Linda Hallman

AAUW Executive Director Linda D. Hallman attended the White House kickoff event last week for the Obama administration’s new campaign to encourage students to pursue math, science and technology fields.

According to the New York Times, Educate to Innovate is a comprehensive effort that involves partnerships with Sesame Street, Time Warner and Discovery Communications to create programming focused on science. Technology companies and the MacArthur Foundation are also involved, holding contests to develop video games that teach science and math, as well as donating technology resources to libraries in low-income neighborhoods.

In their efforts to promote the cause of science and math education to corporations and philanthropists, the Obama administration has also recruited prominent leaders in the science, technology, engineering and math fields, including Sally Ride, the first American woman in space. The campaign has pulled criticism from some educators, though, who say the campaign does not tackle the core issue in schools: the quality of teachers and the curriculum.

AAUW supports promoting and strengthening science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education, especially for girls and other underrepresented populations. These efforts will help increase America’s competitiveness by reducing gender barriers that deter women from pursuing academic and career goals in STEM fields.