STEM fields
Encyclopedia
STEM fields is a US Government acronym for the fields of study
in the categories of science
, technology
, engineering
, and mathematics
. The acronym is in use regarding access to work visas for immigrants
who are skilled in these fields. Maintaining a citizenry that is well versed in the STEM fields is a key portion of the public education
agenda of the United States. Substantial lobbying
is underway in Washington, DC to raise awareness of STEM education issues.
lists disciplines including:
The National Science Foundation
is the only American federal agency whose mission includes support for all fields of fundamental science and engineering, except for medical sciences. It lists its disciplinary program areas as:
The Department of Labor identifies fourteen sectors that are "projected to add substantial numbers of new jobs to the economy
or affect the growth of other industries or are being transformed by technology and innovation requiring new sets of skills for workers."
The Department of Labor
's Bureau of Labor Statistics
publishes a Occupational Outlook Handbook. STEM fields careers are some of the best-paying and have the greatest potential for job growth in the early 21st century
.
In the State of the Union Address
on January 31, 2006, United States President George W. Bush
announced the American Competitiveness Initiative
. Bush proposed the initiative to address shortfalls in federal government support of educational development and progress at all academic levels in the STEM fields. In detail, the initiative called for significant increases in federal funding for advanced R&D programs (including a doubling of federal funding support for advanced research in the physical sciences through DOE
) and an increase in U.S. higher education graduates within STEM disciplines.
In 2006, the United States National Academies
expressed their concern about the declining state of STEM education in the United States. Its Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy developed a list of 10 actions federal policy makers could take to advance STEM education in the United States to compete successfully in the 21st century. Their top three recommendations were to:
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration also has implemented programs and curricula to advance STEM education in order to replenish the pool of scientists, engineers and mathematicians who will lead space exploration in the 21st century.
The NASA Means Business competition, sponsored by the Texas Space Grant Consortium, furthers that goal. College students compete to develop promotional plans to encourage students in middle and high school to study STEM subjects and to inspire professors in STEM fields to involve their students in outreach activities that support STEM education.
The National Science Foundation
has numerous programs in STEM education, including some for K-12 students such as the ITEST Program that supports The Global Challenge Award ITEST Program.
STEM programs have been implemented in some Arizona schools. They implement higher cognitive skills for students and enable them to inquire and use techniques used by professionals in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematical fields.
The STEM Education Coalition
"The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Coalition works to support STEM programs for teachers and students at the U. S. Department of Education
, the National Science Foundation
, and other agencies that offer STEM related programs." A list of organizations that are part of the STEM Coalition can be found on its homepage. Activity of the STEM Coalition seems to have slowed since September, 2009.
America COMPETES Act of 2007
The America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69) became law on August 9, 2007. The act responds to concerns that the United States may not be able to compete economically with other nations in the future due to insufficient investment today in science and technology research and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce development. The America COMPETES Act is intended to increase the nations investment in science and engineering research and in STEM education from kindergarten to graduate school and postdoctoral education.
The act authorizes funding increases for the National Science Foundation
(NSF), National Institute of Standards and Technology
(NIST) laboratories, and the Department of Energy
(DOE) Office of Science over FY2008-FY2010.
, articulated success as increased student achievement, early expression of student interest in STEM subjects, and student preparedness to enter the workforce.
Academic discipline
An academic discipline, or field of study, is a branch of knowledge that is taught and researched at the college or university level. Disciplines are defined , and recognized by the academic journals in which research is published, and the learned societies and academic departments or faculties to...
in the categories of science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
, technology
Technology
Technology is the making, usage, and knowledge of tools, machines, techniques, crafts, systems or methods of organization in order to solve a problem or perform a specific function. It can also refer to the collection of such tools, machinery, and procedures. The word technology comes ;...
, engineering
Engineering
Engineering is the discipline, art, skill and profession of acquiring and applying scientific, mathematical, economic, social, and practical knowledge, in order to design and build structures, machines, devices, systems, materials and processes that safely realize improvements to the lives of...
, and mathematics
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
. The acronym is in use regarding access to work visas for immigrants
Immigration to the United States
Immigration to the United States has been a major source of population growth and cultural change throughout much of the history of the United States. The economic, social, and political aspects of immigration have caused controversy regarding ethnicity, economic benefits, jobs for non-immigrants,...
who are skilled in these fields. Maintaining a citizenry that is well versed in the STEM fields is a key portion of the public education
Public education
State schools, also known in the United States and Canada as public schools,In much of the Commonwealth, including Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, the terms 'public education', 'public school' and 'independent school' are used for private schools, that is, schools...
agenda of the United States. Substantial lobbying
Lobbying
Lobbying is the act of attempting to influence decisions made by officials in the government, most often legislators or members of regulatory agencies. Lobbying is done by various people or groups, from private-sector individuals or corporations, fellow legislators or government officials, or...
is underway in Washington, DC to raise awareness of STEM education issues.
Examples
An exhaustive list of STEM disciplines does not exist, but the U.S. Immigration and Customs EnforcementU.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement is a federal law enforcement agency under the United States Department of Homeland Security , responsible for identifying, investigating, and dismantling vulnerabilities regarding the nation's border, economic, transportation, and infrastructure security...
lists disciplines including:
- PhysicsPhysicsPhysics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
- Actuarial ScienceActuarial scienceActuarial science is the discipline that applies mathematical and statistical methods to assess risk in the insurance and finance industries. Actuaries are professionals who are qualified in this field through education and experience...
- ChemistryChemistryChemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
- MathematicsMathematicsMathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
- Computer ScienceComputer scienceComputer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
- BiochemistryBiochemistryBiochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
- RoboticsRoboticsRobotics is the branch of technology that deals with the design, construction, operation, structural disposition, manufacture and application of robots...
- Computer EngineeringComputer engineeringComputer engineering, also called computer systems engineering, is a discipline that integrates several fields of electrical engineering and computer science required to develop computer systems. Computer engineers usually have training in electronic engineering, software design, and...
- Electrical EngineeringElectrical engineeringElectrical engineering is a field of engineering that generally deals with the study and application of electricity, electronics and electromagnetism. The field first became an identifiable occupation in the late nineteenth century after commercialization of the electric telegraph and electrical...
- Mechanical EngineeringMechanical engineeringMechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
- Civil EngineeringCivil engineeringCivil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
- Aerospace EngineeringAerospace engineeringAerospace engineering is the primary branch of engineering concerned with the design, construction and science of aircraft and spacecraft. It is divided into two major and overlapping branches: aeronautical engineering and astronautical engineering...
- Chemical EngineeringChemical engineeringChemical engineering is the branch of engineering that deals with physical science , and life sciences with mathematics and economics, to the process of converting raw materials or chemicals into more useful or valuable forms...
- AstrophysicsAstrophysicsAstrophysics is the branch of astronomy that deals with the physics of the universe, including the physical properties of celestial objects, as well as their interactions and behavior...
- AstronomyAstronomyAstronomy is a natural science that deals with the study of celestial objects and phenomena that originate outside the atmosphere of Earth...
- NanotechnologyNanotechnologyNanotechnology is the study of manipulating matter on an atomic and molecular scale. Generally, nanotechnology deals with developing materials, devices, or other structures possessing at least one dimension sized from 1 to 100 nanometres...
- Nuclear PhysicsNuclear physicsNuclear physics is the field of physics that studies the building blocks and interactions of atomic nuclei. The most commonly known applications of nuclear physics are nuclear power generation and nuclear weapons technology, but the research has provided application in many fields, including those...
- Mathematical BiologyMathematical biologyMathematical and theoretical biology is an interdisciplinary scientific research field with a range of applications in biology, medicine and biotechnology...
- Operations ResearchOperations researchOperations research is an interdisciplinary mathematical science that focuses on the effective use of technology by organizations...
- Neurobiology
- BiomechanicsBiomechanicsBiomechanics is the application of mechanical principles to biological systems, such as humans, animals, plants, organs, and cells. Perhaps one of the best definitions was provided by Herbert Hatze in 1974: "Biomechanics is the study of the structure and function of biological systems by means of...
- BioinformaticsBioinformaticsBioinformatics is the application of computer science and information technology to the field of biology and medicine. Bioinformatics deals with algorithms, databases and information systems, web technologies, artificial intelligence and soft computing, information and computation theory, software...
- Acoustical EngineeringAcoustical engineeringAcoustical engineering is the branch of engineering dealing with sound and vibration. It is the application of acoustics, the science of sound and vibration, in technology. Acoustical engineers are typically concerned with the manipulation and control of sound....
- Geographic Information Systems
- Atmospheric SciencesAtmospheric sciencesAtmospheric sciences is an umbrella term for the study of the atmosphere, its processes, the effects other systems have on the atmosphere, and the effects of the atmosphere on these other systems. Meteorology includes atmospheric chemistry and atmospheric physics with a major focus on weather...
The National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
is the only American federal agency whose mission includes support for all fields of fundamental science and engineering, except for medical sciences. It lists its disciplinary program areas as:
- Biological Sciences
- Computer & Information Science & Engineering
- Education and Human Resources
- Engineering
- Environmental Research & Education
- Geosciences
- International Science & Engineering
- Mathematical & Physical Sciences
- Social, Behavioral & Economic Sciences
- Cyberinfrastructure
- Polar Programs
The Department of Labor identifies fourteen sectors that are "projected to add substantial numbers of new jobs to the economy
Economy of the United States
The economy of the United States is the world's largest national economy. Its nominal GDP was estimated to be nearly $14.5 trillion in 2010, approximately a quarter of nominal global GDP. The European Union has a larger collective economy, but is not a single nation...
or affect the growth of other industries or are being transformed by technology and innovation requiring new sets of skills for workers."
- Advanced ManufacturingAdvanced ManufacturingThere is no one comprehensive, widely-accepted definition of Advanced Manufacturing . The phrase is used by many organizations in different, sometimes conflicting, ways...
- Automotive
- Construction
- Financial ServicesFinancial servicesFinancial services refer to services provided by the finance industry. The finance industry encompasses a broad range of organizations that deal with the management of money. Among these organizations are credit unions, banks, credit card companies, insurance companies, consumer finance companies,...
- Geospatial Technology
- Homeland SecurityHomeland securityHomeland security is an umbrella term for security efforts to protect states against terrorist activity. Specifically, is a concerted national effort to prevent terrorist attacks within the U.S., reduce America’s vulnerability to terrorism, and minimize the damage and recover from attacks that do...
- Information TechnologyInformation technologyInformation technology is the acquisition, processing, storage and dissemination of vocal, pictorial, textual and numerical information by a microelectronics-based combination of computing and telecommunications...
- Transportation
- AerospaceAerospaceAerospace comprises the atmosphere of Earth and surrounding space. Typically the term is used to refer to the industry that researches, designs, manufactures, operates, and maintains vehicles moving through air and space...
- BiotechnologyBiotechnologyBiotechnology is a field of applied biology that involves the use of living organisms and bioprocesses in engineering, technology, medicine and other fields requiring bioproducts. Biotechnology also utilizes these products for manufacturing purpose...
- EnergyEnergy industryThe energy industry is the totality of all of the industries involved in the production and sale of energy, including fuel extraction, manufacturing, refining and distribution...
- Healthcare
- HospitalityHospitality industryThe hospitality industry consists of broad category of fields within the service industry that includes lodging, restaurants, event planning, theme parks, transportation, cruise line, and additional fields within the tourism industry. The hospitality industry is a several billion dollar industry...
- Retail
The Department of Labor
United States Department of Labor
The United States Department of Labor is a Cabinet department of the United States government responsible for occupational safety, wage and hour standards, unemployment insurance benefits, re-employment services, and some economic statistics. Many U.S. states also have such departments. The...
's Bureau of Labor Statistics
Bureau of Labor Statistics
The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a unit of the United States Department of Labor. It is the principal fact-finding agency for the U.S. government in the broad field of labor economics and statistics. The BLS is a governmental statistical agency that collects, processes, analyzes, and...
publishes a Occupational Outlook Handbook. STEM fields careers are some of the best-paying and have the greatest potential for job growth in the early 21st century
21st century
The 21st century is the current century of the Anno Domini era or the Common Era in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. The century began on January 1, 2001 and will end on December 31, 2100. The years from 2001 to 2010 are historical; the years from 2011 to 2100 are subject to futurology and...
.
Related groups and legislation
American Competitiveness InitiativeIn the State of the Union Address
State of the Union Address
The State of the Union is an annual address presented by the President of the United States to the United States Congress. The address not only reports on the condition of the nation but also allows the president to outline his legislative agenda and his national priorities.The practice arises...
on January 31, 2006, United States President George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
announced the American Competitiveness Initiative
American Competitiveness Initiative
The American Competitiveness Initiative is a federal assistance program intended to help America maintain its competitiveness through investment in research and development and education. The ACI’s focus is on programs that are likely to strengthen U.S. competitiveness by targeting funding to...
. Bush proposed the initiative to address shortfalls in federal government support of educational development and progress at all academic levels in the STEM fields. In detail, the initiative called for significant increases in federal funding for advanced R&D programs (including a doubling of federal funding support for advanced research in the physical sciences through DOE
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
) and an increase in U.S. higher education graduates within STEM disciplines.
In 2006, the United States National Academies
United States National Academies
The United States National Academies comprises four organizations:* National Academy of Sciences * National Academy of Engineering * Institute of Medicine * National Research Council...
expressed their concern about the declining state of STEM education in the United States. Its Committee on Science, Engineering and Public Policy developed a list of 10 actions federal policy makers could take to advance STEM education in the United States to compete successfully in the 21st century. Their top three recommendations were to:
- increase America’s talent pool by improving K-12 science and mathematics education;
- strengthen the skills of teachers through additional training in science, math and technology; and
- enlarge the pipeline of students prepared to enter college and graduate with STEM degrees.
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration also has implemented programs and curricula to advance STEM education in order to replenish the pool of scientists, engineers and mathematicians who will lead space exploration in the 21st century.
The NASA Means Business competition, sponsored by the Texas Space Grant Consortium, furthers that goal. College students compete to develop promotional plans to encourage students in middle and high school to study STEM subjects and to inspire professors in STEM fields to involve their students in outreach activities that support STEM education.
The National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
has numerous programs in STEM education, including some for K-12 students such as the ITEST Program that supports The Global Challenge Award ITEST Program.
STEM programs have been implemented in some Arizona schools. They implement higher cognitive skills for students and enable them to inquire and use techniques used by professionals in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematical fields.
The STEM Education Coalition
"The Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Education Coalition works to support STEM programs for teachers and students at the U. S. Department of Education
United States Department of Education
The United States Department of Education, also referred to as ED or the ED for Education Department, is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government...
, the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
, and other agencies that offer STEM related programs." A list of organizations that are part of the STEM Coalition can be found on its homepage. Activity of the STEM Coalition seems to have slowed since September, 2009.
America COMPETES Act of 2007
The America COMPETES Act (P.L. 110-69) became law on August 9, 2007. The act responds to concerns that the United States may not be able to compete economically with other nations in the future due to insufficient investment today in science and technology research and science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and workforce development. The America COMPETES Act is intended to increase the nations investment in science and engineering research and in STEM education from kindergarten to graduate school and postdoctoral education.
The act authorizes funding increases for the National Science Foundation
National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation is a United States government agency that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National Institutes of Health...
(NSF), National Institute of Standards and Technology
National Institute of Standards and Technology
The National Institute of Standards and Technology , known between 1901 and 1988 as the National Bureau of Standards , is a measurement standards laboratory, otherwise known as a National Metrological Institute , which is a non-regulatory agency of the United States Department of Commerce...
(NIST) laboratories, and the Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
(DOE) Office of Science over FY2008-FY2010.
Measures
Robert Gabrys, Director of Education at NASA's Goddard Space Flight CenterGoddard Space Flight Center
The Goddard Space Flight Center is a major NASA space research laboratory established on May 1, 1959 as NASA's first space flight center. GSFC employs approximately 10,000 civil servants and contractors, and is located approximately northeast of Washington, D.C. in Greenbelt, Maryland, USA. GSFC,...
, articulated success as increased student achievement, early expression of student interest in STEM subjects, and student preparedness to enter the workforce.
See also
- Hard and soft scienceHard and soft scienceHard science and soft science are colloquial terms often used when comparing scientific fields of academic research or scholarship, with hard meaning perceived as being more scientific, rigorous, or accurate...
- NASA RealWorld-InWorld Engineering Design ChallengeNASA RealWorld-InWorld Engineering Design ChallengeNASA RealWorld-InWorld Engineering Design Challenge encourages students in grades 7–12 to explore and to build skills for successful careers in science, technology, engineering, and math through two phases of project-based learning and team competition...
- Pre-STEMPre-STEMA Pre-STEM program is a course of study at any two-year college that prepares a student to transfer to a four-year school to earn a baccalaureate degree in a STEM field....
- Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics NetworkScience, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics NetworkThe Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Network or STEMNET is an educational charity in the United Kingdom that seeks to encourage participation at school and college into science and engineering-related subjects and work....
- STEM Academy
- NASA Pre-Service Teacher Institute
Further reading
- U.S. Department of Commerce report: "Education Supports Racial and Ethnic Equality in STEM" (September 2011)
- U.S. Department of Commerce report: "Women in STEM: A Gender Gap to Innovation" (August 2011)
- U.S. Department of Commerce report: "STEM: Good Jobs Now and For the Future" (July 2011)
- STEM Career - For Those Seeking and Promoting STEM Careers
- STEM Coalition Argues for Federal Support of STEM Education Programs (August 25, 2005)
- STEM Coalition Statement To House & Senate Appriopriators In Support Of STEM Education And NSF Education (May 24, 2005)
- ASME: Position Statements and Model Bill on K-12 Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics
- Panel on Educating the Knowledge Workforce: Graduate Education and American Competitiveness by Claudia Mitchell-Kernan (March 9, 2005)
- Association for Career and Technical EducationAssociation for Career and Technical EducationThe Association for Career and Technical Education is the professional association of CTE educators . It is a nonprofit membership association based in the United States. Its members are primarily educators and administrators of career and technical education , which is sometimes known as...
articles on STEM education - [NC State's Chancellor] Oblinger Joins New National Coalition To Attract STEM Students
- House Higher Education Bill Would Promote STEM Careers (American Institute of Physics, August 29, 2005)
- In August 2008 Sir sabrina commented on the lack of STEM and engineering students in the UK in an interview with The Telegraph.
External links
- U.S. News & World Report STEM Education blog
- STEM Education STEM Education Blog - Blog, Resources, Articles, Interviews
- STEM Education Coalition Website
- On Diversity: Standing Our Ground: A Guidebook for STEM Educators in the Post-Michigan Era (AAASAmerican Association for the Advancement of ScienceThe American Association for the Advancement of Science is an international non-profit organization with the stated goals of promoting cooperation among scientists, defending scientific freedom, encouraging scientific responsibility, and supporting scientific education and science outreach for the...
, October 2005) - On Diversity: Increasing Doctoral Participation of Underrepresented Minorities in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Fields by Scott A. Bass, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
- On Women in STEM Fields: Mary Kirk's book (2009). Gender and Information Technology: Moving Beyond Access to Co-Create Global Partnership. Hershey, PA: IGI Global. ISBN 978-1-59904-786-7
- On Women in STEM Fields: "The Gender Chip Project" A documentary by Helen De Michiel*On Sir James Dyson's article on STEM students in The Telegraph
- Game-based STEM learning The Global Challenge
- The COMETS Initiative: (Career-Oriented Mathematics, Engineering, Technology and Science) The COMETS Initiative
- Sloan Career Cornerstone Center: Sloan Career Cornerstone Center Provides in-depth career information for over 190 fields in STEMM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine).
- STEM Careers: STEMCareer.com - Provides a wide variety of information on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) for students, counselors, and teachers.
- Encourage students to enter STEM fields: STEMout
- STEM2Stern: stem2stern.org - US Navy's Program to promote STEM careers.