Center Advisory Board is an Investment in Minnesota Economy
Dennis Siemer, Advisory Board Chair
I believe our Advisory Board is unique and poised to make real change in Minnesota's educational and economic system. With the establishment of MNCEME, Minnesota's educators are asking us -- industry -- to tell them what we really need to grow our businesses. If we don’t respond to this request we will have missed the opportunity of a lifetime to change the quality of life for every citizen in Minnesota and we will have wasted tax money to boot!
From a business point of view we can see our involvement in MNCEME as an investment, no different than making sure the roof over the production floor doesn’t leak. We know that we need skilled workers in the future so let’s be proactive and ensure ourselves that we have them. Your company’s input is important to MNCEME’s success.
Twenty-seven advisory board members now represent some of Minnesota’s outstanding manufacturing industries. Considering the short time the advisory board has been in existence, I’m pleased with our progress -- but more can be done.
We need to change the perception of parents, students and student advisors regarding manufacturing. Manufacturing has received a lot of bad press in the past years with off-shoring and layoffs dominating the news. We need to publish the fact that yes, these things are happening, but we are increasing our productivity through the use of technology and many of the layoffs involve evolution and not extinction.
We need to show that there are good, clean, challenging manufacturing jobs. Many people still believe that manufacturing is dirty and boring. We need to invite them to tour our plants and see how manufacturing is done today, and what job skills are required.
The last three quarterly meetings have produced the following results:
Pipeline Committee
The committee has been working with primary and secondary schools to promote interest and participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. The Pipeline Committee is actively involved with STEM and PLTW programs. Details on these programs are available from Jim Mecklenburg who is MNCEME's Project Lead the Way Program Director.
Customized Training
As the title implies, this committee is working on ways to get customized training distributed across the state from the various campuses offering specialized training courses.
Emerging Technology
This committee is currently working on ways to gather and compile data about future educational needs in industry that come about as a result of emerging and disruptive technology. It’s one thing to compile data and another to make sense of it in order to develop an appropriate response.
At our last advisory board meeting, all three committees set up working groups to address specific areas of concern. If you are interested in participating on these working groups, please contact me.
We are also getting out to visit some of our members' workplaces and will be contacting you to set up future meetings. We are doing this in order to gain a broader perspective of the “customer base” we are expected to serve.
Several of the MNCEME advisory board members participated in both the statewide STEM Conference at the Science Museum in St. Paul and the STEM forum held at East High School in Mankato. Dr. Takamura and I made presentations at the general assembly, along with President Davenport of Minnesota State Mankato. We attended breakout sessions with students, parents and teachers to discuss ways of increasing student participation in science, technology, engineering and mathematics courses. Later in the day, the students had the opportunity to tour several of the manufacturing facilities in the Mankato area.
We continue to strengthen as a board, but we will make our greatest strides when we as an industry ramp up for full participation in MNCEME. As a board we can make significant change in the system that is educating our future workers. November's ENews has articles of interest and opportunities for information sharing among board members. Stay in touch. Stay engaged. It is an investment in tomorrow.
Photo by Joe Tougas, MSU
L to R: Assistant Secretary of Commerce & Manufacturing Al Frink, Congressman Gil Gutnecht, and Dr. Kuma Takamura, Executive Director, Center for Excellence in Engineering & Manufacturing
Assistant Secretary of Commerce & Manufacturing Visits Center
Assistant Secretary of Commerce & Manufacturing Al Frink and Congressman Gil Gutnecht visited the Center for Excellence lead university Minnesota State University, Mankato, during Minnesota Manufacturing Week in October. During a stop in the College of Engineering, Science and Technology’s Industrial Automation Lab, Dr. Kuma Takamura, Center Executive Director, described the significant role industry plays in offering relevant, challenging curriculum.
"Assistant Secretary Frink’s visit gave us the opportunity to highlight the collaborative partnership between industry and education and the contribution that collaboration is making to Minnesota’s economic growth,” says Takamura.
Acquired through Center funding, Rockwell automation systems are an important laboratory component for best practices in instruction at all levels of electrical and computer engineering education. The lab offers state-of-the-art technology that provides electrical, computer engineering and engineering technology students experience in circuits, microcontroller and programmable logic courses. Students use this equipment for capstone projects as they design new applications with appropriate industries that employ automation systems.
Dr. Gale Allen (facing), MSU College of Science, Engineering and Technology, explains facets of electrical engineering to area high school students during a lab tour at Minnesota State Mankato's campus.
STEM Forum Builds the Future
Nearly 200 high school students from throughout Greater Mankato attended a STEM Forum hosted by Mankato Public Schools and the MN Center for Engineering & Manufacturing Excellence on October 17, 2006. The forum was one of 12 forums held statewide and part of a broader effort by Governor Pawlenty and the Department of Education and its partners to highlight job and higher education opportunities available in the STEM field.
“For Minnesota students to stay and work in Minnesota communities, we need to prepare them for the science and high tech jobs that will be available in the future,” said Education Commissioner Alice Seagren. “It is essential to build local partnerships if we are to improve education in the STEM fields.”
Commissioner Seagren with President Richard Davenport, Minnesota State University, Mankato; Dr. Kuma Takamura, Executive Director; and Dennis Siemer, Center Advisory Board Chair, delivered opening remarks to students, parents and teachers. Following break-out sessions students toured area businesses, various Minnesota State Mankato labs and spoke with South Central College faculty about post-secondary programs.
Recommended Commentary
Minnesota students need more math and science to ensure state's future
James H. McCormick, Chancellor, MN State Colleges and Universities system
Photo by Joe Tougas, MSU
Dr. Muhammad Khaliq (right), MSU Electrical and Computer Engineering and Technology, explains the electronics instructional lab to
Trustee VanHouten (left), Trustee Dickson (center), and President Keith Stover, South Central College. Center funding provided updated equipment for the lab.
Trustees Learn More about Center for Excellence
Trustees Cheryl Dickson, Ruth Grendahl and James VanHouten were welcomed to Minnesota State University, Mankato, for an informational visit and tour. Minnesota State University, Mankato is the lead four-year university for the Center for Excellence. Executive Director Kuma Takamura, Dean John Frey, and Advisory Board Chair Dennis Siemer presented Center successes and current strategies for growing the engineering and technology pipeline. Educational partner presidents explained their respective institutions' contributions to the Center and the added value of Center collaboration in retaining and recruiting students.
Helping to prepare a "highly skilled and adaptable workforce that meets Minnesota's opportunities and needs" is a strategic focus for the MN State Colleges and Universities System. Made up of seven system institutions, the Center is a contributor to realizing that goal. "There is no question that our collaboration as educational institutions is enhancing current student learning and impacting future student growth -- both strong factors in helping to build Minnesota's economy," commented Frey.
Mike Favor (left), Principal, North Senior High School, Minneapolis;Bob Evans, Electronics Instructor, Anoka Technical College; Sue Collins, Vice President, Northeast Higher Education District; and Scott Arcand, Teacher, STEP, participate in an educators' panel discussion.
Education and Business Weigh-In on Demand Driven Education
Top education and business leaders from across Minnesota attended a K-14 Symposium: A Conversation about Serving Applied Learners in a Demand-Driven World sponsored by Anoka Technical College in partnership with the Minnesota Center for Engineering and Manufacturing Excellence, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities System, and Anoka-Hennepin School District.
The symposium offered a unique opportunity for education and industry experts to define the concept of demand-driven education, addressing how Minnesota’s education system can best meet the needs of the state's applied learners and ultimately business and industry through an intentional emphasis on K-14 opportunities.
"By bringing education and industry together we are creating a road map that will encourage those students who learn best by hands-on application to continue their education beyond high school ensuring them a higher quality of life and ultimately growing Minnesota's economy," commented Anoka Technical College President Anne Weyandt.
NEWS BRIEF
Minnesota State University, Mankato Student Wins MN High Tech Association Scholarship
Minnesota State Mankato student Benjamin Roberson was awarded a 2006 Minnesota High Tech Foundation Scholarship at the annual TECHNE Awards banquet in October. Roberson is a senior studying to become a math teacher. “I want to impact the world we live in and our society’s future,” says Roberson. “I get extremely excited and enthusiastic when I think about the tremendous impact I can make on so many young lives as a math teacher. There are countless careers that depend on a strong foundation of mathematics. I want to build that foundation and help the next generation realize their dreams.” Roberson holds a 3.95 GPA.
Dr. Kuma Takamura, Executive Director
STEM Survey, Informal Results
In my last ENews note, I asked “What turned you on to STEM?” I received about 40 answers from MSU faculty members and some STEM major students. The results are interesting.
Some of the examples for each category are:
- Nature
Both my parents are scientists.
From a very young age, I loved to tinker with things (or loved nature and animals).
- Nurture
I grew up on a farm and loved nature and farm animals.
My parents, even though they are not scientists or engineers, encouraged me to become an engineer.
- Logic
I was told that engineers made a lot of money.
I eliminated what I did not want to be one by one and scientist was the last one left.
- Chance Encounter
Star Trek did it to me!
When I was 4 years old, I saw my sister dissect a worm. I decided to be a scientist at that moment!
- Teachers
My high school chemistry teacher was so inspiring.
The real question here is which category do we want to focus our efforts on? Which category can really make a difference? We cannot manipulate genes (nature), nurture or chance encounters. Therefore, we have two possible categories: logic (17%) or teachers (14%).
For young students to choose STEM logically, we need a strong marketing effort. Have you seen our MNCEME bookmarks? They are specifically targeted at youth and ask various questions such as: “Do you know that the snowboard was invented by an engineer?” or “Do you know that computer engineers, in conjunction with animators, have created special effects in movies such as Jurassic Park?” We must continue to strengthen our effort so that engineering and manufacturing become more attractive to youth. For example, manufacturing today is not about sweat and dirtiness but cleanliness and computers!
We all know what a difference it would make to have a teacher who is passionate about his or her subject. Coincidentally, the National Academy of Science and Engineering’s Executive Summary, “Energizing and Employing America for a Brighter Economic Future,” lists “increasing America’s talent pool by vastly improving K-12 science and mathematics education” as a number one priority and recommends developing K-12 STEM teachers in quality and quantity. As a Center for Excellence, facilitating the improvement of K-12 STEM teacher education will make a significant impact on both our state and national economy.
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