DALLAS, TX – JUNE 27, 2012 – Today, Battelle and thirteen state STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education networks officially launched STEMx at the U.S. News STEM Solutions Summit in Dallas, Texas. One year in the making and sponsored by Battelle, STEMx connects state networks and partners to accelerate the growth of policies, practices […]Read more
The post STEMx Launched at U.S. News STEM Solutions Summit in Dallas appeared first on Tennessee STEM Innovation Network.
DALLAS, TX – JUNE 27, 2012 – Today, Battelle
and thirteen state STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) education networks officially launched STEMx
at the U.S. News STEM Solutions Summit in Dallas, Texas. One year in the making and sponsored by Battelle, STEMx connects state networks and partners to accelerate the growth of policies, practices and partnerships that are needed to expand the number of STEM teachers, increase student achievement in STEM education and, ultimately, grow tomorrow’s innovators.
“We are proud to support STEMx – a game-changer in education,” said Eric Fingerhut, Vice President for Education & STEM Learning at Battelle. “STEMx is uniquely positioned to impact STEM teaching and learning at a grassroots level through the sharing of STEM-specific resources and tools across the United States. The Network’s objective to transform and advance STEM education and workforce development deeply resonates with Battelle’s core education mission and our work in STEM education to date.”
STEMx member states at launch are Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Michigan, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas and Washington.
The launch began with a marquee, talk show-style panel featuring Global Cultural Ambassador Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as host. Guests on “The STEMx Show” included Brad Smith, General Counsel & Executive Vice President of Microsoft Corporation; Jeffrey Wadsworth, PhD, CEO of Battelle Memorial Institute; Johanna Duncan-Poitier, Senior Vice Chancellor, State University of New York; the Honorable Joyce Beatty, Former Democratic Leader of the Ohio House of Representatives; and Steve Zipkes, Founding Principal of Manor New Technology High School.
In the spirit of the high-tech nature of STEMx, attendees were treated to a ribbon cutting featuring roving and aerial robots programmed by students and faculty from the University of Texas at Dallas. Students and faculty from University’s School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics’ Center for STEM Education and Eric Jonsson School of Engineering and Computer Science’s Sensing, Robotics, Vision, Controls and Estimation (SeRViCE) Lab contributed to the “high-tech launch,” including Dr. Nikki Hanegan, Director of the Center for STEM Education and Research and Professor of Biology and STEM Education Research; Dr. Nicholas Gans, Professor of Electrical Engineering; Joshua Baggett, a graduate student pursuing a Masters in Science Education; Amanda Slaybaugh, an undergraduate Mathematics major; J. Pablo Ramirez, a PhD student in Electrical Engineering; David Tick, a PhD student in Computer Engineering; and Ben Nilson, a Master’s student.
The afternoon concluded with ten breakout sessions on subjects including educational innovation, public policy, public-private partnerships and community engagement. Each session featured a cross-section of representatives from the eleven initial STEMx member states, showcasing the collaborative work STEMx states have engaged in over the last few years.
About Battelle
As the world’s largest independent research and development organization, Battelle provides innovative solutions to the world’s most pressing needs through its four global businesses: Laboratory Management; National Security; Health and Life Sciences; and Energy, Environment and Material Sciences. It advances scientific discovery and application by conducting $6.5 billion in global R&D annually through contract research, laboratory management and technology commercialization. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Battelle oversees 22,000 employees in more than 130 locations worldwide, including seven national laboratories, which Battelle manages or co-manages for the U.S. Department of Energy and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and a nuclear energy lab in the United Kingdom.
Battelle also is one of the nation’s leading charitable trusts focusing on societal and economic impact and actively supporting and promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education.
About the Tennessee STEM Innovation Network
The Tennessee STEM Innovation Network (TSIN) is a unique public-private collaboration between the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE) and Battelle Memorial Institute (Battelle) designed to promote and expand the teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education in K-12 public schools across Tennessee.
Katy Delaney, Manager, Media Relations | Battelle
Phone: 614-424-7208
Email: delaneyk@battelle.org
Luke Duncan, Director of Communication | TSIN
Phone: 615-712-0645
Email: luke@theTSIN.org
