On 22 June 2021, AGU sent a letter to Senators Shaheen (NH) and Capito (WV) endorsing the Supporting STEM Learning Opportunities Act. 

 

On behalf of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and our community of 130,000 worldwide in the Earth and space sciences, I am writing to thank you for crafting the Supporting STEM Learning Opportunities Act and offer AGU’s official endorsement for this important bill.

 

Experiential STEM learning opportunities are essential to strengthening the pipeline of students entering the STEM workforce, and AGU shares your commitment to ensuring that the benefits of STEM education are shared across the nation.

 

By providing grants to nonprofit programs to support hands-on learning in STEM education, the Supporting STEM Learning Opportunities Act will inspire the youth of the United States to pursue careers in STEM-related fields. In addition, by prioritizing nonprofit programs serving schools with a high percentage of students who are eligible for free or reduced-price lunch, this bill will broaden participation in the STEM workforce within communities that have traditionally been underrepresented in science.

 

Within the United States, AGU members teach across the country in rural and urban educational institutions. As such, AGU members can attest to the fundamental role that experiential learning experiences play in making science stronger.

 

Given our strong shared interests on the goals of this legislation, AGU appreciates your leadership and looks forward to working with you on this critical issue in the future.