“Focus on the Future” Initiative
Objectives & Purposes
NSTA World Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit, tax-exempt public charity foundation whose purposes and objectives are to encourage and support America’s students and United States citizens in their enhanced education and pursuit of careers in the industries of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (S.T.E.M.). These objectives are achieved through:
Realities & Challenges
"America's students are struggling in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) subjects," says the U. S. News & World Report on September 27, 2011 in a published report, "U.S. News Releases Best Science and Math High School Rankings."(1) As a consequence, many jobs in the STEM sector are either going unfilled or, under desperation, being awarded to foreign workers.
"U.S. businesses are in a Catch-22. They've got plenty of jobs in science, technology, engineering, and math—STEM—ready to fill,” notes Mel Schiavelli, president, Harrisburg University of Science & Technology in Pennsylvania. “Unfortunately, the supply of STEM workers isn't meeting businesses' needs. And this is jeopardizing our nation's ability to drive innovation and competitiveness and seize a global advantage."
In a March 2008 report to Congress entitled, "STEM Education: Background, Federal Policy, and Legislative Action,"(2) it was revealed that 15-year-old students in the U.S. globally ranked 28th in math literacy and 24th in science literacy. The report noted further that "the U.S. ranks 20th among all nations in the proportion of 24-year-olds who earn degrees in natural science or engineering."(3)
The Bureau of Labor and Statistics, in a recent survey entitled, “Fastest growing occupations, 2008-14,” found that among the 30 fastest growing occupations in that period ... over half will require strong backgrounds in math and science preparation by 2012. (4)
According to a recent White House summary, the President’s fiscal 2011 budget plan contains $3.7 billion for STEM education, an increase of about 1 percent from the current level. Additionally, Mr. Obama wants to extend the stimulus law’s Investing in Innovation Fund and set aside $150 million more for STEM projects.
Nonetheless, many analysts express concern that, though impressively ambitious, these figures are simply not robust enough to do the job. In the light of mounting pressure in Washington to rein in spending, one report produced by the National Academies in 2005 stressed the need to recruit 10,000 science and math teachers annually, urging “steps to strengthen the skills of STEM educators and enlarge the pipeline of students prepared to enter college and graduate with a degree in science, engineering, or math.”(5)
NSTA World Foundation is committed to its “Focus on the Future” initiative in helping to solidify America’s global leadership in innovation and invention. We invite corporate leaders, other organizations and philanthropic-minded individuals to join us in this endeavor as we encourage today’s students to pursue tomorrow’s careers in the advancing fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math.
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