The U.S. labor market is projected to grow faster in science and engineering than in any other sector in the coming years. Minorities are the fastest growing groups of the population but have the least amount of representation in these fields. This is especially true of underrepresented minorities—including African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans— who comprised just over 9 percent of the overall total of minority college-educated Americans in science and engineering occupations in 2006. This number would need to triple to match the share of minorities in the U.S. population. Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation: America’s Science and Technology Talent at the Crossroads explores the role of diversity in the science, technology, engineering and medicine (STEM) workforce and its value in keeping America innovative and competitive. In the words of Dr. Freeman Hrabowski, chairman of the committee that authored this new report:
Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation highlights the challenges America faces in ensuring that all students, especially minorities, receive high-quality math and science education, pre-K through graduate education. The report also gives guidance to policy-makers on closing the achievement gap, reducing attrition for undergraduate STEM majors, and increasing financial and academic support. To remain globally competitive, the nation will need to increase substantially the number of Americans from diverse backgrounds who excel in STEM fields at all levels.
Expanding Underrepresented Minority Participation builds on the landmark 2007 title, Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future. A 2010 follow-up to that publication, Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited: Rapidly Approaching Category 5, repeats and reinforces the message of the original book for improvement and increased diversity in science education in order to strengthen our science and technology workforce for a globally competitive America.
These reports and others from the National Research Council can inform decision-making and discussion about STEM education, from kindergarten through graduate school.
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In order for the United States to maintain the global leadership and competitiveness in science and technology that are critical to achieving national goals, we must invest in research, encourage innovation, and grow a strong and talented science and… |
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Rising Above the Gathering Storm: Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future In a world where advanced knowledge is widespread and low-cost labor is readily available, U.S. advantages in the marketplace and in science and technology have begun to erode. A comprehensive and coordinated federal effort is urgently needed to bolster U.S…. |
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Rising Above the Gathering Storm, Revisited: Rapidly Approaching Category 5 In the face of so many daunting near-term challenges, U.S. government and industry are letting the crucial strategic issues of U.S. competitiveness slip below the surface. Five years ago, the National Academies prepared Rising Above the Gathering… |
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Gender Differences at Critical Transitions in the Careers of Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Faculty presents new and surprising findings about career differences between female and male full-time, tenure-track, and tenured faculty in science,… |
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Engaging Schools: Fostering High School Students’ Motivation to Learn When it comes to motivating people to learn, disadvantaged urban adolescents are usually perceived as a hard sell. Yet, in a recent MetLife survey, 89 percent of the low-income students claimed I really want to learn applied to them. What is it about… |
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Educating the Engineer of 2020: Adapting Engineering Education to the New Century Phase I in the Engineer of 2020 project, Visions of Engineering in the New Century, described a set of |
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Engineering in K-12 Education: Understanding the Status and Improving the Prospects Engineering education in K-12 classrooms is a small but growing phenomenon that may have implications for engineering and also for the other “STEM” subjects–science, technology, and mathematics. Specifically, engineering education may improve student… |
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Changing the Conversation: Messages for Improving Public Understanding of Engineering Can the United States continue to lead the world in innovation? The answer may hinge in part on how well the public understands engineering, a key component of the ‘innovation engine’. A related concern is how to encourage young people–particularly girls and… |
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Surrounded by Science: Learning Science in Informal Environments Practitioners in informal science settings–museums, after-school programs, science and technology centers, media enterprises, libraries, aquariums, zoos, and botanical gardens–are interested in finding out what learning looks like, how to measure it, and… |
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Ready, Set, SCIENCE!: Putting Research to Work in K-8 Science Classrooms What types of instructional experiences help K-8 students learn science with understanding? What do science educators teachers, teacher leaders, science specialists, professional development staff, curriculum designers, school administrators need to know to… |
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Mathematics Learning in Early Childhood: Paths Toward Excellence and Equity Early childhood mathematics is vitally important for young children’s present and future educational success. Research has demonstrated that virtually all young children have the capability to learn and become competent in mathematics. Furthermore, young… |
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How Students Learn: Mathematics in the Classroom
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