Pittsburgh STEM Summit - Aug. 15 | Why the Pipeline of STEM-educated People is Mission Critical to Product Innovation

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.