SUNY Old Westbury President Timothy E. Sams has announced that the college had been awarded $1,870,000 through the recently passed US budget for the current fiscal year.
In the announcement on January 18, 2023, he said the funds would help “launch an inclusive science, technology, engineering, and mathematics career preparatory center.” He added that the center would be called, “The Old Westbury STEM Center for Engagement, Entrepreneurship & Inclusion (OW-STEM).”
Michael Kavic, Assistant Provost for Research and Strategic Academic Initiatives, who President Sams credited for his role in proposing the OW-STEM grant, explained how the OW-STEM Center will work. He stated that students pursuing degrees in Biology, Chemistry, or Computer Science would “have the option of joining OW-STEM.” Kavic added that courses taught as part of the OW-STEM Center would be “specially designed with the latest STEM pedagogy in mind.”
Kavic stated that there “inevitably will be new courses that grow out of this.” However, there will not be any new courses offered right away.
Kavic also said that the college hopes to better equip students in STEM-related courses for academic and professional success by providing them with an “interactive environment” and connecting students with researchers from Brookhaven National Laboratory. Specifically, he hopes to have researchers give lectures in OW-STEM courses and help students engage with active research projects.
One of the goals of the program, according to Kavic, is to encourage the participation of students from traditionally underrepresented communities in STEM.
According to an article from the Pew Research Center, Black and Hispanic workers remain underrepresented in STEM fields, with Black workers making up only 9% of the STEM workforce and Hispanic workers only making up 8%. Meanwhile, White workers make up 67% of the STEM workforce.
Kavic emphasized his gratitude for US Senator Chuck Schumer (D-NY) adding that Senator Schumer was “absolutely instrumental in getting us this award and we’re very grateful for that.”
This award is the latest in Federal and State grants directed at developing STEM education on Long Island, with Governor Kathy Kochul announcing a $75 million grant to construct a Computer Science Building at SUNY Farmingdale last November.
