Earlier this year, the National Science Foundation (NSF), in consultation with the Department of Education, NASA, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), appointed PLTW President and CEO Vince Bertram to the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Advisory Panel. Congress authorized the creation of the panel to advise a group of federal organizations – called the Committee on Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education (CoSTEM) – on matters related to STEM education.
Learn more about Vince’s vision for impacting STEM education through his appointment in our Q&A with him below:
PLTW: What does it mean to you to be named to the STEM Education Advisory Panel?
Vince: I am honored to serve our country in what I believe is one of the most critical areas facing our economy, national security, and our students’ futures. It’s an opportunity to review the nation’s STEM plan and to provide input and suggestions on how we implement and continue to advance this important work.
PLTW: What do you hope the group will accomplish?
Vince: This is a bipartisan effort to address one of the most urgent issues facing our nation. It is my hope to come together to think strategically about effective implementation of the plan and to provide a unified voice to support it.
PLTW: Why is this work so important for our nation?
Vince: Most people recognize that even when we are at or near full employment, we have many people who are underemployed or who have become discouraged and are no longer actively searching for work. At the same time, we have millions of jobs unfilled because we don’t have enough people with the skills necessary to do those jobs. That’s today, but as we move forward, this problem will manifest itself in a way that is detrimental to our national economy and security. We must be intentional in helping our students develop in demand, transportable skills, by embedding high-quality STEM education in our PreK-12 education system. We must also make the clear connections between the education system and careers.
PLTW: What are you most looking forward to during your service?
Vince: Helping to reinforce the urgency in this work. I’m looking forward to reviewing and helping enhance our national STEM strategy, as well helping people understand the importance of high quality implementation. I’m also excited about collaborating with some the best minds and greatest thinkers around STEM education and our economy. It is certainly an honor to represent Project Lead The Way in this capacity and a tremendous honor to serve our great country.
Stay current on Vince’s travels – and the latest in education and workforce development news – by following him on Twitter at @VinceBertram.