FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
MEDIA CONTACTS:
Karin P. Koser KPK & Co. 404-636-9311 karin@kpkco.com
Mitch Leff KPK & Co. 404-636-9311 mleff@kpkco.com
Georgia PRISM Challenges Educators, Business Leaders with Best Practices Conference
Accepting the STEM Challenge Conference brings together educators, business leaders and policy makers to promote math, technology, engineering and science-based education
ATLANTA, June 19, 2008 – In recent years, numerous news reports, studies, and books have pointed to a sharp decline in American students’ interest in science and math-based subjects. Combine that with technology’s growing role in the world economy, and a “quiet crisis” is looming in the U.S. A report by The National Science Board in 2007 states “the United States possesses the most innovative, technologically-capable economy in the world, and yet its science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education system is failing to ensure that all American students receive the skills and knowledge required for success in the 21st century workforce.”
To actively address this issue, Georgia’s PRISM (Partnership for Reform in Science and Mathematics) is leading the MATH+ SCIENCE = SUCCESS USG Presidents’ Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Initiative to increase the number of K-12 students interested in mathematics/science/engineering, the number of students in college who pursue the STEM disciplines, and the number of teachers prepared who are better able to keep K-12 students in the STEM pipeline. An important focal point of this initiative is the Accepting the STEM Challenge Conference, taking place September 11-13, 2008 in Atlanta, Georgia.
This conference will provide K-16 STEM educators, administrators, state policy makers, business and community leaders with opportunities to share best practices while gaining insights on how others are addressing the challenges associated with STEM education. Attendees can choose from among more than 50 educational sessions and presentations within three strands: K-16 Student Academic Success in STEM; Roles & Effectiveness of K-16 STEM Educators; and Partnerships for Effective STEM Education.
Three distinguished commissioners from the National Association of State Universities and Land Grant Colleges’ (NASULGC) Science and Mathematics Teacher Imperative will present a panel discussion on the topic: Reversing the Downward Spiral of Science and Mathematics Education in the United States. The panelists – including former Wyoming Governor Jim Geringer; Judy Jeffrey, Director, Iowa State Department of Education; and Dr. Nancy Shapiro, Associate Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs, University System of Maryland -- will address the question of “how can actions taken across the domains of power and policy be aligned in a better way to reverse the downward spiral and drive up the number of genuinely highly qualified science and mathematics teachers to improve student success in science and mathematics?” The panel will be facilitated by Howard Gobstein, Project Co-Director & Vice President, Research & Science Policy, NASULGC.
Day one of the conference will focus primarily on best practices for business and organizations. The first day’s keynote speaker is Susan Traiman, director of Public Policy at the Business Roundtable, where she oversees the Roundtable’s work with chief executive officers of leading corporations interested in improving education performance and workforce competitiveness in the United States. Recently cited as “the most influential chief executive lobbying group in the U.S.” by the Financial Times, Business Roundtable members are at the forefront of public policy, advocating for a vigorous, dynamic global economy. Currently the Roundtable, working with fourteen other national business organizations, is leading the “Tapping America’s Potential” campaign to double the number of science, technology, engineering and mathematics graduates with bachelor’s degrees by 2015.
On day two, targeted to educational track attendees, Kathryn Sullivan, PhD, director of The Battelle Center for Math and Science Education Policy at the John Glenn School of Public Affairs at Ohio State University will keynote. The first of only seven American women to walk in space, Dr. Sullivan was one of the first six women selected as a NASA astronaut in 1978. Logging over 530 hours in space during her three space flights, Dr. Sullivan's historic space walk took place during her very first mission aboard Challenger in 1984. An experienced corporate director, she serves as Vice Chairman of the National Science Board and is an oceanography officer in the US Naval Reserve, holding the rank of Captain.
“These two dynamic women afford our attendees an opportunity to hear firsthand the importance of STEM education and how partnerships are affecting change,” said Jan Kettlewell, University System of Georgia Vice Chancellor for P-16 Initiatives and PRISM Principal Investigator. “It is our hope that everyone will come away from the conference challenged and inspired to impact America’s future in a positive way.”
Those interested in attending Accepting the Stem Challenge may register online at http://www.gaprism.org/stemconference/registration.phtml.
About PRISM
Partnership for Reform in Science and Mathematics (PRISM) is a five-year initiative funded by the National Science Foundation and administered by the University System of Georgia with the primary purpose of improving student achievement in science and mathematics at all levels of education throughout Georgia. PRISM is working actively in four diverse regions of the state with partners at the university and P-12 level in each region. For more information about PRISM, visit www.gaprism.org.This press release is based on work supported by the National Science Foundation under Cooperative Agreement Number: EHR-0314953. Any opinions, findings and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.
©2008 KPK & Co. All rights reserved.