Investing in STEM to Secure Maryland’s Future

In 2009 Governor Martin O'Malley formally accepted the recommendations of the STEM Taskforce (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Education). The STEM taskforce was "tasked with making recommendations aimed at establishing Maryland as a global leader in the development of its workforce for the future and its STEM-based research and economic development infrastructure". Several of the recommendations are pertinent to our discussion of TLED development in Maryland (Click here to view the full report).

These recommendations attempt to address the following problem: Although Maryland now have enviable prosperity and a strong STEM-based economy, competing states substantially out-produce us in terms of STEM graduates, in STEM workforce development, and in translating STEM-based R&D into economic growth and job creation.

While many of the taskforce's seven recommendations seek to bolster Maryland's educational production, it is the recommendations concerning this last point which are most pertinent to our course: # 6. Boost Maryland’s global competitiveness by supporting research and entrepreneurship.

According to the report, Maryland’s major impediment to fully capitalizing on its R&D prowess is its poor performance in translating its R&D into new economic activities and startup

companies. Research commercialization efforts of Maryland institutions of higher education are not as effective as compared to its peer institutions.

The report borrowed many recommendations from the University System of Maryland (USM) Task Force on Research and Economic Competitiveness, which studied the state’s and

USM’s strengths and weaknesses in translational research and the ability for such research to impact economic growth and job creation.

They recommend:

1) Creating 325 new Maryland Companies over the next 10 years;

2) Expanding the state's Research Centers of Excellence to include Morgan State University and Johns Hopkins University;

3) Increased funding for the Maryland Industrial Partnership

(MIPS) program, an applied research program that links the researchers in Maryland universities with Maryland companies;

4) Substantial new investment for Innovate Maryland, a comprehensive statewide

effort to increase company formation based on the state’s R&D.

More detail on these recommendations can be found under recommendation 6 in the report.

Our EDA proposal could potentially tie in with (or be couched as part of) this initiative and would demonstrate our proposal's adherence to "Strong cooperation among the business sector, relevant Regional partners and Federal, State and local governments." Additionally, there are several prominent members on the STEM taskforce from the University of Maryland System and Morgan State who may be useful to consult.

Lastly, one additional recommendation that could tie into our project: "Provide STEM internships, co-ops, or lab experiences for all interested high school and college students to jump-start their successful transition to the workplace." Perhaps our project could have a spot or two to provide an internship or lab experience for students?