USDOE Special STEM Education Assistant to Keynote First Annual STEMtech Conference

PHOENIX, AZ, August 19, 2010 (Press-News.org) The League for Innovation announced today that Michael C. Lach, special assistant, STEM Education, U.S. Department of Education, will serve as the closing keynote speaker at the first annual STEMtech conference being held October 31 to November 3, 2010, at the Walt Disney World Swan and Dolphin in Orlando, Florida. Educators, industry leaders, and others will gather to discuss increasing student access into and success in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) majors and careers and to explore the strategic use of information technology to better serve their students, campuses, and communities.

Lach previously served as officer of teaching and learning for the 600+ schools comprising the Chicago Public Schools, the nation's third largest school district. Lach began teaching high school biology and general science in 1990 at Alce Fortier Senior High School in New Orleans as a charter member of Teach for America, the national teacher corps. After three years in Louisiana, he joined the national office of Teach for America and developed a portfolio-based alternative-certification system that was adopted by several states. In 1995 at Lake View High School in Chicago, Lach was named one of Radio Shack's Top 100 Technology Teachers and Illinois Physics Teacher of the Year. He has written extensively about science teaching and learning for The Science Teacher, The American Biology Teacher, and Scientific American.

"Viable solutions for improving STEM education will require the joint efforts of all sectors of education, business and industry, nonprofit organizations, and local, state, and federal agencies," said Gerardo E. de los Santos, League for Innovation president and CEO. "Bringing Mr. Lach to our stage provides conference participants the opportunity to hear about the administration's role in education reform efforts, as well as how educators and others can help advance the country's STEM education agenda."

While the 2010 STEMtech provides an opportunity for participants to share ideas for increasing enrollment, retention, and graduation rates in STEM programs, some of the brightest minds in information technology will also gather to explore how information technology can improve teaching and learning, student services, organizational management, and workforce development. Educators and other professionals from community and technical colleges, four-year institutions, K-12 schools, business and industry, community-based organizations, and local, state, and federal governments will gather for the four-day conference to experience a multitude of workshops, concurrent sessions, roundtable discussions, poster sessions, and keynote presentations, all designed to explore the intelligent use of information technology in education, and to discuss ways to recruit and retain students for STEM-related programs. In addition, representatives from more than 100 companies will fill the exhibition hall to showcase their software, hardware, programs, and services. Actor and activist Ed Begley, Jr. will serve as the opening keynote speaker.

Early registration and group discounts for the 2010 STEMtech are available now through October 1, 2010. Detailed information regarding registration, exhibiting, travel and hotel, and the conference at a glance can be found at www.league.org/stemtech.

Contact: Edward J. Leach
(480) 705-8200 x233
leach@league.org

The League for Innovation is an international organization dedicated to supporting community colleges. The League is the only major international organization specifically committed to improving community colleges through innovation, experimentation, and institutional transformation. The organization hosts conferences and institutes, develops web resources, conducts research, produces publications, provides services, and leads projects and initiatives with its member colleges, corporate partners, and other agencies in its continuing effort to make a positive difference for students and communities.