National Mobilization Kick-Off Event (Segment 4)

Ellen Futter, President, American Museum of Natural History
Ellen Futter discusses model programs for improving science and math education, including the American Museum of Natural History’s Urban Advantage program which has reached more than 25,000 students in New York City public schools.

Ellen Futter moderates a panels and fields questions from the audience.

Panelist: Randi Weingarten, President, American Federation of Teachers and United Federation of Teachers
Randi Weingarten endorses the report and notes that professional development for teachers is a crucial part of the agenda.

Panelist: Norman Francis, President, Xavier University of Louisiana
Norman Francis discusses what his institution has done to motivate African American and other minority students to study science and math.

Participant: Wendy Kopp, Founder, Teach for America
Wendy Kopp describes her organization’s aggressive efforts to recruit new teachers, especially math and science teachers.

Panelist: The Honorable Donald L. Carcieri, Governor of Rhode Island
Governor Carcieri discusses his state’s Physics First program, which requires three years of science and four years of math for high school graduation.

Participant: Gene Wilhoit, Executive Director, Council of Chief State School Officers
Gene Wilhoit notes that state officials are showing interest in adopting common science standards—an extension of current work by the Common Core Standards Initiative in math and language arts.

Panelist: Uri Treisman, Executive Director, Charles A. Dana Center, The University of Texas at Austin
Uri Treisman emphasizes the link between improving math and science and transforming schools; he urges careful attention to the Commission’s analysis and recommended actions.

Panelist: Carina Wong, Deputy Director, Education, US Programs, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
Carina Wong discusses her foundation’s commitment to improving math and science education and comments on the promise of technology to improve instruction.

Panelist: Lydia Logan, Vice President and Executive Director of the Institute for a Competitive Workforce, U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Lydia Logan highlights the contributions business can make to help students gain a real-world appreciation of mathematics and science.

Participant: The Honorable James Hunt, Former Governor of North Carolina
Governor Hunt urges parents across the country to “raise hell” about the state of science and math education in their children’s schools.

Michele Cahill, Co-Chair, Carnegie Corporation of New York-Institute for Advanced Study Commission on Mathematics & Science Education
Michele Cahill emphasizes the opportunity to make lasting change and the urgency with which efforts to improve math and science must proceed.

Vartan Gregorian, President, Carnegie Corporation of New York
Vartan Gregorian calls on groups representing a wide array of interests to put aside rivalries and competing interests and mobilize to transform math and science education.