Ohio Department of Education, 2009).

In 2009, only 36% of Ohio eighth grade students scored at or above proficient on the NAEP mathematics assessment. On the most recent science assessment (2005), 35% scored at or above proficient (National Center for Education Statistics, 2009).

Less than 15% of U.S. high school graduates have the mathematics and science proficiency required to begin pursuing an engineering degree (Norman Augustine, 2007).

In 2004, less than 31% of college freshmen reported plans to major in a STEM field (Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA, 2010).

Nearly 50% of U.S. college freshmen who enter engineering programs do not graduate with an engineering degree (Ohio Stem Learning Network, 2007).

The above statistics display our limited STEM proficiency and how this limited proficiency can impact student interest in the STEM fields. A drop in proficiency and interest will propagate the continued weakening of the STEM pipeline. Education, business and government leaders must work together to not only promote the need for basic proficiency in STEM, but also work together to encourage more students to pursue and stick with careers in the STEM fields. By improving the STEM education of future generations, the U.S. will remain a force to be reckoned within the global economy.

- Ben Burgett, Junior at Metro Early College High School and Winter Intern at the Battelle Center

References

Augustine, Norman .F, (2007). Is America Falling Off the Flat Earth?. 500 Fifth Street,

N.W., Washington D.C.: The National Academies Press.

Epstein, Jennifer. (January 17, 2010). Graduation Gaps for Science Majors. Inside

Higher Ed. Retrieved from http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2010/02/17/stem.

Higher Education Research Institute at UCLA. (January 2010). Degrees of Success.

HERI Research Brief. Retrieved from

http://heri.ucla.edu/nih/HERI_ResearchBrief_OL_2010_STEM.pdf

National Center for Education Statistics. Summary of NAEP results for Ohio

[Data File]. Retrieved from

http://nces.ed.gov/nationsreportcard/states/Default.aspx

Ohio Department of Education. Ohio Achievement Test Assessment Results 8^th grade

2009 [Data File]. Retrieved from

http://www.ode.state.oh.us/GD/DocumentManagement/DocumentDownload.aspx?DocumentID=69516

Ohio STEM Learning Network. (2007). Why Does the OSLN Matter?. Retrieved from:

http://www.osln.org/about-osln/why-osln-matters.php

BC Intern Blogpost #1 - My case for STEM

What makes science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education policy so important? These areas have historically propelled America into the world stage, and they constantly improve civilizations, driving them forward into new ages. However, America’s STEM fields have a major problem: a slowly diminishing work force.

STEM fields are constantly expanding, meaning more people are needed to fill new positions. Computer technology more advanced than it was in the 1980s, let alone ten years ago. Companies such as Microsoft, Apple, Dell, and HP have opened new job markets for Information Technology and software development. New medical discoveries are leading to new specialties, like immunology and robotic surgery, while physicists have concepts beyond quantum mechanics to explore. All of these growing work forces need new and specially trained STEM students.

Not only is the job market for STEM professions growing, a large chunk of the current workforce across the nation is beginning to retire. The baby boomers have entered their late 50s and early 60s, which means that the first large wave of retirement is on the horizon already. Those baby boomers, who have become experts in their fields, have started leaving for retirement, which means their positions need to be filled in addition to the new ones already discussed. The National Science Board reported in 2008 that of “Science and Engineering doctorate holders in the labor force, 40% are age 50 or over,” (National Science Board 3-6). When they soon retire, all of their expertise will be drained out of America’s science and engineering businesses, universities, and research and development companies. With new STEM professions and an increasing number of experienced workers retiring in already established STEM fields, the only remedy can be new, trained recruits.

This demand needs to be met with supply, as any good economist will tell you, and it is the growing demand and lack of supply that have already started to plague STEM professions. The Bureau of Labor Statistics “projects job growth of 22 percent for STEM occupations as a whole between 2004 and 2014.” However, the “number of graduates in [science and technology] areas, the U.S. produced just 148,000 in 2001 – the smallest number in two decades,” (STEM Education Caucus). The number of graduates that can fill the positions new fields require, or the positions baby boomers are leaving, is dwindling.

Due to the coming retirement wave of baby boomers as well as the creation of new STEM fields, the United States will soon have a shortage of STEM educated people in the work force. A deficiency of STEM specialists has always been the kiss of death for past civilizations (the Ottoman Empire, the Russian Empire, and the Spanish Empire for some example), and it is a problem that the United States currently faces. This is why STEM education policy needs to be on the forefront of America’s awareness.

- Adam Carl, Senior at Upper Arlington High School and Winter Intern at the Battelle Center

References

“STEM” occupations and job growth. (n.d.). Retrieved February 4, 2010, from Bureau of Labor Statistics website: http://www.bls.gov/‌opub/‌ted/‌2007/‌jun/‌wk4/‌art04.htm

Why is STEM Education Important? (n.d.). Retrieved February 5, 2010, from STEMEd Caucus STeering Committee website: http://www.stemedcaucus.org/‌content/‌documents/‌TalkingPoints.doc

National Science Board. 2008. Science and Engineering Indicators 2008. Two volumes. Arlington, VA: National Science Foundation (volume1, NSB 08-01; volume 2, NSB 08-01A).