STEM Policy and Advocacy

UNESCO for the People – Harnessing Science, Technology, and Innovation as Global Public Goods Science, technology, and innovation (STI) shape not only what we know but how societies thrive and tackle pressing challenges. The International Decade of Sciences for Sustainable Development (2024–2033), led by UNESCO, presents a unique opportunity to strengthen international cooperation, boost public and private research investment, reinforce local research ecosystems, and place science at the core of inclusive development strategies that empower women, youth, and marginalized communities. Over three decades in academia, I have witnessed how scientific research transforms societies. I have mentored students and young scholars, collaborated with leading global academic institutions, and helped establish joint academic and research programs that unite scholars across borders and empower early-career researchers. Throughout my campaign, I have met scientists who are making a meaningful impact despite limited resources. As I emphasized during a lecture at UNESCO’s Arab Week, strong education systems, adequate funding, and international collaboration are essential to building diverse, resilient research communities capable of driving real change. “UNESCO for the People” envisions STI as tools for inclusion and sustainable development—creating tangible benefits for people’s lives by: • Supporting Member States in developing national research strategies that strengthen inclusive science ecosystems, uphold the right to science, ensure scientists’ safety, improve working conditions, and advance gender equality and youth participation. • Advocating for greater investment in research and innovation by increasing national budgets and fostering partnerships with international financial institutions and donors. • Reducing disparities among countries by promoting an inclusive digital transformation, fostering skills in emerging and converging technologies, implementing the Recommendation on the Ethics of AI, and establishing ethical guidelines for frontier technologies such as neurotechnology, quantum computing, and synthetic biology. • Expanding capacity-building programs, increasing research grants for young scientists, investing in STEM education, and supporting the development of think tanks, science parks, and technology incubators. • Enhancing cooperation and knowledge-sharing through global academic networks and UNESCO Chairs, and by strengthening South-South and triangular partnerships. • Promoting open and responsible science, scaling up access to data and publications, and integrating Indigenous and local knowledge into policy and innovation strategies. • Strengthening the science-policy-society nexus by ensuring evidence-based decision-making rooted in robust data collection and analysis, while aligning research with national priorities to effectively address societal challenges.

Today the government released a statement in response to the Pathway to Diversity in STEM Review. https://lnkd.in/gE7bSsrs As Chair of the Review I welcome the Australian Government’s comprehensive statement and acknowledge the commitment to embed equity and inclusion across its entire agenda. The acceptance, in principle, of many of the Review's 11 recommendations is a critical first step in achieving the systemic and cultural change Australia's STEM sector desperately needs. The commitment to hold grant recipients and suppliers accountable for safe and inclusive workplaces (Rec 5) is particularly powerful, ensuring public funds only support organizations dedicated to eliminating bullying and discrimination. I also applaud the major new steps to elevate First Nations Knowledges (Rec 10), notably the new $250,000 Prime Minister's Prize, and the initiatives to streamline pathways for skilled migrants (Rec 6). However, the response must now address the structural and cultural architecture required for long-term, coordinated success. The Missing Pieces: Coordination and Strategy The most critical gap remains the lack of commitment to an overarching, whole-of-government long-term strategy and to establish a dedicated Advisory Council(Rec 1). Without a strategy and a central coordinating body with expert advisors to draw from, the existing and newly funded programs risk remaining fragmented, diluting their collective impact, and failing to effectively address intersectionality—the overlapping barriers faced by diverse cohorts. Furthermore, while programs like Superstars of STEM are funded, a formal, national Communication and Outreach Strategy (Rec 11) is still missing. We must coordinate efforts to actively shift the ingrained public perception of who belongs in STEM and clearly communicate the breadth of career pathways available. The Mandate for Industry and Academia The government has activated strong levers, and now industry and academia must meet this commitment with equal urgency: - Accountability is Mandatory: Every STEM employer must immediately stop viewing safety and inclusion as optional compliance. They must adopt transparent, measurable action plans—like the Workplace Action Framework (Rec 4)—to proactively attract, retain, and promote diverse talent. - Invest in Culture: Businesses must invest in cultural transformation at every level, ensuring that diverse individuals not only enter but remain and thrive in safe working environments (Rec 3). The onus is now on all of us to ensure the spirit of this Review translates into a thriving, diverse, and world-leading Australian STEM sector. Mikaela Jade FTSE Hon Dr Parwinder Kaur MLC Tim Ayres Ed Husic MP Australian Academy of Technological Sciences & Engineering

📊 The European Commission presented its European Semester Spring Package this week! As Executive Vice-President Roxana Minzatu underscored, this marked a key milestone: for the first time, all Member States received targeted recommendations on education and skills as part of the #UnionOfSkills initiative launched earlier this year. 📘 23 Member States received guidance on improving basic skills and education quality 🧪 11 were advised on strengthening STEM education 👩🏫 13 received recommendations related to the teaching profession The Commission’s policy guidance places the strengthening of human capital at the core of Member States’ reform and investment strategies. Investing in education and skills is essential for Europe's long-term competitiveness, prosperity, and social cohesion. To meet both current and future challenges, we must prioritise inclusive, high-quality education and raise skill levels across all sectors. The facts speak for themselves: 📉 Basic skills are declining across the EU 🧮 Nearly a third of young Europeans struggle with basic math 💻 Around 50% of adults still lack basic digital skills 🎓 Participation in adult learning remains far below the 60% EU target for 2030 At the same time, labour and skills shortages – especially in high-skill sectors – are rising. By 2035, over half of all new jobs will require high-level qualifications. Yet Europe faces a shortage of STEM graduates, a decline in basic competencies, and mounting pressure to ensure the teaching profession remains attractive and well-supported. This year’s recommendations address these realities head-on, placing a strong focus on equipping people with the skills they need to succeed in a world of transformations. Key priorities include: ✅ Investing in lifelong learning and widening access for underserved groups ✅ Making education systems more responsive to labour market needs ✅ Enhancing the attractiveness and quality of the teaching profession ✅ Supporting underachieving pupils with targeted basic skills initiatives ✅ Prioritising STEM education to meet evolving skills demand ✅ Promoting upskilling, reskilling, and mobility across sectors and borders The Spring Package closely aligns with three forthcoming initiatives under the #UnionofSkills umbrella, namely the Action Plan on Basic Skills, the STEM Education Strategic Plan, and the EU Teachers and Trainers Agenda. Together, these reforms will provide timely and targeted support to Member States, complementing national efforts to build resilient and future-proof education systems. Europe’s strength lies in its people, and investing in skills and education is not only a social imperative, but a strategic necessity for Europe’s future. With the right reforms and targeted investments, we can unlock the full potential of Europe’s workforce and ensure that no one is left behind. 🔗 Links to the full European Semester package here: https://europa.eu/!v67JJ7

Over half of the 1,600 NSF grants abruptly terminated this year targeted STEM education—yanking $773 million from America's talent pipeline overnight. With NSF awards now at their slowest rate since 1990, we're idling our innovation engine just as global competitors hit the gas. One stroke of a pen erased 1,000 Graduate Research Fellowships—a generation of scientists lost. Critical programs like undergraduate research internship programs have been slashed by ~75%, closing doors to future STEM careers. Yet STEM fields drive nearly 40%+ of U.S. GDP, powering our highest-paying jobs and strongest growth. Economists warn these cuts could damage our economy on the scale of a major recession. Worse, we're undermining our national security in crucial fields like AI and quantum computing precisely when we must accelerate. This isn't penny-pinching; it's unilateral technological disarmament. Countries like China are building the world's largest scientific workforce. Indeed, competitors abroad aren’t pausing; they're sprinting toward technological leadership. Talent is everywhere in America, but opportunity isn't. America must either invest boldly in STEM for all Americans everywhere or cede global leadership. Let's reverse these NSF EDU cuts now and recommit to innovation, economic prosperity, and our nation’s future.

Update on Current Status of Education Programs at the NSF As a recently retired NSF program officer in EDU, I have been curious about the fate of NSF overall, and of many of the education programs, which would seem to be in direct conflict with the Trump Administration's DEI policy. There are NSF programs that have been "archived "(i.e., cancelled). One archived program, Racial Equity, program was designed to "to support bold, groundbreaking, and potentially transformative projects that contribute to advancing racial equity in STEM education." Likewise, the Advance program has been "archived," with a mission (in relation to gender, women) "to broaden the implementation of evidence-based systemic change strategies that promote equity for STEM faculty in academic workplaces." Other programs have been reduced or cancelled, such as research programs for undergraduates. Meanwhile, the eventual status of informal and formal programs reaching K-12 audiences and the general public, seem to be uncertain. While still a program officer at NSF last fall, I conducted a review panel for the ITEST (Innovative Technology Experiences for Students and Teachers), which has a major emphasis on providing experiences that support development of interest in STEM careers among K-12 students. In a typical year, many of the ITEST proposals receiving positive reviews would have been funded, but a search for grant awards (nsf.gov) reveals that virtually nothing has been funded yet. Review panels for the DRK-12 program (research on approaches regarding student experiences and teacher professional development that improve classroom and STEM education) and AISL program (research on informal STEM education experiences such as media/technology, exhibits, afterschool, family programs, etc.) have been completed or are in progress. Review panels for these programs were postponed for a few weeks, but given the environment, it is questionable that grant awards will be made for these programs, since DEI is a high priority in the grant solicitations for both of these programs. NSF leadership has been unclear regarding how various EDU programs will proceed, if at all. NSF program officers appear to be constricted regarding what they can discuss with potential Principal Investigators or others. It also appears that program officers have not been much guidance on how to deal with DEI issues that may come up during review panels. The Trump Administration has also indicated that it wants to shutter the Institute for Museum and Library Services, an agency that provides several hundred millions supporting projects in libraries and museums across the country. These grants are especially important to rural institutions, where opportunities for other funding are very limited. The National Endowments for the Humanities and Arts seem to have been spared, since funding for those programs was included in the recent Continuing Resolution passed. #ASTC #AAAS #NSTA #AAM

Defund or defend? China is surging because its investments in education are paying off. Rather than keeping pace, the US federal government is abandoning education and its duty to secure a prosperous American future. Defunding STEM education is not a partisan win: it's unpopular, short-sighted, and threatens all Americans. Fully 90% of Americans support STEM education (https://lnkd.in/gErmaAJ9), but more than 70% of National Science Foundation (NSF) $1.1 billion in grant terminations hit the directorate of STEM education ( https://lnkd.in/gd2s3hcA). The current White House budget cuts $12 billion from the US Department of Education (https://lnkd.in/gfAi52jc). The US is already losing ground. In 2025, China expects to graduate 77,000 STEM PhDs, but the US will only produce 40,000. If international students are excluded (or deported) that estimate drops to 26,000 US STEM PhDs. (https://lnkd.in/gVwDbqVj) China's population is 4x+ as large as the US, so the more interesting question may be: Why can the US produce **as many** STEM graduates as it does? The answer is obvious: substantial and sustained federal investment in civilian science and STEM education. Overall US investment in education has been more than 5% of GDP in recent decades, even more than military spending (~3% GDP). NSF began funding STEM education in the late 1950s in response to Sputnik, clear evidence the US was losing the cold war technology race (https://lnkd.in/gj63gXAs). History tells the result: Americans came from behind and have led the world for decades. The US STEM education pipeline is the envy of the world, but American leadership is constantly tested. The truth Eisenhower recognized remains true today: without robust investment in STEM education, the US will surely fall behind. It is no surprise that even in this polarized period, 9 out of 10 Americans support STEM education. While China is steadily increasing their investment in education, the US is defunding it. What are the consequences for this unpopular, regressive, and needlessly self-harming policy? What will this mean this year and next? What about in 5-10 years? Today's decisions to defund STEM education will have long-term negative impacts. Your elected representatives are defunding education right now. Instead, they should defend education and safeguard America's future. If you care about how US scientific achievement has made America great, if you want a prosperous future for yourself and your children, **remind your legislators** that Americans support STEM education. Please invest 5 minutes and call today: https://lnkd.in/g8d3h8XD https://lnkd.in/g8QVxVhz https://lnkd.in/gJm4zaCW #savensf savensf.com

Our new publication 'Factors influencing STEM participation and effective intervention strategies' has been featured in the European Commission 'Education and Training Monitor 2025'! 👉 This ENESET Analytical report, co-authored with Jaime Polanco-Jimenez, identifies evidence-based factors influencing STEM choices and evaluates effective interventions. 👉 Grounded in causal evidence and aligned with EU policy priorities, this analysis identifies the profiles and motivations of those who pursue STEM pathways and evaluates the effectiveness of policy measures aimed at increasing STEM participation. 👉 The findings of our literature review show that choices depend on early influences (family support, engaging schooling), psychological factors (competitiveness, self-efficacy, STEM perceptions), and post-secondary experiences (e.g., professor role models). While evidence strength varies, interventions targeting parental information (STEM utility), enhancing role model exposure, and implementing integrated curricula show promise. Despite identifying effective strategies, gaps remain in EU-specific causal research and cost-effectiveness data. Critically, systemic factors are paramount: EU higher education funding models must recognize STEM's higher costs to ensure adequate supply, and improving pathways from Vocational Education and Training (VET) to STEM degrees offers a key opportunity to broaden the talent pool. 👉 This report provides targeted policy recommendations for the EU and its Member States to foster a larger, more diverse STEM workforce, noting the value of context-specific case studies. 👉 Read the publication at: https://lnkd.in/eZs_EzXT