STEM: Inventing Future Entrepreneurs

The U.S. is ranked 52^nd in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematic (STEM) education. With a continual decline in Americans pursuing advanced education in STEM fields (> 67% of engineers receiving Ph.D.'s in the U.S. are not U.S. citizens), there is an undeniable need to foster and culture 'home-grown' innovators. The low retention rate of student interest in STEM at the K-12 grade level has been identified as a major factor in this crisis. Current methodologies of teaching, along with the steep learning curve of certain STEM topics, deter many students, especially at a young age, from further pursuing STEM. In particular, current methodologies fail to engage girls in the STEM fields. Children need experiential STEM activities at a young age in an interactive, social setting such that they have the incentives and support to stay engaged.

The program will begin at 7 p.m. with an introduction by Marc Tarpenning, co-founder of Tesla Motors and a member of the Foothill College Science Learning Institute's Advisory Board.

Speaker: Michelle Khine, UC Irvine