ASME members lead STEM Summit in Massachusetts school districts


Patti Curtis
ASME Government Relations

In October, more than 300 attendees from school districts across Massachusetts converged outside of Boston for the first annual "Massachusetts Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Summit: Fueling the Pipeline for the Massachusetts Innovation Economy."

Massachusetts was the first U.S. state to revise its K-12 science standards to incorporate technology and engineering requirements. The summit was the first of several that are expected to occur in parts of the United States within the next year.

William Wulf

Presentations accounted for the first half of the day. Summit speakers included ASME members William Wulf, president of the National Academy of Engineering, and Ioannis Miaoulis, president and director of the Boston Museum of Science, who is largely viewed as responsible for the standards revision and his education, industry, and policy colleagues.

The second half of the day was spent in breakout sessions focused on pre-K through 16 STEM networks, teacher preparation, professional development for teachers, after-school programs, and industry-supported STEM programs.

Similar events are expected to occur around the country in 2005. Florida's event will take place in February. Texas will host an event in the spring.

Additional details about these STEM Summits will be posted on both www.eimc.org and www.casa.umass.edu.

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