In 2018, the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC) Committee on STEM Education (CoSTEM) released Charting a Course for Success: America’s Strategy for STEM Education, a five-year STEM education strategic plan. This plan provides a pathway to engage students where disciplines converge by drawing on knowledge and methods across the disciplines to solve complex, real-world problems in STEM using innovation, creativity and initiative. Moderated by Dr. Jorge Valdes, Education Advisor at the USPTO, this panel will explore Convergence Education and its intersection with Invention Education. Jorge will be joined by colleagues leading the development and application of Convergence Education, and who bring deep perspective and experience on the nexus of Convergence and the field of Invention Education.

In 2018, Raj Chetty estimated we could quadruple the rate of innovation in the U.S. economy if we invested more equitably in the education of our “Lost Einsteins” – the millions of potential inventors (women, people of color, and individuals from low-income families) left behind in the economy. This lost potential perpetuates inequities, stifling innovation and economic growth. During this panel, we will hear corporate, research, educator, and public policy perspectives on how Invention Education can narrow these gaps and connect students to thriving careers.