Mainebiz

V O L . X X V I N O. X X I X D E C E M B E R 1 4 , 2 0 2 0 20 WO R K F O R C E D E V E L O P M E N T S cientists in lab coats and Silicon Valley coders — that's what usu- ally comes to mind when think- ing about science, technology, engineer- ing and mathematics, or STEM. But STEM is more than the stereo- type. It includes diverse disciplines feed- ing ever-changing industries, and Maine is fertile ground for STEM develop- ment, says Walter Rawle, chairman of the Maine chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. He cites innovations in traditional industries like forestry, agriculture and fishing; and new developments in fields as disparate as bioscience, health care, artificial intelligence, machine learning, autonomous vehicles, military appli- cations and a concept in the works to develop a Maine spaceport complex. "ere's huge demand for research, development and technical and product development in those areas," he says. "e pandemic is also fertile ground for innovation, everything from auto- mated artificial intelligence techniques for contact tracing to improvements in diagnostics and physics-based models that describe the aerosolized transport of the virus." "We're seeing all kinds of opportu- nities for STEM workforce develop- ment in Maine," University of Maine President Joan Ferrini-Mundy says, citing engineering as a particularly high- growth field. Robust climate Even with a growing number of opportunities, including jobs in Maine, Ferrini-Mundy says there need to be better connections between educational systems and work- force development. STEM talent development, she says, depends on several primary components: Better educational alignment from pre-K through higher education Robust R&D Public-private partnerships that drive R&D "e importance of bringing more research and development to Maine is interwoven in having a talented work- force that can drive that research and development forward," she says. e climate for advancing STEM in Maine is robust. She cites heritage industries as "extraordinary" STEM opportunities that evolve with new technologies. e forest products industry, she says, is today more than lumber, paper and pulp. New initiatives are underway with the University of Maine to develop bio- based composite materials in conjunc- tion with new 3D-printing capabilities that are poised to quickly produce large manufacturing components. But finding talented people with the right STEM skills is not always easy, says Johanna Szillery, a senior project scientist at Bangor-based Haley Ward Inc. (formerly known as CES Inc.). "Whether we're looking for survey- ors, engineers or folks in the environ- mental field, it seems we spend a fair amount of effort finding the right people," she says. Why the disconnect? Even with a foundation in STEM education, job candidates often need to demonstrate to potential employers a specific set of skills. "I think in some ways it's the nature of what students are not tak- ing," Szillery says. "In the natural resources realms, what students take in higher education doesn't match with the skills we're looking for." On her own STEM journey, there was a disconnect between education and career. "I think there's a little bit of — you go into a major and you enjoy it, but you're not quite sure, on the other end, what you'll be doing with that full-time," she says. "For me, exposure to mentors and internships was huge, because at least it gave me context for what I could be doing on the other side of college life." STEM careers and investment in STEM education are considered critical to Maine's economic growth. As an economic driver, every direct STEM job supports an indirect job, said Rachel Kerestes, executive direc- tor of Science is US, a nonprofit that convenes STEM leaders. Kerestes spoke during a webinar series recently hosted by the non- profit and Maine State Chamber of Commerce's education foundation. Nationally as in Maine, Kerestes said, STEM supports one-third of direct jobs. Each direct job supports an indirect job. F O C U S P H O T O / T I M G R E E N WAY Maine is fertile ground for STEM development, says Walter Rawle, chairman of the Maine chapter of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers. There's no other sector that supports the economy as much as STEM does. — Rachel Kerestes Executive director, Science is US Educational and workforce opportunitie align to help Maine businesses B y l a u R i e s C h R e i B e R beyond the STEM moves stereotype

• Cover