Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Looks to the Future
January 27, 2010Louisiana is Racing to the Top (R2T) to develop a more rigorous STEM curriculum for K-20 students. Dr. Geoff Sinclair, assistant professor, and Nicole Cotten, university education coordinator, represented LUMCON in the initial coordination phase of developing Louisiana’s STEM Initiative. They joined this effort to improve STEM education in the state with other Louisiana scientists, primary and secondary school educators, university professors, administrators, and representatives from the local business community. The Louisiana Department of Education, the Louisiana State University Cain Center for STEM Literacy and the College of Education, in partnership with the Colleges of Engineering and Basic Sciences, jointly sponsored a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) held their first summit on December 15, 2009. Several goals surfaced in the effort to Race to the Top:
- Develop a rigorous curricula for math and science courses that include applications to STEM fields and 21st Century skills
- Expand STEM learning programs and opportunities for teachers and students
- Form regional alliances for the state STEM Initiative
- Identify experiences that motivate PK-12 learners to pursue post-secondary STEM studies and degrees
- Expand efforts to encourage young girls and minority students to explore STEM careers