Indiana's Science Education Reform Gains Financial Boost and Brain Power From Eli Lilly and Company
03 October 2008 - 1:39AM
PR Newswire (US)
Lilly collaborates with BioCrossroads and I-STEM Resource Network
and takes a stake in new educational initiative INDIANAPOLIS, Oct.
2 /PRNewswire/ -- According to the Indiana Department of Workforce
Development's "Hoosier Hot 50 Jobs", Indiana workers will be needed
to fill more than 46,000 new jobs related to the science,
technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines (health
care professionals, laboratory researchers, computer science
analysts, engineers, etc.) by 2014. In order to help position
Indiana's students to take advantage of these future job
opportunities in the life and health sciences, a statewide task
force of business and education leaders, including the Indiana
Department of Education, will be creating a strategic plan to
reform science education in Indiana's K-12 schools. Through a
collaboration with BioCrossroads and the I-STEM Resource Network,
Eli Lilly and Company, through its Foundation, will support this
new initiative, providing funding and scientific consultants to
work on the project. The task force has engaged the National
Science Resources Center (NSRC), an affiliate of The National
Academies and the Smithsonian Institute, to help build a
comprehensive plan for science education reform in Indiana. Lilly
will provide financial support for the NSRC to research and write a
strategic plan for the state's efforts to reform science education
in a multi-year effort. Support from Lilly will also include the
participation of Lilly scientists in the development of this plan
as well as ongoing support for science teachers across Indiana as
they develop a hands-on, inquiry-based approach to teaching
science. "Working in a collaborative way to strengthen science
education is critically important to current and future generations
of students and to the economic well-being of our state," said
Robert L. Smith, president of the Lilly Foundation. "This is
particularly true given the significant and growing opportunities
in STEM-related fields in Indiana. The Lilly Foundation is pleased
to be playing a role in this important work. In addition, many
Lilly scientists are eager to help, including working with teachers
in the classroom on real-life applications of science." "Lilly's
generous philanthropic support and skill-based volunteer commitment
are huge boosts to our efforts. Having both the business and
academic sectors involved is critical to Indiana's educational
success," said Anne Shane, vice president of BioCrossroads. "We're
making a lot of progress to further develop science and math
education throughout the state through the I-STEM Resource Network
programs and other educational initiatives like the Woodrow Wilson
Fellowships, Teach for America, and The New Teacher Project. The
strategic plan for science education reform will bolster the work
already in progress." The I-STEM Resource Network, a consortium of
the state's higher education institutions focused on strong K-12
STEM education in Indiana, is leading the science education reform
planning. The Network is currently providing professional
development programs for middle school mathematics teachers,
focusing on algebra and geometry concepts, and is embarking on an
initiative for additional training in the areas of technology and
engineering for teachers throughout the state. The first phase of
the science initiative will take place in December when the task
force of business and education leaders from across the state will
analyze the current status of science education in Indiana and then
determine a strategic plan to move Indiana to the forefront of K-12
science education in the United States. About BioCrossroads
BioCrossroads (http://www.biocrossroads.com/) is Indiana's
initiative to grow the life sciences, a public-private
collaboration that supports the region's research and corporate
strengths while encouraging new business development. BioCrossroads
provides money and support to life sciences businesses, launches
new life sciences businesses (Indiana Health Information Exchange,
Monarch LifeSciences, Fairbanks Institute for Healthy Communities,
BioCrossroadsLINX, and Datalys Center) expands collaboration and
partnerships among Indiana's life science institutions, promotes
science education and markets Indiana's life sciences industry.
About I-STEM Resource Network The I-STEM Resource Network
(http://www.istemnetwork.org/) is a partnership of 17 Indiana
public and private higher education institutions, K-12 schools,
business, and government. It supports K-12 teachers and leaders
working to implement high academic standards towards STEM literacy
for all students. It also provides Indiana education leaders with
new knowledge about teaching and learning. DATASOURCE:
BioCrossroads CONTACT: Lori LeRoy of BioCrossroads, +1-317-238-2456
- office, +1-317-514-0095 - cell,
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