A new sy-STEM for putting math and science learners on the leading edge
(Sept. 19, 2008) The University of Colorado Denver College of Liberal Arts and Sciences and School of Education and Human Development are putting a new slant on science and math education with revolutionary new teacher programs and the fab STEMapalooza, a conference that promises to get learners excited about 'STEM' subjects: science, technology, engineering and math.
The program 'stems' from a common problem, and Colorado is feeling it. Leading companies and industries – from aerospace and bioscience to energy exploration – either headquartered or active in the state have had to worry about where their work force is coming from. Currently, explains Carole Basile, professor of education and past director of the Center for Applied Science and Mathematics for Innovation and Competitiveness (CASMIC), more than half of Colorado’s STEM jobs go to workers who move here from out of state.
Fortunately, things are changing—and the School of Education (SEHD) and College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) are leading the way. With support from Gov. Bill Ritter, the National Science Foundation and business and nonprofit partners, partners from across the State have launched a wide range of initiatives that can make a significant difference. “Industries, universities, school districts, and informal educators need to partner and establish connections,” Basile says. “In the 21st Century, quality teaching will require an understanding of workforce demands and opportunities.”
Basile, together with chemistry professor Doris Kimbrough, principal investigator and professor of chemistry in CLAS, are leading a large STEM initiative, the Rocky Mountain Middle School Math and Science Partnership (RM-MSMSP). Launched in 2004, this five-year program with $12.5 million in NSF funds has improved science and math teaching for 455 middle level faculty and has excited students in eleven public school districts.
And now STEMapalooza, a free two-day event open to the public 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Oct. 24 and 25 at the Colorado Convention Center, is an important means to this end. This major event will feature exhibitors from around the state that support STEM programs for students and educators and those that employ hundreds of thousands in STEM related careers.
This gathering will attract students of all ages, educators, policymakers, business and industry executives and the general public to celebrate all things STEM.
“We have a number of partners including Lockheed Martin, the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Colorado Workforce Development Council, Denver Metro WIRED Initiative, and the Workforce Board of Metro Denver ,” says Basile. “We’ll have companies representing leading edge technology in nanotech, photonics, bioscience, and IT. We want to get kids interested in STEM careers, and we want to provide opportunities for everyone to find out who is doing good work in STEM.”
With UC Denver’s range of initiatives and strong leadership at the state level, Basile is confident that Colorado is making good progress. “Time will tell,” she says. “People are starting to make connections and find new ways to partner with each other. If we can help facilitate that, we will have succeeded.”