The STEM Training Pipeline

The STEM Training PipelineSimon Rhodes, Ph.D.

Dean of ScienceIndiana University-Purdue University

Indianapolis, IN

Who is from Indiana?

• Degrees from Indiana and Purdue universities.• ~21,000 ug and ~8,000 graduate & professional students. IUSM, IUSD, IUSN.• More degrees into Indiana economy than any other campus.• Research funding ~$441m. One of two IU core campuses.• Urban environment, Carnegie Classification community engagement,

extensive service learning, and commitment to serving the State.

IUPUI

• BA/BS, MS, Ph.D.• Record Science and Math

degrees for 8 years• Constructed new ~$27m LEED-

certified teaching and research building without state funding

• A second ~$44m building broke ground on April 23, 2019

400

500

600

700

2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

UG Degrees Awarded

The need…e.g. The “PCAST” Report2012

http://vitalsigns.ecs.org/state/indiana/overview

An online resource by State = VITAL SIGNS

Fro

m E

AB

Slowdown & Decline of High School GraduatesPublic & Nonpublic Graduates (Millions)

* 5% of graduates included for College Board Midwest are in another region in most WICHE materials (ND & SD = West, WV = South)

812K

Midwest*

775K

717K

Source: Nathan D. Graw e, Carleton College

Change in Students Attending 4-year Colleges: 2012-2029

Source: Nathan D. Graw e, Carleton College

13

Experiential activitiesDiscover interestsFollow heart and talentRealize potentialIncrease diversityBreak stereotypesWe still need musicians & poets!

“Random acts of STEM”

Q. What are some questions that scientists today should be asking but aren’t asking? What’s causing our blind spots: Funding?Overspecialization? Politics?A. You’re asking me an impossibly large question. Let me make one suggestion, and maybe that’ll lead to another.I am unhappy about STEM. That is, I’m unhappy about how it’s presented as the principal portal for careers in science and technology. Young people — in some cases, young enough to be as far back as grammar school — are presented with this intellectual triathlon in order to go into science and technology.There’s no question that we need all the ablest people that can be recruited to go into science and technology to keep this country strong. But STEM is an unnecessarily forbidding set of stairs.Consider a young person who’s thrilled by seeing a natural system, a remarkable geological formation that stirs the imagination, or a group of animals or plants. This youngster says, Boy, when I get to college, I would like to move on to a career in science, and biology especially. Now, the STEM-oriented teacher — if we are following the STEM ideology as we hear it — says: "I think that’s a good ambition. But remember that biology is based substantially upon chemistry. So, I advise you to start getting a good backgroun d in chemistry. Oh, and while you’re at it, you should keep in mind that chemistry is based upon, to a major degree, principles of physics. So consider starting to get a background in physics, too. And, oh, I almost forgot: To get into physics, and a lot of the bes t parts of chemistry, you’re going to need ‘M,’ mathematics. So I want you to get started on math courses right now."Now, I’m going to say something startling. And I’m going to get myself in trouble. But heck, that’s why you’re here.Q. Yes.A. And I’m going to say: Nonsense!The right way to create a young scientist who’s going to be on fire by the time they’re in college is to let them pick someth ing, some subject, that has really excited them. If they dream of space exploration, if they dream of curing a cancer, if they dream of going to distant jungles and discovering new species — whatever their dream is, let them dream.

https://www.chronicle.com/article/A-Legendary-Scientist-Sounds/246257?utm_source=cr&utm_medium=en&cid=cr

E. O. Wilson, is an

American biologist, theorist, naturalist and author…. This theory

served as the foundation of the field of

conservation area design, as well as the unified neutral theory

of biodiversityAdapted from Wikipedia

• K-12 education• Amount of science & math• Hands-on/discovery-based instruction• Qualifications of teachers• State and national guidelines

IUPUI We graduate success stories

Duke Energy-IUPUI Science

Mobile science lab visits

elementary and middle schools

to bring science to the students

- including a summer

collaboration with WRTV6

weatherman Kevin Gregory

31

https://www.techpointyouth.org

https://www.techpointyouth.org/robots

• #1 in USA (sorry CA)• 12% girls → 66% girls

https://www.techpointyouth.org/robots

https://www.techpointyouth.org/robots

Experiential activitiesDiscover interestsFollow heart and talentRealize potentialIncrease diversityBreak stereotypesWe still need musicians & poets!

“Random acts of STEM”

Learn Through LeadershipIUPUI is a national leader in developing new methods of teaching STEM subjects in ways that engage and excite students, while holding them to high standards and stressing critical and analytical thinking.

As peer mentors, advisors and

tutors, our students are partners in education and contribute to each other’s success.

Student Success

Discover Disease Treatments in Classe.g. D3 is pioneering education and research program allows

students in the classroom to make molecules that may lead to treatments for such devastating diseases as malaria and tuberculosis

Our students are making an impact now.

Student Success

IUPUI Science-Led Distributed Drug Discovery (D3) Education – a Worldwide Collaboration

Student Success