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Maintaining America’s scientific and technological leadership is essential to our economic growth, national security and a productive future for our children. We are facing a critical talent gap in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, the international “language” of innovation. Other nations are demonstrating a stronger commitment to building their “brain power” than we are.In the report “Tapping America’s Potential: The Education for Innovation Initiative,” the following statement is presented showing the importance of STEM: For most of the 20th century, the American education system provided a substantial part of the talent and proficiency needed to sustain and improve our way of life. … Today, however, as the U.S. economy becomes even more reliant on workers with greater knowledge and technological expertise, the domestic supply of qualified workers is not keeping up with the skill demands.
This need is demonstrated in the report by the following statistics: - By 2010, if current trends continue, more than 90 percent of all scientists and engineers in the world will be living in Asia.
- More than 50 percent of all engineering doctoral degrees awarded by U.S. engineering colleges are to foreign nationals.
- Although U.S. fourth graders score well against international competition, they fall near the bottom or dead last by 12th grade in mathematics and science, respectively.
To maintain our country's competitiveness in the 21st century, we must cultivate the skilled scientists and engineers needed to create tomorrow's innovations. The business and labor community has been vocal about expressing their deep concern about the United States’ ability to sustain its scientific and technological competitiveness in the 21st century economy. Info from: Alliance for Education: STEM
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