Posted on 04/10/2024 8:51:55 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
U.S. innovation fuels our economic strength and is vital for our national security. Released last earlier this month, the National Science Board’s congressionally mandated State of U.S. Science and Engineering Indicators report shows that an accelerating science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) talent crisis is imperiling America’s economy and security.
Let’s start with a bit of perspective. The U.S. STEM workforce is now one quarter of the total U.S. workforce – 38 million people at all degree levels who use STEM skills in their jobs, including 19 million skilled technical workers without a bachelor’s degree. That number will only rise as companies expand their STEM workforce and their R&D investments in response to rising global competition. The CHIPS & Science Act is now funding one response to global competition and national security risk -- the reshoring of our semiconductor production.
Meanwhile, key technological sectors, including semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity, face major challenges in filling urgently needed job openings, and making the promise of economic development a reality. Let’s be clear –China is gaining on us, and it has articulated plans to increase its R&D investment even further. Indicators data show that China recently surpassed the United States in research publications and patent applications, and China’s growth in high impact articles is outpacing its overall growth in publications. These overall trends are also true for the specific field of artificial intelligence – a field that is critical to national security. We cannot risk falling behind.
We must address this crisis now. How?
First, we must increase the flow of domestic talent into the STEM workforce. To start, Congress must fully fund the remaining parts of CHIPS & Science Act – investing in developing the STEM workforce, from preK-12 education through skilled technical workers and college STEM graduates to doctoral-level researchers in industry and academia. Sadly, the spending bill that Congress just passed cuts some of our most important science federal agencies, like the National Science Foundation, moving us backwards.
Second, we need new policies that double-down on one of our nation’s greatest strengths: attracting and retaining top STEM talent from around the world, including from countries that are emerging science partners. We must do more to entice and enable science and engineering students to work in the U.S. after they receive their degrees.
Third, we need a modern-day National Defense Education Act (NDEA) to spur private and public collaboration and provide the specific skills and talent needed by American industry.
An NDEA that would: invest in preK-12 STEM education and increase our STEM teacher supply across the country. Build capacity for the gateways into STEM training across the country: community colleges, technical schools, and other geographically and financially accessible institutions. Expand graduate fellowship programs, with a focus on critical and emerging technologies. Create national service programs like the Defense Civilian Training Corps and increase scholarships for low-income individuals. Increase options for foreign-born STEM talent to stay after their education and training and reduce barriers for doing so.
This is a national call-for-action. We need all-hands on deck – no group alone can solve this problem. Business, government, and academia must come together in a collaborative partnership and commitment far beyond the scale in which we are investing now. Otherwise, we risk ceding U.S. science and engineering leadership to China, with deep and lasting negative effects on our national security and our economic competitiveness.
Dr. Dan Reed is a former Microsoft Executive and currently serves as the chair of the National Science Board (NSB). Reed previously served as Provost at the University of Utah where he now is Presidential Professor of Computational Science and Professor of Computer Science and Electrical & Computer Engineering.
Dr. Darío Gil is the IBM Senior Vice President and Director of Research and a member of the NSB.
Better idea:
1) Get a bunch of kids to get STEM degrees
2) Place strict limits on H-1bs and fine any company that hires H-1bs for less than the going rate
3) Wind down much of the Military Industrial Complex and employ the grads in more useful pursuits such as the space program, nuclear power, road/dam/bridge repair, medical research, etc.
China? Yes, but can’t miss India that is truly invading us at all levels in STEM. DEPORT THEM! AND CHINESE! Open those seats in college to Americans, Open those jobs to Americans. Otherwise, all is meaningless.
Iran has as many engineering graduates as the USA. The USA is far behind Russia.
“STEM” covers a lot more economically questionable efforts like pharma lifestyle drugs, useless tech BS, and Wall Street quant based financial manipulation .
https://www.statista.com/chart/3559/the-countries-with-the-most-engineering-graduates/
No, it’s much more important than our children learn that our early leaders had slaves, and that men can menstruate.
Seems like a waste to leave the roots and bloom and any fruit behind. Sure the stem makes up the bulk of the plant but let’s be smart about this.
In Blue States, they are getting rid of Gifted, Gate, AP, other advanced learning due to.....yes.....racism.
Very soon, those same Blue States will have their own version of STEM -
Special
Trans
Equity
Mania
How about eliminating scholarships for “social justice”, “race studies”, “queer studies” and every other garbage major, and replace them with STEM scholarships. You want a stupid worthless degree? Pay for it your damn self.
Chinese come here to learn “STEM.”
Sorry, the potential for new STEM labor pool has been decimated by the low-IQ influx and hiring preferences.
Loquarious and juan just are not up to the job.
All the old honkeys are retiring.
It was time 40 years ago...
I know several people who have MBA’s who never really took a college level math class. Accounting and stats, calculators and excel did all the work. I saw the beginnings of maths waning back in early 70’s, There were quite a few in HS who had graduated with a freshman Alegebra 1 part 1 and a biology. English was freshman grammer and then quarterly switching english classes and reading featured books such as humor, native, suspense, horror and writing reports. Nothing deep at all.
Standard STEM classes were offered of course, with hard curriculum but you were not obligated to take those, and the ones that took the lightweight path through High School in many cases went to VoTech in the afternoon.
It was kind of strange. I was busting butt, because I was an expat who was brought up through contracted schools staffed by Brits and Asians. They weren’t easy at all. Coming back to the states at my junior year was a culture shock. Hippie wannabes, slack standards and soccer was an afterschool club sport... no cricket either, darts clubs and archery were unheard of, but I digress.
I was fortunate to have been through a rigorous curriculum overseas prior to my Junior year. l reckon the country needed retail clerks, car salesmen, and civil service employee’s. It was weird and it’s only gotten worse with every school day being some fruity adventure and not studious application.
Standard STEM classes were offered of course, with hard curriculum but you were not obligated to take those, and the ones that took the lightweight path through High School in many cases went to VoTech in the afternoon.
....
These are exactly the people who should be going to tech.
I know a kid making 250k per year who uses his math skills in his business. Basic elementary math. And does very well. Not every one can conceptualize at a calculus abstract level. The key is to discover and use what you can.
Agreed.
It’s immoral to import stem workers.
It drives stem salaries and job opportunities down for Americans.
And it strip mines needed human capital from developing countries.
Waste of time absent contending with a school system which FIRST requires a fundamental overhaul.
If those comprehensive moves aren’t initiated TODAY, you can add DECADES to the term for a correction.
Translated: GENERATIONS.
Until then, we continue our decline (the coming years are going to be very, very ugly).
Can’t trust science, only DEI.
Chinese might know STEM but can they put a condom on a cucumber. We all know STEM is racist. Our rap singers can run circles around them. Party on!
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