Battelle Center

STEM-Views: Brian Kritzstein

2011-01-26T13:11:00.001-05:00

Name: Brian Kritzstein

Title: Principal Research Scientist

Organization: Battelle

1) What do you believe is the most pressing issue in STEM education today?

Conveying the importance of STEM as an overall concept and not simply as students focusing only on science, technology, engineering and math as individual disciplines. In addition, an increased emphasis needs to be placed on establishing meaningful connections between students and professionals currently employed within STEM fields.

2) How does your work impact STEM education?

Battelle's close partnership with the Battelle Center at OSU has provided our team with a platform to position advanced analytics and visualization tools within the educational community. Whether it's helping administrators better understand testing/performance data, working with students through internship opportunities or integrating technologies into the classroom, we continue to build on our concept of STEManalytics as a way to better comprehend large volumes of information.

3) What do you think is the most important part of a successful STEM curriculum?

Collaboration. With fellow students, local businesses and other stakeholders inthe success of our kids. From my exposure to Metro High School, it's apparent that the kids are benefiting from a curriculum experience which goes beyond the traditional text book. Presenting to a local business leader on the results of a collaborative student project provides real world feedback for our next generation workforce.

4) What STEM profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt?

I've always been fascinated by programs like extreme Machines and Build It Bigger. Watching the skill and dedication involved on projects of that scale is truly amazing and to be a lead engineer would most certainly be a rewarding experience. Imagine leading the project to construct the Chunnel!

STEM-Views: Jeanne Contardo

2011-01-07T09:00:00.001-05:00

Name: Jeanne Contardo

Title: Director of Programs

Organization: Business-Higher Education Forum

1) What do you believe is the most pressing issue in STEM education today?

I believe the misalignment of student career interests, their academic proficiency, and future job openings will be the big issue to address in the 21^st century around STEM education. The data don’t lie, and when we look across the board at what students say they’re interested in and where our workforce will be over the next couple of decades, the numbers don’t match up. This is particularly true in STEM fields. If we don’t change the perception of STEM education among students and their parents, and if we fail to better link education and the workforce, we will never meet this country’s economic goals.

2) How does your work impact STEM education?

One of BHEF’s key initiatives focuses on STEM, and has the specific goal of doubling the number of STEM college graduates by 2015 through strengthening the mathematics and science teaching workforce and pursuing promising strategies to strengthen the education pipeline that leads to STEM careers. The other key initiative focuses on improving college readiness, access, and success, and works with business and higher education leaders to address regional education challenges—many of which are STEM-centered. Through these initiatives, I work to equip BHEF’s members—Fortune 500 CEO's, college and university presidents, and select foundation leaders—with the tools, strategies, and information they need to lead systemic and sustained education improvement efforts.

3) What do you think is the most important part of a successful STEM curriculum?

We know that students who succeed in math are also more likely to succeed in post-secondary education. We also know that the majority of students who take the ACT in 12^th grade don’t meet the college readiness benchmark in math. While I believe the best STEM curriculum will be real-world, problem-based, and interdisciplinary to help improve interest, we also have to help students achieve basic skills if they’re going to be successful in STEM fields, including math, science, English, and reading.

4) What STEM profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt?

When I was in high school, I worked in a pharmacy and often thought about becoming a pharmacy tech to work my way through college. I loved the chemistry behind all of the prescriptions and thinking about how seemingly simple combinations could produce dramatic effects—sometimes I use the same philosophy in trying to bring about education improvement!

Happy Holidays

2010-12-24T09:00:00.001-05:00

Happy holidays from us here at the Battelle Center. We will resume our STEM-views posting on Friday, January 7th.

STEM-Views: Diana Wolterman

2010-12-17T09:00:00.001-05:00

Name: Diana Wolterman

Title: Education Project Manager in Residence at Metro High School

Organization: Battelle

1) What do you believe is the most pressing issue in STEM education today?

Getting people to understand that STEM education is not just a longer list of math & science courses. Even students interested in subjects like art and history and want careers in other fields need to learn how to synthesize information and think critically about issues and solving problems. The ability to succeed in college and ultimately in a career that requires independent thought is reliant on the types of skills that a STEM education can convey.

2) How does your work impact STEM education?

One of the things I do is bring business strategies and project management principles into the school system and help foster partnerships that benefit both parties, just like business relationships. It’s important that today’s schools don’t rely on old habits but are instead always seeking fresh ideas and adopting practices that are innovative and push the status quo. Helping our school stay connected to other innovative STEM schools in the state is a great way to build capacity.

3) What do you think is the most important part of a successful STEM curriculum?

Problem based learning. Students need to learn by doing things that are relevant and real. Working to solve a real issue or problem that doesn’t have an answer waiting in the back of the text book is a very valuable learning experience. Hands-on projects are also critically important.

4) What STEM profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt?
When I was young I wanted to become a teacher, but somehow I never followed up on that in school. I think that’s why I jumped at the chance to come to Metro as Battelle’s STEM liaison!

STEM-Views: Tony Girifalco

2010-12-10T09:00:00.005-05:00

Name: Tony Girifalco

Title: Executive Vice President

Organization: DVIRC

1) What do you believe is the most pressing issue in STEM education today?

There are really two in my view. The first is the somewhat naïve belief that we can change the fundamentals of our education system simply by throwing money at it and without addressing larger cultural and societal issues at the same time. The second issue is that too many of those involved in STEM education don’t see business demand as a fundamental starting point for a STEM strategy. This simply mystifies me!

2) How does your work impact STEM education?
As an economic development company that works with and in businesses every day, we bring the voice of business and a business perspective to the table. Only by developing trust among partners are we able to make longer term changes in the way people work and in the systems within which they work, whether it’s within a single company, “business-to-business” or “school-to-school” or any other. Social capital is king.

3) What do you think is the most important part of a successful STEM curriculum?

Aside from the teacher? Learning how to understand and solve problems through the rigorous application of the scientific method.

4) What STEM profession, other than your own, would you like to attempt?
Either architecture or piano making—both professions involve making something and both combine the fundamental beauties inherent in the arts and sciences. Ahh, to be 40 again!

Coming Soon!

2010-12-07T10:33:00.000-05:00

Each Friday starting 12/10 we will post an interview with a professional from either a STEM field, education or someone associated with the Battelle Center. On the short list we have our director Kathy Sullivan, former astronaut and Senator John Glenn, Battelle executive Rich Rosen and many more! Stay tuned for these interviews as well as updates on the Battelle Center’s current endeavors.

Obama Nominates Kathy

2010-12-02T09:35:00.001-05:00

We are proud to announce that President Barack Obama has nominated Battelle Center Director Kathy Sullivan for the Assistant Secretary of Commerce (Observation and Prediction), Department of Commerce. It is bittersweet for us here at BC as Kathy has been a wonderful Director and she will be missed. We are happy that Kathy will be moving on to such a prestigious role and will be able to continue making a difference on a national level. Congratulations Kathy!

Click here to read the White House Press Release.

Grants Awarded

2010-09-01T11:20:00.001-04:00

Exciting news to report here at the Battelle Center! We have received word from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Science Foundation (NSF) that our grant applications have been approved. That means a grand total of $1.439 million is headed our way to start work on three grants (1 with NIH and 2 with NSF). See below to read the full press release and hear more about the grants we will be working on.

Battelle Center awarded $1.439 million in grants from the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation

Ohio's March 2nd STEM Event at COSI: An Intern's Journey

2010-03-03T16:51:00.001-05:00

The Ohio STEM event at COSI was really eye-opening. Seeing STEM initiatives in research is informative and it gave me an understanding of the scope of the programs around the country, but the experience of seeing all of Ohio's initiatives really put the number of initiative names on a computer screen into perspective. STEM education is not improved by these initiatives alone, and the Ohio STEM convention illustrated that the people who make up those initiatives are the true energy and the true passion driving Ohio’s STEM education forward.

For those of you who have not visited the COSI building - it's huge. Governor Strickland gave a speech in a conference room that could hold at least three private jets. The entire first floor lobby (just about as big as the assembly room) was used by the convention to display posters and computers detailing tons of programs all across Ohio. In the middle of the displays were all kinds of projects that students of the various initiatives had created, such as LEGO robots designed to skitter away as a simulation of a frightened animal. Most of the programs I had heard of, such as the Ohio Design Challenge project, and (of course) OSLN, but the sheer amount of people ready and willing to take up the STEM education cause was truly remarkable.

Governor Strickland and his coalition of university and local school district leaders announced a renewed state vigor to increase the quality and number of Ohio STEM teachers for the primary and secondary classrooms. The partners in education all converging on one stage highlighted the efficiency and accomplishment of all of the STEM collaborators there, and also highlighted the fact that STEM education movements have so many resources, both in communication and funding, that Ohio can only continue to pave the way for innovative thinking.

It just goes to show that you can read all the press releases, news updates, and program descriptions to understand the need for STEM, but only at a function like Ohio STEM can you understand the impact of better STEM education, and the number of people – from the powerful to the ordinary – that are dedicated to improving the education of students for years to come.

BC Inter Blogpost #2 - America's Problem

2010-02-19T16:40:00.002-05:00

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

2010-02-11T15:56:00.004-05:00

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).

A wrinkle in time...

2010-01-20T16:32:00.003-05:00

After a 7-month blogging hiatus (whoops), the Battelle Center blog is back! One of our many New Years resolutions is to turn this blog into a great STEM resource for all those out in the blog-o-sphere.

Our first posts of 2010 will be by our two new Battelle Center high school interns, Adam and Ben. Check back tomorrow for Adam and Ben's take on the "STEM problem".

-Courtney

Starlight Data Visualization Tool

2009-06-05T08:08:00.005-04:00

Above: Screen shot of Starlight's visualization capabilities

Starlight is a powerful 3-D, visualization application that organizes and summarizes large amounts of information and then presents the results in easily interpretable graphics. Starlight enables researchers to work with a variety of data types, ranging from structured, semi-structured or unstructured information to geospatial and multimedia data.

Over the past year, the Battelle Center has worked closely with Battelle Memorial Institute staff to see if there are any educational data sets that might benefit from being placed under Starlight's visualization lens. If you would like to get a glimpse of the visualization power of Starlight, check out this this great youtube video created by the guys over at Battelle Memorial Institute.

What is your STEM story?

2009-05-26T08:24:00.004-04:00

Now that Kathy, Rich and I have shared our STEM stories, we'd love to hear yours!
Post your story in the "comments" section below this post.

-Courtney

Rich's STEM story

2009-05-26T08:07:00.004-04:00

Our great friend & supporter, Rich Rosen, added his STEM story to our blog. We didn't want such a great tale hidden behind a 'comment' tab, so asked his permission to feature it as a main posting.
Read on.....

Kathy and Courtney - your stories inspire me, and prompt me to add my own abbreviated STEM journey your blogosphere.

Growing up, my parents encouraged curiosity. They were not technology people, they were loving parents who just thought that their two precious boys should be encouraged when they blew up things in the backyard, took apart Farmer Slater's chicken coop board by board so we'd have the necessary building materials for our castle, and filled mom's copper revereware stock pot with formaldehyde for our biology experiments. All this and yet... never one claim on our homeowners insurance!

Anyway, in high school, my parents encouraged us to pursue an engineering degree in college. Their reason - it would give us "options." I am thankful especially to two teachers from Lorain High School - Peter Demyan, my physics teacher, and Ms. Smith, my geometry and pre-calc teacher. To this day, I can close my eyes and picture their faces, and can even recall their voices. They made classes fun.

For historical reference, these were the last days of the slide rule, and the earliest days of the pocket calculator. (My college gift from my parents was a Texas Instruments SR-50, and it only cost $150!, but of course it had a square root function, so it was worth it). Mr. Demyan insisted only on a slide rule, and that taught me a comfort with numbers and estimating that has served me well to this day.

35 years later, I can tell you that my parents were right. Engineering degrees from Kettering College and The Ohio State University gave me options. Beginning with a job as a maintenance engineer at Chevrolet Parma, moving to a biomedical researcher at Battelle, to a general management role, economic development community partner, and today in education and philanthropy - I rely on the problem solving foundation from my engineering training.

Looking at the world today and reflecting on lessons from my journey, maybe here are a few things we need more of:

1 - Kid's don't blow up enough stuff anymore. Nothing like an M-80 propelled airborne piece of pumpkin flying at your head to teach you about the laws of motion.
2 - We need more Ms. Smith's. She drilled every geometry proof into my head when I wasn't looking, because I really liked her. I wanted to do a good job because she inspired me, and showed me why teachers can be heroes and friends.
3 - Let's worry less about definitions and spend more time honoring narratives. My dad didn't have a technical bone in his body. By day, he sold shoes, carpet, and Kirby vacuum cleaners door-to-door. By night, he collected stamps and coins as a gateway for his love of American history. But I'd still say that he was STEM through and through in the sense that he never viewed any problem as unsolvable. He taught me by example how to just "get started" and figure it out along the way. (I'm also thankful that he didn't get too mad about that flying pumpkin residue on the side of the house.)
4 - Let's increase the ratio of questions to answers.
5 - Let's increase the numbers and voices of the Kathy's and Courtney's of the world.
6 - Let's blow up more stuff. See #1 for additional information.
7 - The kitchen is our contemporary chemistry set. and it tastes better than iron oxide.
8 - Let's have more parents that think like Bernie and Shirley Rosen - that encourage their kids to always take a path that keeps their options open.

Thanks mom and dad.

Rich Rosen

May 22, 2009 11:55 PM

Courtney's STEM Story

2009-05-22T14:12:00.005-04:00

Hi, I'm Courtney and I am the Program Manager here at the Battelle Center.

Rather than type a little paragraph about myself, I thought it would be fun to use my new social media skills from Creator Camp and introduce myself via video. Check it out above!

Blog note: Stay tuned for posts next week about the Battelle Center's foray into systems modeling and our (thanks to Brian K.) fancy data visualization tool, Starlight.

Introducing Kathy

2009-05-15T10:54:00.002-04:00

Hi, all you Battelle Center followers! Time to introduce myself: I'm Kathy Sullivan, Director of the Battelle Center.

My job titles have been scientist, astronaut and educator, but I'm an explorer at heart. The passion I bring to our work comes from the uncommon conversion I underwent during my freshman year of college: from language major to oceanographer. I hadn't hated my high school science classes, but most of them were "go through the motions" exercises that didn't leave behind much real understanding or sense of where this might help me again (other than in getting out of high school). Not even my best teachers seemed to recognize or care about this. But now, in college, everything I was learning in all of my science classes (well, OK, not the really awful calculus class taught by the very self-abosorbed new prof from Princeton....) was against the backdrop of life stories, adventures at sea and the personal passion of my profs. And the key profs gave me advice and support that made me confident I could pull off this course change.

For far too many kids, schooling is a "go through the motions" world that only dulls their native curiosity about the world around them. All too often, science is something even worse: vocabulary lists, isolated facts and recipes or techniques you have to prove you can follow. I'm a longtime fan of science museums, where creativity infuses teaching and learning. Museum and community programs can do a lot to help spark and sustain the creativity and joy around learning that I'm speaking about - for some. But we must find ways to change the schooling experience more fundamentally and systemically, so that all of our kids have a much better shot at the kind of learning and skill-building they'll need to succeed in the world that awaits them.

This is the challenge that drove the founding of the Battelle Center, and the one that drives our work every single day. We're glad to have your interest and support!