Science education is becoming increasingly important in today's world. As demand for a qualified and effective STEM workforce continues to grow, a multitude of opportunities exist and are expanding for young people STEM. A December, 2022 CBS ranking is a reminder of the viability of STEM careers for young people by reporting that 51 of the top 60 highest paying jobs directly out of college in 2022 are in STEM fields.

Yet, while interest in STEM careers is growing, too many young people, especially in our cities, are missing out on opportunities for long term employment and economic security in a STEM based economy. Simultaneously, a shortage of talent in as all aspects of STEM continues to hinder national economic growth. Our reliance on imported talent is not sustainable in the long term. How do we address this economic and scientific conundrum?

The solution lies in America's K-12 classrooms, where a vast reservoir of undeveloped STEM talent is waiting to be discovered. However, one of the great obstacles to developing young STEM talent and strengthening our workforce is how science is taught in schools. We will be more successful developing our young talent when we bridge the gap between professional and classroom science. We must shift emphasis from content, concepts and standards to incorporate the technical, mechanical and process skills in routine use in occupational and professional STEM fields. Young people must be prepared with the necessary skills to assimilate into the STEM workforce.

The problem is that while America's certified, 7-12 science teachers are required to earn a B.S. degree in one of the hard sciences, most go directly from college student to classroom science teacher without any professional science experience. Theoretical rather than practical knowledge of professional science among science teachers creates an ongoing disconnect between how science is taught in classrooms and how science is conducted the STEM workforce.

As the STEM economy continues to grow and the disconnect between classroom and professional science increases, the urgency to provide science teachers with real world, professional science experience has never been greater. In order to address the problem, science teachers must have access to the training they need. However, school districts and the consultants they hire, both lack the experience and expertise in professional science needed to train science teachers adequately.

In 2013, a group of middle school science teachers founded the non profit, STEM Leadership Center to change the way we train science teachers, to cultivate STEM talent among urban youth and to provide teachers with leadership opportunities as advocates and ambassadors for science education.

The organization's mission focuses on developing teachers and students. We provide with professional science training and opportunities to write, develop and deliver K-12 STEM programs for underrepresented youth. To accomplish the latter, the STEM Leadership Center deploys science teachers into cities to run after school and summer STEM programs that enable urban youth to experience science and engineering in safe and engaging settings. In these informal science programs, students of all ages begin to realize that science and engineering are fun, interesting and not to be feared or dismissed when making career choices.

To help teachers, the STEM Leadership Center, in partnership with Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Teachers College of Columbia University and NASA Endeavor through U.S. Satellite Laboratory, has created a unique training program that awards annual scholarships to ten science teachers to engage in a multifaceted professional development experience which combines graduate coursework in STEM content and pedagogy with a mentored summer professional science experience working in the biotech laboratories at Regeneron Pharmaceuticals. The mentored bio-tech experience provides teachers with a glimpse of life as a professional scientist and instills valuable insight into the knowledge and skills young people need to be successful in the STEM workforce. The professional development experience equips teachers with the skills, knowledge and experience needed to begin changing classroom practices and approaches to instruction that mimic professional science and develop the skills students needs of the STEM economy.

Now in its tenth year, The STEM Leadership announces the opening of applications for the 2023-2024 Regeneron STEM Teaching Fellowship. The fellowship experience is sponsored by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, a science-based biopharmaceutical company that discovers, develops and manufactures medicines for the treatment of human illness and disease.

The program awards a unique academic and professional research experience annually to ten outstanding local science teachers in grades 7-12. The 16-month professional development experience consists of online graduate coursework leading to a leadership certificate in STEM from Teachers College of Columbia University and culminating with a two-week summer research experience in the bio-tech laboratories at Regeneron. Key objectives of the program include providing fellows with an exceptional academic experience highlighting NASA content and STEM pedagogy matched with a unique opportunity to engage with top scientists on a short-term basis on current biotechnology research projects.

STEM workforce development must begin as early as elementary school, before young people are conditioned to believe careers in science and engineering are attainable. It is crucial to equip teachers to lead the effort to inspire and prepare students to excel in STEM fields.