K-12 Science Education (STEM)

In the second of what appears to be a series of commentary on the Science, Technology, Engineering and Math hearings being held by the US House subcommittee for Science, I’d like to draw your attention to a few points in “Reform in K-12 STEM Education”.

First the funny bits, brought to you today by Dr. Gordon Gee, president of Ohio State University:

• “Mathematics is very intimidating.  Every time I go and visit with our Math department … I take Valium before I go over … they scare the hell out of me.” (1:18:43)  … So remember kids, if your PI asks why you’re dropping X before group meeting, tell ’em Dr. Gee said it was cool.  Honestly, I think most group meetings would be improved by a little X.
• “If you can’t be a lawyer, if you can’t be a doctor … you can always be a teacher.” (1:10:06)  I kid, I kid.

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Two Chemistry Related Stories

Gov. Committee on Improving STEM Education

If you’re like me, you saw saw STEM and thought ‘My god, a committee on Microscopy!  Is there one on NMR?’  But no, STEM means ‘Science, Technology, Engineering and Math’.  For all the acronym love in the hearing, the witnesses had some very interesting things to say.  It’s a bit long and, as a witnesses who thought his mic was off said, ‘I think things went better once we stopped reading from our statements.’

First the less serious bits:

• The committee chair, IL Rep. Daniel Lipinski, opened with some adorable stories about REU.  He then followed up with a comment about the ‘Grey Tsunami’ of the Sputnik era of American scientists retiring.
• Much later in (1:09:40) SC Rep. Bob Inglis commented that we apparently need more ‘blond knockout’ scientists to motivate interest in science …  I guess he forgot to add ‘with killer racks’.  As an unattractive scientist, I was mildly offended.

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