On February 18, the STEM Council filled the Capitol Rotunda with hundreds of STEM programs and partners from across the state to educate and show state legislators what Iowa STEM looks like in today’s classrooms, museums, afterschool clubs and more.
The seventh annual “STEM Day at the Capitol” sponsored by John Deere and Rockwell Collins gathered 31 interactive exhibits, staffed by more than 170 STEM professionals and participants. Together, they helped tell the story of the growing partnerships between the STEM Council and entities across all sectors of Iowa, including the program providers for the STEM Scale-Up Program, STEM BEST-STEM RLE models, youth agencies, nonprofits, higher education and more.
Governor Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds welcomed Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property Michelle Lee, also the first woman to lead the United States Patent and Trademark Office, who gave opening remarks at the event. Alongside Senator Brian Schoenjahn and Representative Cecil Dolecheck, the group talked about the STEM Council and its successes so far at a local and national level, celebrating the support of a bi-partisan legislature.
Between the exhibitors and the state lawmakers invited, the Capitol Rotunda drew in roughly 450 people focused on the STEM happening around Iowa. For more pictures from the day, please visit our Facebook page and feel free to “like” us.