Karolewics named to STEM council

Published 6:57 pm Tuesday, September 22, 2020

Wallace State President Vicki Karolewics has been named as a member of a newly-created council that is meant to improve STEM-related education, career awareness and workforce development opportunities across the state.

Gov. Kay Ivey announced the signing of Executive Order No. 721 to establish the Alabama STEM Council in a press release Monday, and said the new council will work to make sure the state’s children have a pathway for education and careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields.

“Alabama has continued to grow into an advanced manufacturing, aerospace engineering and cybertechnology center of excellence and as a result, the demand for qualified labor in these sectors has skyrocketed,” Ivey said. “The Alabama STEM Council will play a vital role in ensuring that our state’s future leaders have the opportunity to learn STEM-based skills that will help them transition into successful career pathways upon graduation.”

Karolewics will be joining 41 other educational, industrial and governmental leaders on the council, which will meet within 90 days of the signing of the executive order for its initial organizational meeting.  

“I am honored to serve with this distinguished group to advance STEM education and workforce development in Alabama and look forward to the important work we will do together to benefit our great state,” she said in an emailed statement.

Ivey appointed Dr. Neil Lamb, Vice President for Educational Outreach at HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology, as Chairman of the Council.

“Our great state is home to several quality STEM-focused education and workforce initiatives. However, we lack a common system to weave these initiatives together into a network that reaches all learners across the state and expands the workforce pipeline,” Lamb said. “Establishing a statewide Council was a key recommendation from the Governor’s Advisory Council on Excellence on STEM, and I am thrilled to see that recommendation become reality through the Alabama STEM Council.”

Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur), who chairs the House Education Policy Committee, sponsored a bill in the 2020 Regular Legislative Session that sought to create the Alabama STEM Council as an independent state entity within the Alabama Department of Commerce. Although HB293 passed in the house with unanimous consent, it failed to advance in the Alabama Senate due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I’m extremely pleased the governor is taking the lead with the Executive Order to form the STEM Council,” Collins said in a statement. “Having the math and science experts from Alabama set high quality standards and guiding student growth in achievement will make a positive difference. Thank you, Governor Ivey, for prioritizing education.”

Deputy Commerce Secretary Ed Castile, who also serves as the Director of the Alabama Industrial Development Training Agency, has played a substantial role in the development of the council.

“The state of Alabama is rapidly evolving in science and technology with new job opportunities developing daily that require a STEM education as a basic foundation. So, STEM education is rapidly becoming the new “basic education” that Alabama jobs require,” Castile said in a statement. “With new tech companies developing, manufacturing moving to digital “smart factories” and numerous job opportunities that support these businesses, we must have a workforce that will meet the demands. The STEM Council will be crucial in working with K-12 education as they develop their STEM programs to align with Community Colleges and Universities to assist students move along the STEM pathways needed by our developing businesses. We, in the Department of Commerce are excited to assist with administrative support of the STEM Council and will be a natural link to the business and commerce of our state.”