Watch Panel on The New STEM Workforce

In the United States, it's estimated that 75 percent of all jobs will require STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) expertise by 2018, with similar trends playing out in countries around the world. And yet students, particularly women, are dropping out of STEM at the moment when their skills are most needed. Just 24 percent of the world's STEM workforce is women and only 10 percent is made up of minority groups. A new framework is needed to ensure the next generation of STEM innovators is prepared to meet the growing challenges of the global economy.

On November 9, 2015 the Global STEM Alliance (GSA) of the New York Academy of Sciences brought together leading industry and non-profit organizations to discuss the state of science across the globe and the four key elements important to identify, inspire and empower future STEM leaders.

Watch video of the panel discussion below:
 

The New STEM Workforce from The New York Academy of Sciences on Vimeo.

The panel was be moderated by Ira Flatow, radio and television journalist and host of Public Radio International's popular Science Friday.

Learn more about the other panelists below:

Sara Link, President, AOL Charitable Foundation  
AOL Charitable Foundation is focused on empowering women, girls and future leaders through access to technology, education, leadership development, mentoring and creativity. "When only three percent of high school girls select computer science as a college major and only three out of 25 engineers are women, we must find a way to bridge the gender diversity deficit in STEM," said Link.

Stephen Pattison, Vice President, Public Affairs, ARM  
ARM is the world's leading semiconductor intellectual property (IP) supplier.  The company believes future innovation is only possible with a diverse, worldwide STEM pipeline. "Without a future of great STEM students and professionals, there may not be much of a future at all," said Pattison.

Jeanne Beliveau-Dunn, Chief Knowledge Officer, VP and General Manager Services, Cisco President and Chairman of IoT Talent Consortium 
As the worldwide leader in IT, Cisco developed Learning@Cisco to address the need for highly skilled talent worldwide. It provides educational resources, training, certifications, social networks and communities, collaborative knowledge platforms and consulting services that accelerate productivity, opportunity, and growth. "STEM growth will equip millions of students, and the next generation workforce, with the specific skills they need to solve the world's greatest problems through strategies that take advantage of the power of the Internet of Everything," said Beliveau-Dunn.

Harold O. Levy, Executive Director, Jack Kent Cooke Foundation 
The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation is dedicated to advancing the education of exceptionally promising students who have financial need by offering the largest scholarships available and by funding strategic grant initiatives. In 2015 alone, the foundation awarded $1.6 in STEM education grants. "We are squandering the talents of millions of students who would pursue successful STEM fields if only they had early educational opportunities," said Levy.

Seema Kumar, Vice President, Innovation, Global Public Health and Science Policy Communication, Johnson & Johnson 
Johnson & Johnson Innovation is working to accelerate scientific innovation worldwide to deliver cutting-edge solutions that solve unmet needs.  To this end, Johnson & Johnson supports STEM education for a diverse array of scientists and entrepreneurs of all ages, backgrounds, fields, and geographies, including resource poor nations. "Working together we can expand the traditional view of science careers beyond beakers and lab coats, to capture the incredible breadth and endless possibilities in STEM-related fields - from research and product development, to HR, finance, venture capital, teaching, policy and science communications," said Kumar.

Rebeca Vargas, President and CEO, US-Mexico Foundation
The US-Mexico Foundation has teamed up with the GSA to support girls in Mexico with education and mentoring. Mexico represents the second largest group participating in the 1000 Girls 1000 Futures program after the United States. "The program will change the lives, not only of these girls, but of their families as well. It will open up new horizons and help them acquire critical skills to succeed professionally," said Vargas.