Support broader participation in the STEM workforce
The U.S. thrives when all have opportunity.
The U.S. is in the midst of a national science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce crisis. 80% of high school graduates intending to pursue STEM are unprepared for their first year of college and only 52% of students who start an undergraduate STEM degree successfully graduate with a STEM major. Meanwhile, globally China has overtaken the U.S. as the world’s leading producer of STEM PhDs.
Established federal programs with a track record of success offer an immediate remedy to these challenges. The NSF Noyce Teacher Scholarship Program boosts our supply of qualified STEM teachers, local paid undergraduate research experience increases STEM retention rates, and NSF’s Graduate Research Fellowship Program supports domestic STEM doctoral trainees.
American industry needs a robust STEM workforce, and STEM careers provide vital opportunities for economic mobility to all. Growing our workforce requires ensuring students from underrepresented backgrounds can enter and thrive in the STEM careers.
Tell Congress to fund programs that broaden participation in science education and careers!