This week in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) news, the push to find how best to utilize STEM education continues. Whether it be government-sponsored summer camps promoting STEM skills or a STEM program designed to represent minorities in the field, the country as a whole continues to try to figure out how to get and keep students interested in STEM. 

New Findings Reveal Need for More Coordination Between K-12 Schools and STEM Employers

A new survey conducted by MdBio Foundation, Inc. revealed a majority of 523 STEM professionals said they chose to pursue STEM careers before entering college. Further, more than half of those surveyed said it was a summer job or internship experience that helped them land full time jobs in the field. According to Business Wire, this indicates a strong need for increased partnership with K-12 education and STEM employers.

Read the full article here.

Lawmakers Push to Add Art and Design into STEM Education

Rep. James Langevin, D-R.I and 14 co-sponsors recently introduced a House resolution to insist on the addition of art and design into STEM education efforts.

"Artists and designers 'effectively communicate complex data and scientific information' and 'are playing an integral role in the development of modern technology,'" the resolution says, according to the article.

Additionally, it proposes recognizing May as STEM-to-STEAM month to raise awareness.

Read the full article here.

$2.2 Million Grant to Further Develop STEM in Texas School District

The Texas Instruments Foundation will be donating $2.2. million to accelerate focus on STEM education in the Lancaster Independent School District (LISD) through the public-private initiative, Educate Texas.

"The TI Foundation, Educate Texas, and LISD have worked together over the past three years addressing core elements of LISD's original plan to include a strong STEM foundation of college-ready teaching and learning, strategic partnerships and community outreach, and a plan for sustaining this work," according to the article.

Many hope this funding will enable the school district to become a "premier district" within the state and become a model for successful STEM education.

Read the full article here. 

Government Hosts Cyber Security Camps for High School Students 

In hopes of creating budding cyber security experts, the National Science Foundation and National Security Agency continue to work together this summer through GenCyber, which is a program that runs summer camps across the country.

Last year, the first year of the program, GenCyber hosted a total of six summer camps.

"They set a goal of 30 for this summer, but demand was so great there are 43 at a cost of about $4 million, said Steven LaFountain, the dean of the College of Cyber at the National Security Agency, who is credited by many with conceiving the idea," according to the article.

The government hopes that by starting cyber security education early, more will move on to study it further and satisfy the growing need for cyber security experts.

Read the full article here.

STEM Program Focuses on Educating African-American Men to 'Combat Underrepresentation'

The St. Elmo Brady STEM Academy. an eight-week program held three days of the week, has made its mission to fix the underrepresentation of African-American males in STEM studies.

"The program not only focuses on educating young African-American boys but their fathers as well," according to the article. The program recently wrapped up its second annual science fair, where 30 students participated; on one day of the fair, fathers and male role models were invited to come and help work on the projects with the students.

Read the full article here.

Compiled by Nicole Gorman, Education World Contributor

05/05/2015