NEW: STEM Center Conference on Skilled Workforce May 4
Monday, April 30, 2012
The RI STEM Center at Rhode Island College will host a conference from 8 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, May 4, “EmpoweRIng for the Future,” to address the need for a skilled workforce in the state.
Opening remarks will be presented by RIC President Nancy E. Carriuolo and Mary M. Sullivan,director of The STEM Center. (STEM is an acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.)
Moving toward a more skilled workforce
“The conference will bring together business leaders, educators and nonprofit representatives to discuss bridging the skills gap to empower Rhode Islanders to take full advantage of job openings in such areas as science and technology,” Sullivan said.
Lou Mazzucchelli, director of InRule Technology, a software company based in Chicago, a director of the Slater Technology Fund Fellows Program and a visiting scholar at the School of Engineering, Brown University, will serve as keynote speaker and will present his view of Rhode Island in 2022.
STEM conference highlights
• a panel discussion on the skills businesses need moderated by Timothy J. DelGiudice of the Raytheon Company and including panelists Karen Conti of RITE Solutions, William F. Kearne Jr. of Gilbane Inc., Kurt Harrington of Something Fishy and Suzanne McLaughlin of Custom Computer Specialists Inc.;
• workshops on topics such as business interviews, changing careers from business to teaching, and STEM programs in school and after school including a report on the First Lego League in Rhode Island;
• and a look at how student internships and teacher externships/fellowships can help forge closer ties with business.
Sponsors of the May 4 conference are Atrion Networking Corp. in Warwick, the Defense Industry Partnership and the Rhode Island Geography Alliance. Others taking part include RiverzEdge ArtsProject, Tech Collective, and the Rhode Island Experimental Program to Stimulate Competitive Research (RI-EPSCoR).
Organizers have scheduled a follow-up session May 22 at the STEM Center.
The RI STEM Center works to foster and develop collaboration and networking forSTEM initiatives among stakeholders at all levels in the state; develop, compile and disseminate resources related to STEM disciplines for the benefit of the stakeholders; and provide programming that supports STEM growth, andconduct research and evaluation related to initiatives in STEM disciplines.
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