The number of bachelor’s degrees awarded in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) fields increased for all individuals in the United States by 62 percent between 2010 and 2018. But the National Center for Education Statistics reports that first-generation college students in Latino families find it far more difficult to pursue STEM education and careers.
Nationwide, Latino workers remain underrepresented in the STEM workforce, making up 18 percent of total employees across all occupations but only 8 percent of all STEM workers.
Working with Congressional champions in 2021, the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) began advocating for the passage of a Congressional resolution as a part of an overall STEM strategy at the federal level.
This week, SHPE announced that the United States Senate had approved a resolution that expresses support to increase the growing number of Latino students and young professionals entering careers in STEM fields.
According to the press release, the resolution was sponsored by Senator Alex Padilla (D-CA) and co-sponsored by Senator John Cornyn (R-TX). The House of Representatives has a companion resolution pending that was introduced by Representatives Tony Cárdenas (D-CA) and María Elvira Salazar (R-FL).
“SHPE is incredibly grateful to Senators Padilla and Cornyn, for their leadership and for considering our ideas as they worked to secure Senate passage of this important resolution,” said SHPE CEO Chris Wilkie in the statement. “Coupled with the pending House Resolution introduced by our champions, Reps. Cardenas and Salazar, official statements, like this one, made at the federal level, will not only drive competition and innovation in the STEM industry but will also have a positive effect on this important demographic for generations to come.”
The Senate supported the goal of increasing the number of Latino individuals in STEM as a way to promote economic empowerment and sustainability, not only in their community but in the overall economy of the United States.
The resolution also encourages increased federal support for initiatives aimed at boosting the number of Latino students who pursue STEM education and career paths, particularly engineering; and recognizes the important role that Hispanic-serving Institutions and all colleges and universities must play in order to achieve this goal of increasing Latino individuals in STEM.
“Our collective prosperity depends on expanding opportunities for all students – from every background – to study and succeed in the critical science, technology, engineering, and math fields,” said James Brown, executive director of the STEM Education Coalition. “We applaud Senators Padilla and Cornyn for getting the Senate to make a clear, bipartisan statement about the importance of increasing the number of Latinos in STEM fields. We share the belief that Congress must step up and deliver on this important national imperative.”
The STEM Education Coalition helps raise awareness amongst policymakers about the critical role that STEM education plays in enabling the U.S. to remain the economic and technological leader. SHPE is a nonprofit organization serving and advancing Hispanics in STEM, with more than 13,000 student and professional members.
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