Camilla P. Benbow, vice chair of President Bush’s National Mathematics Advisory Panel and a member of the National Science Board, is available to talk about the importance of funding math and science education to the United States’ ability to compete globally. A $43 billion global competitiveness bill is currently under consideration in the House and Senate to boost funding in these areas.
“By 2010, the European Union is expected to produce twice as many science and engineering doctorates as the United States. China will also outpace us,” Benbow said. “If we are going to remain competitive we must do a better job of engaging and educating students in math, science and technology,” Benbow said.
Benbow is Patricia and Rodes Hart Dean of Education and Human Development at Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College. She and colleague and husband David Lubinski lead the Study of Mathematically Precocious Youth, a 50-year study tracking 5,000 gifted individuals across their lifespan, examining their development and the impact of educational interventions on their success.
The National Mathematics Advisory Panel is charged by the president and the U.S. Department of Education with examining scientific research in mathematics education and recommending more effective instructional methods to the nation’s schools. The National Science Board oversees the National Science Foundation.
Media Contact: Melanie Moran, (615) 322-NEWS
melanie.moran@vanderbilt.edu