Governor Patrick & Rep. Linsky Advance Science Ed in Natick

NATICK — .Gov. Deval Patrick used the backdrop of design software company The MathWorks to sign an executive order yesterday creating a new state advisory group seeking to improve education in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM subjects.

The STEM Advisory Council will bring together leaders from the public and private sector to find ways to get students interested in those fields in hopes that they will enter careers in high-tech, biotechnology and alternative energy.

Building those industries will improve the state's economy, Patrick said. The governor said 15 of the 20 fastest growing careers fall into a STEM category.

Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray will be the chairman of the STEM Advisory Council. Building a strong foundation in those areas will make it easier for companies like MathWorks to come to Massachusetts and stay in the state.

Bay State students have shown little interest in science and technology, Patrick said, but they have shown great promise according to standardized test scores. Massachusetts led the country in the National Assessment of Education Progress math test for the third straight year.

The key to getting students interested in math, science and technology is to make it fun, he said.

"I recently went to a robotics competition at Boston University sponsored by FIRST, and the young people were having so much fun," Patrick said. "The key was the fun. That's what engaged them in the STEM education."

Murray pointed to Natick High School as a leader in teaching STEM subjects by making them more attractive for students.

State Rep. David Linsky, D-Natick, joined Murray in a visit to Natick High last week and said he was impressed by what he saw. Some Natick teachers took part in a summer program sponsored by the Metro South/West Regional Employment Board that sent them to companies in their fields over their summer break.

"The lieutenant governor and I visited the high school last week where we were part of an algebra class, and we were treated to a math teacher who spent the summer at Raytheon," Linsky said. "The kids love it. They really do."

Linksy said The MathWorks was a good place to hold such an event because it is a high-tech leader that continues to add jobs despite the bad economy.

"The MathWorks is really an example of a company that is really involved in the community, they are doing cutting-edge technology, and they are are producing products that no one else in the world is producing," Linsky said.

State Sen. Karen Spilka, D-Ashland, also attended yesterday's event. She said improving science and technology education has been a priority for her since she served as a School Committee member in Ashland.

"Developing the STEM areas for our kids is critically important not only for their future but also for the future of the commonwealth," Spilka said. "We need to find ways to make it fun and exciting so kids actually want to go in the the science, the engineering and technology areas. We need to show them what the possibilities are."

Plenty of programs and initiatives already exist, but Spilka said it is important to organize what is out there and see what works best. She wants to see a "STEM czar" oversee all the programs and she believes the new STEM Advisory Council with Murray at the helm as a good solution.

"I think the lieutenant governor is really excited about the possibilities of this program and the coordination council," Spilka said. "I am happy he is taking the lead on this."

Patrick said he hopes to secure some money from the federal Race to the Top Fund to pay for the initiatives coming from the STEM Advisory Council. The money goes to states with innovative education programs.