NSBE - January/February 2008 - (Page 36)

GRAD LAb MANuAL SPEcial NSBE MagaziNE EdiTioN I. Pursue the Solution with PASSION The ProBleM As you probably know, the United States has all but outsourced its manufacturing infrastructure overseas. One of the last areas where the U.S. still holds a competitive advantage is hightechnology. Our nation is at an all-time high in its need for technical talent, but based on the performance of high school students on standardized tests, the numbers of young Americans even interested in studying science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) are in decline. How many of you have read the book “The World Is Flat” by Thomas Friedman? For those who haven’t, it is a must-read. The point Friedman made and I want to make here is that the world is not flat but connected. As the world becomes more connected, the competition for business and jobs becomes global. Most STEM students born outside the U.S. have advanced degrees, so to stay competitive or collaborate with them, you will have to possess similar educational knowledge and skills. To bring into perspective how badly we are losing the race to produce STEM talent: It has been estimated that China and India produced nearly 1,000,000 STEM professionals last year, compared with approximately 226,000 in the U.S. Many organizations, such as the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH), 36 • january/february 2008 • www.nsbe.org http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NSBE - January/February 2008

NSBE - January/February 2008
Contents
The Pursuit of Excellence
Using Our Power
The Power of Belief
Saying It Well
Premier Profile: Owen Weston of U.S. Steel
NSBE Protégés Receive White House Honor
Regional News
International News
Fostering Competitiveness Through Innovation and Diversity
'Netting a Job
Why Graduate School?
NSBE Love
NSBE Calendar
"Igniting the Torch: Engineering in Action"
NSBE Golden Torch Awards
The AE Niche
Thinking Green
AE Members On the Move
CE Cover: Rough Road, Fun Ride
Join NSBE's Journey to Mars!
Advertisers Index

NSBE - January/February 2008