Perhaps it is meant to fill a need in today’s job market
for math and science students. Or to further research for the
Department of Homeland Security. Or, it is simply both.
According to analysts, President Bush’s proposal for the
Presidential Math and Science Scholars Fund is designed to do two
things at once ““ to enhance education and to boost the
economy by improving the job force.
There is also speculation it is meant to be a part of a larger
research effort geared toward preparing students for the wide array
of current and future careers available in math- and
science-oriented careers, in addition to possibly making
advancements in fighting and defending against terrorist
attacks.
Bush allotted $100 million to this fund to be distributed to
about 20,000 low-income students planning to study math or science,
for up to $5,000 each. Each student must also be eligible for a
Pell Grant, but the two programs would be run separately.
As the demand for students with math and science expertise
increases, the supply must be increasing as well, but there is
concern that there is not currently enough interest in these
fields.
“I think that the math and science hiring committees have
been strong for quite some time,” said Kathy Sims, director
of the UCLA Career Center.
“Part of the reason is there are lots of opportunities,
but we don’t produce enough graduates to fill the positions
and I think there are concerns that we won’t be able to
encourage enough to pursue those disciplines,” she said.
In California, statistics point to an expansion in career
opportunities in the fields of math and science.
“It looks like projections show that they are the
fastest-growing occupations areas and that the timing would be
right if you are looking for a job in that area,” said Kevin
Callori, a spokesman for the California Employment Development
Department.
According to the department’s statistics, the
fastest-growing occupations include computer support, software
engineers and systems administrators ““ all jobs that require
some sort of math and science background.
Such occupations are expanding rapidly and some are projected to
double by 2010, even if they do not have the most positions
available numerically.
The need for the scholarship comes from a lack of interest in
math and science fields and the need to encourage students in those
areas, not necessarily from an exorbitant number of open
positions.
“We are already behind in finding candidates to fill
positions that already exist,” Sims said. “If you
don’t have good math and science in grades K-12, few students
will pursue it in college, so it is a program that is promoting the
disciplines.”
There is also speculation that such a fund is in part a response
to the push for increased research in improving technology for
homeland defense.
“It reminds me of what happened back in 1958 with the
approved National Defense Education Act,” said Dallas Martin,
the president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid
Administrators. “There was a great cry that America was
falling behind, not keeping up with the Soviet Union, and priority
went to students in math and science.”
In this age, in which more funds are being allocated to Homeland
Security for research in national defense against weapons of mass
destruction, the fund may also be geared toward preparing students
for research-type careers.
“Part of the reason for choosing math and science, there
is such an emphasis in higher technology, they will need those
types of skills,” Martin said. “In the United States
overall, if you rank our graduates, they don’t necessarily
measure up across the board.”
Following the act of 1958, every educational discipline began to
improve, and the Presidential Math and Science Scholars Fund may be
a similar program to begin widespread improvement of education.
“When he delivered this particular address, I took it more
as him talking about education across the board, helping people
succeed,” Martin said. “Having an educated citizen and
a better trained workforce benefits in a lot of ways.”