Congressman Fattah Announces Major STEM Education Conference in Philadelphia at Drexel University Sept. 19

PHILADELPHIA, Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Congressman Chaka Fattah (D-PA-02), the leading House Democratic appropriator for the National Science Foundation and Congressional leader for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) education, announces that Drexel University will host an important national conference on Monday, September 19 to release the NSF's report on STEM educational practices.

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"STEM Smart: Lessons Learned from Successful Schools" is the all-day rollout for this much anticipated national report of best practices in K-12 STEM education. The report was requested by Congressman Frank Wolf (R-VA), chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce Justice Science and related agencies, where Fattah serves as the ranking Democrat.

"I am pleased to bring this important conference to Philadelphia. American global leadership has been and will be driven by innovative thinking," Congressman Fattah said. "To that end, it is absolutely critical that the next generation of citizens and leaders have the strong science, technology, engineering and math skills necessary to lead the way.  This report lays out a path forward to ensure that all students are prepared to meet this great challenge of the 21st century."

"STEM" is shorthand for the most challenging subjects in the K-12 curriculum that are critical to preparing students for advanced education and jobs in the global economy. The Sept. 19 conference will demonstrate to educators from across the nation what works, and what can work, in facing that challenge.

Fattah arranged for the all-day conference to be held at Drexel in the heart of Philadelphia's University City District in recognition of the university's leading role in STEM education.  Fattah, Wolf, Drexel University President Dr. John Fry and Lori Schorr, Philadelphia Mayor Nutter's Chief Education Officer, will speak during the welcoming session, and NSF Director Subra Suresh deliver an address on "Innovate to Educate: STEM Learning for Tomorrow's World."

Drexel President Dr. Fry said, "As a leader in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math programming Drexel is proud to partner with Congressman Chaka Fattah and the National Science Foundation to host a national conference on our campus.  I'm very excited about bringing national attention to STEM education and related research to support the training of tomorrow's leaders in an area of critical economic importance."

NSF's Dr. Suresh underscored the significance of STEM education and this report: "In his speech last week, the President cited not only the kind of infrastructure that builds highways and bridges, but that which develops young minds," said Suresh. "Without continually improving the infrastructure for teaching STEM, we not only fall short of developing all the innovators we need to address today's and tomorrow's grand challenges; we also fail to prepare our young people for the kind of 21^st-century jobs that require both critical thinking and technical know-how."

Fattah added, "Underscoring the report itself, the exhibit of best practices is an especially exciting part of this conference. Leading educators can visit the young people and their teachers who are showing every day how this vital report can be turned into action."

SOURCE Office of Congressman Chaka Fattah

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