News
For immediate releaseBoston, Massachusetts, May 5, 2008
DOME Foundation Spring Symposium was held on Friday, May 2, 2008 at Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering in Needham, Massachusetts.
Over 100 people participated in the recent DOME Spring Symposium. Participants included K-12 administrators; K-12 teachers; engineering and technology industry professionals; representatives from non-profit organizations in the Boston metropolitan area; and students from Babson College, MIT, Olin College of Engineering, Harvard University and RPI.
Welcome address delivered by Dr. Richard K. Miller, President, Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering. President Miller was inroduced by Dr. Sharpe, Co-founder, VP & Chairman of the Board, DOME Foundation.
The keynotes were given by:
- Isa Kaftal Zimmerman, Ed. D. University of Massachusetts President’s Office Senior Fellow, The PK-16 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) Initiative Director, CITI P-12 (Commonwealth Information Technology Initiative)
- Linda Robeck Fuhrman, Director of Education/The Space Science program manager for the Charles Stark Draper Laboratory
- Yvonne Spicer, Vice President of Advocacy & Educational Partnerships at the National Center for Technological Literacy at the Museum of Science, Boston
- Larisa Schelkin, Co-founder, CEO & President, DOME Foundation (closing remarks)
The Symposium included two moderated panel discussions. The student panel discussion was moderated by Dr. Marie Dahleh, Assistant Dean for Academic Programs, School of Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University and included students from Rochester Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Harvard University, Babson College and Olin College of Engineering.
The corporate panel discussion was moderated by Dr. Linda Fuhrman, Draper Lab, MIT and included Dr.Liz Pape, CEO, Virtual High School Global Consortium (VHS); Professor John Hodgman, Tufts University & UMass Lowell School of Engineering (representing Massachusetts STEM Pipeline Network); Dr. Dennis A. Richards, Superintendent, Falmouth Public Schools; Feby Kiragu, RESEED, Northeastern University, Lee Silvestre, VP, Missile Innovation, Raytheon.
The purpose of this Symposium is to increase networking among local schools, colleges, universities, non-profit organizations, industry & corporations for the purpose of increasing resources and opportunities for students in math, science, and engineering programs.
DOME is most interested in 1) increasing the visibility of local needs in the areas of science, technology, engineering and math; 2) building bridges between corporate funding sources and local schools; and 3) emphasizing the importance of diversity in STEM
The DOME Foundation Board hopes that this symposium will result in enhanced STEM education partnerships and more focused efforts to fund and support existing programs, as well as new programs, in science, technology, engineering and math that can be effective and sustainable
The Diversity and Outreach in Math and Engineering (DOME) Foundation is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization that was founded and incorporated in Massachusetts in 2007. The DOME Foundation mission is: To broaden awareness of and to increase participation in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines by underrepresented populations to meet the needs of a globally competitive workforce.
For more information, contact Larisa Schelkin at larisa@DOMEfoundation.org and Dr. Norean Sharpe at sharpen@babson.edu.