Former Football Player turned Full-Time Mathematician, John Urschel, kicks-off the #GenSTEM contest to get kids pumped up to go back to school

Take the quiz or take a photo - just be sure to enter to win $500 and a starring role in a new, nationwide STEM lesson

News provided by

Aug 15, 2017, 09:00 ET

DALLAS, Aug. 15, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- To get more students excited about STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) subjects as they head back to school, Texas Instruments (TI) teamed up with newly-retired Baltimore Raven John Urschel to kick-off the #GenSTEM contest. The goal is to show today's generation of STEM students (#GenSTEM) that whatever they are in to, whether it's cooking or fashion or football, STEM is in it too.

Texas Instruments and John Urschel, a published mathematician and former pro football player, are kicking off the back-to-school season with a chance to win some great prizes. There are two ways to play, and two ways to win. Take the quiz or take a photo - just be sure to enter to win $500 and a starring role in a new, nationwide STEM lesson! Learn more at www.genstemcontest.com

John Urschel: Life after Football
The 6'3, 305-pound former lineman recently did the unexpected by hanging up his football cleats to focus on his growing family and mathematics full-time. "I will always remember and cherish my days playing football, but I'm looking forward to focusing fully on pursuing my doctoral degree at MIT and being the best mathematician I can be," said Urschel. "I'm excited to continue to work to inspire young people in STEM subjects like mathematics, showing them the many doors that this path can open for them."

Why "STEM" adds up
The case for STEM is clear. The number of U.S. jobs in STEM is growing about three times faster than non-STEM jobs, with a projected 9 million STEM jobs needing to be filled by 2022.[i] With only 18 percent of bachelor's degrees being received in STEM subjects, the country is not projected to graduate enough STEM professionals to meet the demand.[ii]

Do the math: Two ways to play, two ways to win
Now through September 25, take the #GenSTEM quiz to discover your inner STEM strengths for a chance to win a TI graphing calculator, with giveaways every week. Or, snap a photo showing how STEM inspires you for a chance to win a $500 gift card and an expense-paid trip to TI's headquarters in Dallas. John Urschel will select the winning photo and the recipient will star in the next edition of STEM Behind Cool Careers, an entertaining series of videos and calculator activities that introduce middle and high school students to unexpected STEM careers.

Get in the game
"If we can connect STEM concepts to the things that matter to students, the things they are already interested in, they will fall in love with them," said Peter Balyta, Ph.D., president of TI Education Technology. "We are excited to team up with John Urschel to present math and science in new and unique ways that will help kids to understand the world around them and ignite a spark that can fuel real change."

To discover your STEM strengths or share how STEM inspires you, visit: www.GenSTEMcontest.com.

[i] Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Quarterly, STEM 101: Intro to tomorrow's jobs
[ii] – Maltese, A. and Tai, R., Pipeline persistence: Examining the Association of Educational Experiences With Earned Degrees in STEM Among U.S. Students," Science Education volume 95, issue 5

About Texas Instruments:

Education Technology, a business of Texas Instruments, provides a wide range of tools connecting the classroom experience with real-world applications, helping students and teachers to explore mathematics and science interactively. TI's products and services are tested vigorously against recognized third-party research, which shows that the effective use of graphing calculators improves the mathematical skills of students and their attitudes toward mathematics. For more information, visit www.education.ti.com.

Texas Instruments Incorporated (TI) is a global semiconductor design and manufacturing company that develops analog ICs and embedded processors. By employing the world's brightest minds, TI creates innovations that shape the future of technology. TI is helping more than 100,000 customers transform the future, today. Learn more at www.ti.com.

SOURCE Texas Instruments