National Engineers Week 2006

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National Engineers Week 2006

• Retaining US Leadership in Engineering Requires
  Inspiring the Next Generation of Engineers

Gail G. Mattson, P.E. 2000-2001 National
President Society of Women Engineers
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Agenda

• Is the US still the global leader in engineering?
• Why did we start slipping?
• How do we regain lost ground?
• Inspiring the next generation of engineers!

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National Engineers Week 2006

• Is the US still the global leader in engineering?

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The Supply/Demand Gap

• There is a gap between the nations growing need
  for scientists, engineers and other technically
  skilled workers and its production of them. (1)
• Engineering and technology fields already
  generate jobs at 4 times the national average.
• University enrollments in engineering have
  decreased 20 over the past 20 years.
• To meet demands industries are importing talent
  and/or exporting/outsourcing work.

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The Supply/Demand Gap

• By 2010, the USA is expected to create about 2
  million new jobs in science and engineering
• There is a significant gap between the of new
  BS/MS engineer graduates and growing demand.
• Over 25 of the engineering workforce will
  retire over the next 10 years.
• For example, current demands for nuclear
  engineers for power production, energy medical
  research, and DD of nuclear facilities and
  radioactive waste management are not being met.

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Global Competition is Growing

• To-date, USA research universities have
  educated some of the brightest engineering
  students in the world and relied on a significant
  number to fill faculty positions however
• The proportion of science and engineering degrees
  rose abroad while declining in the USA.
• The quality of science and engineering education
  overseas is improving rapidly.
• The inflow of foreign talent is being constrained
  by security concerns.

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Global Competition is Growing

• Beyond Japan and Europe's major economies,
  India, China, South Korea and Israel have also
  made great stride in developing their
  technological capacities.
• Overseas pool of scientists and engineering
  talent is increasing briskly.
• Quality of patents by foreign inventors is
  strong.
• Global access to capital for research and
  development is growing.
• Global information infrastructure is expanding at
  a rapid pace. (1)

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Global leader in engineering?

• The structural imbalance between Americas
  need for, and the production of, scientists and
  engineers, together with the risks and
  uncertainties of relying on imported talent,
  should give real urgency to the questions
• Who will do science and engineering in the USA
  in the new millennium?
• Will the USA lose its competitive position?

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National Engineers Week 2006

• Why did we start slipping?

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Declining capacities

• Graduate populations in engineering despite a
  recent upturn remain below levels reached in
  the early 1990s.
• From 20 up to 50 of the graduate students in
  engineering are from other countries.
• Taken together, women and under-represented
  groups make up 2/3 of the USA population, yet
  white women make up only 15 of the science and
  engineering workforce and minorities only 7. (1)
• In recent comparisons to other industrialized
  countries, the USA students rank near the bottom
  in math proficiency. (5)

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STEM labor force is declining
The science, technology, engineering and
mathematics (STEM) labor force comprises about 5
of our nations 138 million workforce. Women
made up only 25 in 2002. (4)
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Women Minorities Under-represented
First-year enrollment in engineering dropped 3
in 2003. Even more disturbing is the continuing
decline in recent years of women and African
Americans as a proportion. (4)
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Lack of awareness

• Across the USA, recent polls show many parents
  are content with the science and math education
  their children get. (6)
• Only half of the children in grades 6 to 12 say
  understanding math and science are essential for
  them to succeed after high school.
• Many elementary and middle school teachers are
  weak in math. (7)
• Kids come to school with their parents math
  phobias.
• Many parents cant help their children with math
  or science homework.

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National Engineers Week 2006

• How do we regain lost ground?

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Education and Recruitment
Improve math and science education from
elementary school through university. (5)

• Women and minorities do not participate in
  the science and engineering labor force in
  proportion to their numbers in the over labor
  force. If their intellectual talent were
  identified, nurtured and encouraged, the
  projected gap of scientists and engineers would
  be filled. (2)

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Open Up Fill the Pipeline
In the 50s and 60s the space race inspired many
students to go into science and engineering. We
now must educate and inspire a new
generation. The American Competitiveness
Initiative unveiled during the Presidents State
of the Union Address is a good start towards
improving science and math education and
increasing the number of engineers in the future.

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Open Up Fill the Pipeline

• American Competitiveness Initiative
• Evaluate effectiveness of approached to math
  education. 10 M
• Introduce new math programs at the elementary and
  middle schools. 250 M
• Evaluate ongoing math and science education
  programs for ineffectiveness. 5 M
• Expand advance placement programs in math and
  science for high school students. 122 M
• Encourage science and engineering professionals
  to become part time high school teachers. 25 M

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Open Up Fill the Pipeline

• In the 80s, requirements for equal
  opportunities and government initiatives opened
  up science and engineering higher education to
  women and minorities, but the numbers plateaued
  in the 90s and are now dropping. Why?
• Barriers still remained preventing the numbers
  to increase further
• Minority youngsters start behind and stay behind
• Lack of role models in science and engineering
• Lack of encouragement or support from parents,
  teachers and guidance counselors
• Popular culture dismisses science and math has
  stuff for white make nerds.

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Open Up Fill the Pipeline

• Scores of non-profit organizations have
  championed the cause making limited headway with
  scarce resources. Unfortunately, they had not
  been able to capture the attention of the
  national leaders or energize the American public.
• Breaking down these remaining barriers to
  girls and minorities from elementary school
  through high school to open up rest of the
  pipeline for new engineers has got to be part of
  the solution.

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Open Up Fill the Pipeline

• Building Engineering Science Talent (BEST)
• A public-private partnership dedicated to
  building a stronger, more diverse U.S. workforce
  in science, engineering and technology by
  increasing the participation of under-represented
  groups.
• Developing a national strategy with
  priorities for action by
• Federal Government
• K - 12 Education and Universities
• Industry
• Non-Profit Organizations

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National Engineers Week 2006

• Inspiring the next generation of engineers!

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EWeek all year long!

• Need to figure out how you can help encourage
  and inspire potential engineers.
• Not just during one week, but through out the
  year and year to year
• At all age levels
• Recruit girls and minorities
• Through multiple organizations, venues and
  programs

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Professional Societies

• Look into what programs/projects your engineering
  society currently conducts.
• Challenge them to expand, update and add new
  programs to address these issues.
• Encourage collaboration with other societies
  (SWE, NSBE, etc) to share resources, broaden
  outreach and improve results.

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Professional Societies

• EWeek materials can be used anytime through out
  the year.
• Use voice and influence to help develop and
  implement new federal programs and maintain
  consistent funding.
• Focus on how to project a more positive public
  image of engineering.
• Remember your society needs new members in the
  future to fulfill its mission!

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K 12 Education

• EWeek 2006 Connecting Educator to Engineering
• Targeted to middle school teachers with needed
  learning materials.

• Make use of existing programs and materials
• Discover E programs
• Future City Competition
• New Faces of Engineering
• Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day
• ZOOM into Engineering
• Sightseers Guide to Engineering
• www.eweek.org
• www.discoverengineering.org

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Corporate Outreach

• EWeek 2006 reintroduced Executive All Stars for
  corporate leaders to champion engineering and
  increased participation in activities.
• Find out what programs/projects your company
  currently conducts or supports.
• Challenge your company to create a culture of
  inclusiveness.

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Youth Organizations

• Set up programs and events with
• Girl Scouts - GirlsGoTech
• Boy Scouts
• Girls Incorporated - SMART
• Boys Girls Club
• Local science center
• Childrens museum - Building Machines
• Community summer camps

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Governmental Programs

• Find out about existing programs, such as those
  funded by the National Science Foundation and
  Federal Agencies (DOE, NASA, DoD, etc.) and
  figure out how to get involved and improve.
• Take advantage of the new American
  Competitiveness Initiative.
• Look for similar state programs for improving
  math and science education.

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Community Involvement

• Look for ways to educate your community about the
  need for improving math and science education,
  such as through the local school board, Rotary or
  Chamber of Commerce.
• Get involved in public service to professionally
  address issues that impact your neighbors like
  the deteriorating infrastructure and
  environmental concerns.

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References

• (1) The Quiet Crisis Falling Short in Producing
  American Scientific and Technical Talent,
  Building Engineering Science Talent,
  http//www.bestworkforce.org
• (2) Land of Plenty Diversity as Americas
  Competitive Edge in Science, Engineering and
  Technology, Washington, D.C. , September 2000
• (3) The Engineer of 2020 Visions of Engineering
  in the New Century, National Academy of
  Engineering, http//www.nap.edu
• (4) Commission on Professionals in Science and
  Technology (CPST), http//www.cpst.org
• (5) American Competitiveness Initiative, Office
  of Science and Technology Policy, February 2006
• (6) Math Crisis? What Crisis?, Ben Feller,
  Associated Press, 2-15-06
• (7) Giving students a thirst for math, Mercury
  New Editorial, 2-19-06

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National Engineers Week 2006

• On behalf of SWE and our corporate partner,
  Northrop Grumman, thank you for inviting me to
  speak today.