WashingtonExec hosted its first STEM Council “speed networking” event in Chantilly, Virginia earlier this week. The event was attended by our STEM Council members, as well as representatives from government, industry and academia. Local executives with a common purpose of enhancing STEM engagement, education and outreach were brought together for the invite-only event.
Participants were able to meet like-minded individuals quickly and with purpose. Through the speed networking format, each individual was able to state their mission and engage with everyone who attended.
“The unique speed-networking format paid off in a big way. I connected with more STEM thought-leaders and activists in 45 minutes than I would have at a week-long symposium. The quality of each connection was very high,” said Mike Bruce, President and CEO of InScope International.
Better communication between industry, government, academia and educational initiatives is required to address the mismatch between current foundational educational capabilities of graduates and the needs of the workforce. There is much engagement and discussion on the national level regarding building a sustainable STEM workforce and education cycle, but no clear organization or forum exists in the National Capital Region (NCR).
The Council will provide a forum for effective interaction in our area between government, industry, academia, and like-minded parents to build a portfolio of strategic and tactical initiatives aimed at supporting an ecosystem of cooperating STEM organizations while also reaching the classrooms, with Ed Swallow of Northrop Grumman serving as Chairman. The team will proactively identify, quantify and address the STEM challenges of the NCR from both a workforce and educational institutional perspective.
The WashingtonExec STEM Council’s kickoff dinner brought Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology (TJHSST) Principal Dr. Evan Glazer to discuss current industry engagement with the Fairfax County Public School (FCPS) system. Last month, the WashingtonExec STEM Council hosted an event entitled “The Workforce of Tomorrow are Your Kids Today” at the Nysmith School. Over 100 industry, academic and government executives were in attendance, read more here.
