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Abraham Launches Science Education
Program During SLAC Visit
By Shawne Neeper
The U.S. is a scientific
superpower, but that glory and its economic advantages will languish if
our kids don’t catch up to other industrialized nations’ children in
math and science. So warned U.S. Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham
during his July 8 announcement of a new K-12 science education
initiative. Abraham toured SLAC for a sampling of today’s
industry-driving research, then moved to The Green to describe to a
large audience a new effort to inspire tomorrow’s innovators.
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During his visit to SLAC,
U.S.
Secretary of Energy Spencer Abraham
launched the Scientists Teaching and
Reaching Students (STARS) program.
This exciting new program will involve
all national labs in the education of
students in science and math. (Photo by
Diana Rogers) |
“It is our
responsibility to not only develop the best science facilities,” Abraham
said, “but also to foster the next generation of American scientists,
mathematicians and engineers.”
SLAC leaders and local
business visionaries treated Abraham to a tour of SLAC facilities that
have connected basic research to applications in drug development,
medical care and advanced computing. Scientists from Genentech and
Exelixis explained how they use SSRL to speed development of new drugs.
Representatives from medical accelerator companies, Varian and Siemens,
joined SLAC accelerator scientists to illustrate the adaptation of linac
technology to cancer treatment. At the computer center, SLAC research
director Persis Drell and Objectivity Databases CEO Jay Jarrell
discussed how the data requirements of high energy physicists have
yielded developments from the Internet to the promise of movies on
demand.
To keep the advances
coming, Abraham announced, DOE is launching the Science Education
Initiative.
An overflow crowd of at
least 600 members of the SLAC community, teachers and third through
seventh graders listened as Abraham described a growing gap between
successful U.S. innovation and failing education.
“Student achievement in
science and math should be off the charts,” Abraham said. “But it
isn’t.” Among developed nations, U.S. students shine during elementary
school, but fall behind by high school graduation—finishing near the
bottom in math and physics. The situation could cost the U.S. more than
its leadership in science.
“Work will migrate to
the nation with the most skilled workforce,” Abraham stressed. And our
national safety depends on advanced technical skills. As the top U.S.
funding organization for physical science research, DOE is
well-positioned to bridge the gap between top-flight science and the
classroom.
The DOE initiative,
called Scientists Teaching and Reaching Students, or STARS, will bring
elementary and middle-school students and teachers to the national labs
for science education—to experience wonders like SPEAR3 and the linac
first-hand. Lab employees will reach outward, too, teaching classes and
hosting career days at local schools—especially at-risk middle
schools—and answering science questions on the already-successful Ask a
Scientist website (www.fnal.gov/pub/inquiring/virtual/index.html).
It is also in the STARS to spotlight innovation at an annual science and
technology exposition, and promote scientific superstars as role models
for children.
“Improving the
scientific literacy of our nation is a very important goal. We look
forward to partnering with DOE and our sister laboratories in the STARS
program.” Said Jonathan Dorfan.
“I believe it’s time we
start putting our science leaders on the same footing as other
celebrities,” Abraham said, not only because their achievements are
important, but also “to encourage children to want to learn science and
math, in addition to tennis and basketball.” |
