undergraduate STEM education

Undergraduate STEM education must improve–here’s how to do it


The U.S. STEM workforce could fall behind other countries if undergraduate STEM education isn't better supported

STEM fields are essential for the nation’s economic health and global success, but some troubling trends point to the need to monitor undergraduate STEM education with a critical eye, according to a new report.

Undergraduate STEM education plays a central role in building a robust STEM workforce, according to the National Academies of Sciences, which summarizes a committee’s recommendations around bolstering STEM education.

Scientists’ earnings have stagnated since the 1960s, recent science doctorates have had trouble obtaining academic positions, and U.S. science faces increased foreign competition for global research. Those three trends could knock the U.S. out of its dominant position in science. They also could slow economic growth that is fueled by technological innovation, according to the report.

(Next page: Recommendations and indicators to improve undergraduate STEM education)

Laura Ascione

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