AAF and Gates Foundation Convene National Design Summit for STEM Education

To advance the cause of STEM education, the American Architectural Foundation and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation convened a national design summit on STEM education in Washington, DC, on January 5–7, 2010.

Leaders of Gates-sponsored, statewide STEM initiatives in California, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, and Washington collaborated with a resource team of national thought leaders in design, education, and the STEM industries to explore how design and the design process can contribute to the creation of innovative models for STEM school development.

Two and a half days of intensive sessions started a dialogue that has continued in an array of forms and contexts across the country. This report distills several key ideas from the summit, which have helped to catalyze that continued engagement. The ideas are intended to stimulate and facilitate thoughtful discussion and reflection on all stages of STEM education development.