For our nation, and our region, to remain economically and
environmentally strong and sustainable, we must recruit and educate the next
generation of scientists, technologists, engineers, and mathematicians who will
solve the complex problems of our times. Maintaining the pipeline of
STEM-educated people is mission critical to the success of any company
developing, producing, and managing any product or service offering.
Because a STEM-ready workforce is fundamental to product
development and management, we are pleased to let you know about the upcoming
Pittsburgh STEM Summit, to be held at the Doubletree Pittsburgh Hotel on August
15, 2013. The summit will feature exciting keynote presentations,
information about interesting STEM partnerships, and opportunities to network
among STEM leaders in business, formal and informal education, and
nonprofits. The Pittsburgh Technology Council is organizing the
summit, which is co-sponsored by STEM Asset Education, Google, Bayer, and the
Carnegie Science Center.
Pittsburgh PDMA members are invited to attend
the summit at the reduced cost of $75; the regular admission fee is $99. To register at the special PDMA rate please email events@pghtech.org
or call 412-918-4229 and reference the PDMA Pittsburgh Chapter.
Click here for more information and a detailed agenda: http://stem.pghtech.org/
Why does STEM matter? Here is one example of the cost
of lost opportunity:
"The United States could enjoy a remarkable increment
in its annual GDP growth per capita by enhancing the math proficiency of U.S.
students. Increasing the percentage of proficient students to the levels
attained in Canada and Korea would increase the annual U.S. growth rate by 0.9
percentage points and 1.3 percentage points, respectively. Since long-term
average annual growth rates hover between 2 and 3 percentage points, that
increment would lift growth rates by between 30 and 50 percent.
When translated into dollar terms, these magnitudes become
staggering. If one calculates these percentage increases as national income
projections over an 80-year period (providing for a 20-year delay before any
school reform is completed and the newly proficient students begin their
working careers), a back-of-the-envelope calculation suggests gains of nothing
less than $75 trillion over the period. That averages out to around a trillion
dollars a year."
Source: L. Woessman, P.E. Peterson, E.A. Hanushek,
C.X. Lastra-Anadón, 2011. Globally Challenged: Are U.S. Students Ready to Compete? Program
on Education Policy and Governance, Harvard University.
For more STEMtistics (sm), click here: http://changetheequation.org/why-stem
We hope you'll be able to participate in this important
initiative.
