IMSEP to Participate in First Ever USA Science and Engineering Festival at National Mall
First national science festival with goal to inspire interest in STEM by providing the most interesting and educational science gatherings in the United States
Ben Franklin, Thomas Edison, Neil Armstrong and Barbara McClintock all had something in common. Not only were they pioneers in math and science but they also were all Americans. Math, science and America come together once again as they meet October 23-24, 2010 at the National Mall in Washington D.C. for the first ever USA Science and Engineering Festival.
This national event plans to re-invigorate the interest of our nation's youth in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) through the culmination of exhibits, performances, contests, and events. This event has received bipartisan support from more than 100 senators and representatives. According to Nobel Laureate Richard Smalley, by the end of 2010, 90 percent of the world's scientists and engineers with advanced degrees will live in Asia. If this trend continues, the majority of the nation's innovation will be outsourced. The USA Science and Engineering Festival hopes to turn that innovation back to the U.S. for the future of STEM by inspiring children of all ages to get involved with STEM with help from exhibitors like the American Museum of Natural History, Carnegie Institution for Science and NASA.
The Iowa Math and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP), a collaborative of Iowa's Regent universities located at the University of Northern Iowa campus, will host a booth at the national festival where over 500 exhibits organized by age ranges and subject points, will be present. The booth features Iowa's leadership in wind energy as a backdrop for the hands-on activities offered at the booth. Event organizers are expecting over 100,000 visitors to attend this two-day event. IMSEP is also one of few organizations across the country to also host a satellite event in conjunction with the festival. Iowa, the only state to attempt multiple satellites, hosted 19 events in locations around the state going on October 18, 2010 called Moms Night Out for STEM.
Moms Night Out for STEM was a one-night statewide celebration of math and science education recognizing a mother's and other caregivers' vital role in stimulating the imagination of children for all things science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). Over 600 parents and their children from across Iowa participated in this first-year event.
For more information about the USA Science and Engineering Festival, go to www.usasciencefestival.org. To learn more about Moms Night Out for STEM-Iowa, go to http://www.iowamathscience.org/moms_night_out or to Facebook at Moms Night Out for STEM - IOWA.
The Iowa Mathematics and Science Education Partnership (IMSEP) is a state funded initiative led by the University of Northern Iowa in partnership with Iowa State University and the University of Iowa. IMSEP's goals are to improve mathematics and science performance of Iowa students; to prepare more high quality mathematics and science teachers for Iowa's schools; and to promote statewide collaboration and cooperation. For more information, please contact the IMSEP offices at (319) 273-2716 or imsep@iowamathscience.org.