Introduction

The National Science Education Standards begins with the following statements:

"In a world filled with the products of scientific inquiry, scientific literacy has become a necessity for everyone. Everyone needs to use scientific information to make choices that arise every day. Everyone needs to be able to engage intelligently in public discourse and debate about important issues that involve science and technology. And everyone deserves to share in the excitement and personal fulfillment that can come from understanding and learning about the natural world."

IBM understands that we need American schools to produce an increasing number and diversity of high-quality scientists, engineers, and technical support personnel to ensure American leadership in the global technological marketplace. We need a scientifically literate and technically skilled workforce to populate our technically more sophisticated workplace. And we need to have our young people equipped with sufficient understanding of science and mathematics to serve as informed members of a society that has to grapple with problems ranging from environmental pollution to cost-effective medical care.

At the IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center in Westchester County, New York, since 1988 we have had a Local Education Outreach (LEO) program that marshals the resources of our science-rich institution to enhance science and mathematics education in our local schools. We have broad and deep partnerships between the Research Center and selected local school districts. Furthermore, we have offered activities that are open to students and teachers from school districts outside of Westchester County, including New York City.

Copyright IBM 2005