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| |  | | | One Giant Step for STEM Education
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03.21.07
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NASA and the National Science Foundation, or NSF, signed an historic agreement to work together and coordinate efforts to expand opportunities for promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics education and to broaden the participation of the underrepresented in those areas. The signing occurred Feb. 22, 2007, at the Joint NASA/NSF Higher Education Research and Education Opportunities Conference for Principal Investigators, Faculty, and Partners.
Image to right: The signing event was attended by members of NASA and the National Science Foundation. Standing, from left to right, are Arden Bement, Director of the National Science Foundation, and Christyl Johnson, Assistant Associate Administrator from the Office of the Administrator at NASA Headquarters. Seated, from left to right, are Cora Marrett, Assistant Director of NSF's Education and Human Resource Directorate, and Joyce Winterton, NASA's Assistant Administrator for Education. Credit: NASA
Called a "Memorandum of Understanding," the document lays out the rationale and terms under which the two agencies seek to create a partnership that "advances the scientific and technical capabilities of the nation." Joyce Winterton, NASA's Assistant Administrator for Education, and Cora Marrett, NSF's Assistant Director of Education, signed the agreement of behalf of their agencies.
"This really is a tremendous step forward, and it is something that has been needed for a very long time," Winterton said. "This conference and this agreement are just the start of what we think will be a new way of operating."
The MOU promotes a comprehensive knowledge base to be shared between the agencies to address national challenges and manage the agencies' resources more effectively. It reflects the goals of the Administration's recently announced the American Competitiveness Initiative, or ACI, whose cornerstone is a commitment to increase investments in the physical sciences and engineering, strengthen K-12 math and science education, and build a well-educated, skilled workforce.
Under the agreement, NASA and NSF will partner to meet those goals in three key areas: jointly supporting the best projects that advance STEM education and workforce proficiency; improving the national knowledge base regarding scientific literacy, human and social capital, workforce development, infrastructure, and competitiveness and innovation; and producing a workforce that meets the nation’s need and reflects the diversity of the U.S. population and its changing demographics.
The last of these goals -- broadening participation in STEM fields -- was also reflected in the Joint NASA/NSF Conference's opening plenary session, which provided the backdrop for the MOU signing.
NSF's Cora Marrett asked conferees help in understanding what changes were needed (to facilitate this goal) and what broader participation may mean to their STEM disciplines, their communities and to individuals. She acknowledged that the agencies have made progress, but urged that more be done.
"I cannot imagine that those who wrote the Science, Engineering Equal Opportunities Act envisioned 'success' to be indicated solely by changes in numbers," she said. "There must have been a sense of the modifications that would accompany numerical increases, but what are the anticipated changes in the kinds of research undertaken and in the content and direction of the disciplines?"
"How should and does the broadening of participation shape dreams?" she asked. She suggested that those attending the conference can help NASA and NSF most by sharing their ideas and helping the agencies deepen their analyses and jointly commit to a future in which more dreams (of participation in scientific discovery) are widely realized.
All of the MOU's joint goals are reflected in the strategic goals of both agencies, which are spelled out in the agreement. However, under the new agreement, the agencies will establish a joint working group to develop and coordinate activities with very specific objectives. It promises leadership support and accountability, naming Dr. Anngienetta R. Johnson in the NASA Office of Education and Dr. Bernice T. Anderson in NSF's Directorate for Education and Human Resources as the key contacts at the two agencies.
As key objectives, the agencies hope to review all existing programs to identify opportunities to collaborate and determine where programs can complement or supplement each other. Another critical focus will be the evaluation of programs, sharing successful evaluation approaches, conducting joint program evaluations using NSF's Committee of Visitors model and training staff. The agencies also seek to leverage resources, especially in the areas of broadening participation, pre-college and postsecondary partnerships, integrating STEM research and education, and assessing the effectiveness of the education investment in these areas.
A critical area of focus in the agreement will be sharing knowledge and expertise on pending legislation and legislative initiatives to assess their impact on programs and to respond jointly. The agencies also agreed to share program announcements and reports to identify common issues and strategies to maximize resource allocation and to assure that common goals are met.
Mabel Matthews
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