Symposium to showcase Delaware’s strength in STEM

Education in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) has grown significantly over the past few years, and on Nov. 15 the Delaware STEM Council will host a symposium to discuss how to continue the growth of STEM in the state, as well as award educators who are innovating in the field.
STEM Council Executive Director Daniel Suchenski said the symposium was created so that Delaware could boast about one of its key strengths.
“There isn’t an equivalent STEM [pipeline] that works in this capacity in any of the adjacent states that border Delaware,” Suchenski said. “One of the best ways we thought to highlight that work — to get people from across the state and region in one space to talk about these issues more fully — was a symposium.”
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The third Delaware STEM Council Symposium will feature two sessions discussing topics in STEM. The first topic, “A Search for Equity in STEM,” will discuss how to make sure everyone can pursue a career in these fields with as little hinderance as possible. The second topic, “The Importance of Professional Development and STEM,” will show how STEM education can improve so that every student can be the best they possibly can.
In addition to the symposium topics, finalists for the group’s STEM Educator Award will make pitches before the awards are given out at the end of the symposium. Suchenski said the awards are for educators who provide students with the opportunities to see how STEM fields are innovative and exciting.
“The earlier you get people, students particularly, to be involved in the process and the excitement and knowledge and literacy around STEM, the greater likelihood they have of maintaining that engagement,” Suchenski said.
The event will run from 12-7:30 p.m. at the University of Delaware’s Clayton Hall, in Newark. Lunch, dinner and refreshments will be served. The event is free to the public, though Suchenski said to register to give the organizers an idea of how many people will come.
Overall, Suchenski said that as we continue to move forward with technologies and innovations in the STEM fields, people will need to learn about them, and this symposium gives them an opportunity to do so.
“There’s so many ways that STEM impacts our lives,” he said. “I would strongly encourage anyone that’s interested or would like to learn more to come and see what we have to offer.”