{"id":77206,"date":"2013-05-03T06:16:29","date_gmt":"2013-05-03T10:16:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/?p=77206"},"modified":"2013-05-03T09:16:38","modified_gmt":"2013-05-03T13:16:38","slug":"state-of-the-next-generation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/today.uconn.edu\/2013\/05\/state-of-the-next-generation\/","title":{"rendered":"State of the Next Generation"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"Background<\/a><\/div>\n

Astronomy. Computer science. Chemistry. Advanced education in these and other fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics \u2013 collectively known as STEM \u2013 has perhaps never been in greater demand. Over the past decade, jobs in STEM disciplines have grown three times faster than non-STEM jobs, and STEM workers are earning 26 percent more than their non-STEM counterparts, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce\u2019s Economics and Statistics Administration.<\/p>\n

Yet the supply of qualified STEM workers remains a concern for U.S. businesses and for the country as a whole. While President Barack Obama has pronounced graduating 1 million additional STEM graduates over the next decade a national priority, fewer than 40 percent of students who currently enter college intending to major in a STEM field actually receive a STEM degree.<\/p>\n

UConn, with the state of Connecticut, aims to change this. Early this year, Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy and UConn President Susan Herbst unveiled an ambitious new proposal designed to expand educational opportunities, research, and innovation specifically in STEM across the University.<\/p>\n

\"Melissa<\/a>
\"Melissa<\/a>Melissa Jacques \u201910 (ENG), project engineer at Pratt & Whitney, is getting some of the world\u2019s most powerful military jets up to speed. See sidebar below for her story. (Peter Morenus\/UConn Photo)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\u2018Time to act\u2019<\/h2>\n

The $1.5 billion initiative, called Next Generation Connecticut, calls for greater numbers of STEM faculty, an increase in the number of enrolled students in the STEM fields, the establishment of the nation\u2019s first honors program specifically for high-achieving STEM students, and renovations to appropriate campus facilities. In addition to helping propel UConn forward in the areas of high-tech research and academics, the proposal is intended to enhance the state\u2019s economic development efforts for decades to come \u2013 in the form of new jobs, companies, and research advances.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is now Connecticut\u2019s time to act. We want to catch up to great states and leap ahead in key areas such as genomics, materials science, cognitive neuroscience, marine science, and digital media,\u201d Herbst said at a hearing held in March at the state Capitol in Hartford. \u201cNext Generation Connecticut will make that happen, and this initiative will finally enable us to reach the top. Connecticut deserves to have a great top public research university that leads scientific discovery.\u201d<\/p>\n

Specifics of the plan include the following:<\/p>\n