WASHINGTON, D.C.—The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation held a full committee hearing today on America Wins When America COMPETES: Building a High-Tech Workforce.

Witness List:

Mr. David Zaslav, President and Chief Executive Officer, Discovery Communications

Ms. Susan Naylor, Mathematics Instructional Coach, Wood County Schools, West Virginia

Dr. S. James Gates, Jr., John S. Toll Professor of Physics, Department of Physics, University of Maryland

Dr. Ioannis Miaoulis, President and Director, Museum of Science, Boston, Founding Director, National Center for Technological Literacy

Mr. Tom Luce, Chief Executive Officer, National Math and Science Initiative

Key Quotations from Today’s Hearing:

“A world-class STEM workforce is fundamental to addressing the challenges of the 21st century—from developing clean sources of energy that reduce our dependence on foreign oil to discovering cures for diseases. The National Science Board reported this year that although the Unites States continues to lead the world in science and engineering – other countries are closing the gap by increasing their own investments in research, infrastructure, and education. With America COMPETES we planted the seeds of something very powerful, but we have to nurture the investment if we want to reap its benefits. The authorizations in that legislation expire this year and, as we look toward reauthorization, we need to evaluate our progress.”

Chairman John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV

“If we’re serious about improving STEM education, then we have to acknowledge and accept that today’s students live in a different world than the one we have known. We need to begin moving beyond traditional educational materials like the static textbook and towards engaging classrooms and living rooms that are alive with compelling visuals and storytelling. Most of all, we have to respect that as children have evolved, their way of learning has evolved – and it’s up to us to make sure that our teaching evolves, too.”

Mr. David Zaslav, President and Chief Executive Officer, Discovery Communications

“Elementary teachers are concerned about the discrepancy between the emphasis placed on reading and language arts and that placed on mathematics and science. In many states, the amount of instructional time as well as the amount of money invested in materials and intervention programs is much higher for reading. I recently learned of a proposal to remove science from elementary report cards. That worries me, what gets assessed is what gets taught. If 80% of the careers of the future are rooted in science and mathematics, these subjects should be receiving more emphasis, not less.”

Ms. Susan Naylor, Mathematics Instructional Coach, Wood County Schools, West Virginia

“Today’s world is one where STEM fields have become directly related to the ability of modern societies to generate wealth and provide for a vibrant economic environment for their citizens. If we want the most vital U.S.A. to exist tomorrow, we must plant the seeds for that today by investing in the strongest possible STEM education for all our citizens.”

Dr. S. James Gates, Jr., John S. Toll Professor of Physics, Department of Physics, University of Maryland

“We support efforts to improve coordination among the federal agencies on STEM education and the creation of a STEM advisory committee of relevant stakeholders including engineering education providers and informal STEM education institutions.”

Dr. Ioannis Miaoulis, President and Director, Museum of Science, Boston, Founding Director, National Center for Technological Literacy

“The federal government can play a key role in this improvement of STEM education by identifying what works and providing incentives to scale those interventions at a national level. Congress and the Administration can also take several other steps to facilitate this change.”

Mr. Tom Luce, Chief Executive Officer, National Math and Science Initiative

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