Scientific publisher Nature Publishing Group (NPG), UK, has announced that it has joined Change the Equation (CTEq), a CEO-led initiative to cultivate widespread literacy in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) in the US. NPG is committing a three-year 'Bridge to Science' initiative in support of CTEq's goals. The several programmes within Bridge to Science will seek to build stronger connections between parents, students and scientists, and help to inspire people at large to embrace science as part of their daily lives.
Launched at a White House event, CTEq is expected to achieve US President Barack Obama's 'Educate to Innovate' mission to increase private and philanthropic involvement in STEM education. It is also projected to meet a critical need for a workforce and a citizenry fluent in science and maths.
CTEq is bringing together companies across multiple sectors, which are dedicated to preparing students for STEM-related careers as an investment in their businesses, the economy and public life. Through innovative and effective company-led programmes, CTEq aims to fill the opportunity gap with capable and enthusiastic STEM-literate young people.
Under the 'Return on Science Education (ROSE)' initiative, NPG and CTEq member Cisco Systems will jointly develop a model for assessing the ROI from national-level expenditures on STEM education. The results of the ROSE programme, planned for release in Fall 2010, are intended to strengthen cases for investment in STEM and to guide national policy-making.
In addition, under the 'Scitable' programme, NPG publishes authoritative scientific learning pathways in life and physical sciences for high school and college classrooms. In the 'Bench to Blackboard' programme NPG, in collaboration with Baylor College of Medicine, will provide cost-free professional development to 50,000 high school biology teachers of more than 400,000 students.
In the '1000 scientists in 1000 days' programme, Scientific American and several NPG journals will recruit 1,000 scientists to donate their time to promote STEM education - for instance - by visiting classrooms through efforts such as National Lab Day.
Additionally, in 2011, Scientific American will launch 'Bring Science Home', a major new effort to provide parents simple experiments they can do with their children.
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