Phillip Pippenger Explains Why STEM Education is Critical for Kids Today

Posted by phillippippenger on March 4th, 2015

Tech-based professionals like IP lawyer Phillip Pippenger strongly support STEM education in order to equip our society with the building blocks it needs to sustain life and progress.

What exactly does STEM mean? The acronym refers to Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. These fields have continued to remain fundamental to our progress in multiple sectors from business to research to medicine. 

Looking at the world today, it’s easy to see how important these career fields have become. A 2009 report from the U.S. Department of Labor analyzed the top 10 most-sought specialties for U.S. employers; and eight of the top ten specialties were in STEM fields. From computer science to electrical and civil engineering, these jobs remain in demand within all professional fields and industries. That demand will only grow as the future pushes into new and exciting boundaries of science and technology.

Getting Kids Involved

It’s clear to most adults that careers in STEM-related fields are imperative in order for our country to remain successful and competitive in tech and innovation. At the same time, it’s just as clear that kids don’t care at all about their “someday” careers, or about our country’s competitive edge.  So what can be done to get children interested and curious in these fields? The answer is educational programs that instill creativity and curiosity instead of simply instilling knowledge. This sort of eye-opening education comes from the classroom and beyond. 

Consider the subject matter from a kid’s point of view; gravity is not all that interesting, but the fact that gravity dropped an apple on Isaac Newton’s head will generate some interest.  Or the fact that gravity can alter time itself!  Interesting instruction and discussion will generate interested and curious children.

Moreover, children need to be allowed to absorb knowledge organically, by following their curiosity.  If a lesson in gravity leads to a mention of black holes, and the child is curious about black holes, then the child should be given the time and tools to explore that subject matter.  Comprehensive knowledge is a like bucket of tools – it is an interrelated mass, not a neat linear assortment of tools where the hammer goes before the saw which must precede the screwdriver.

Many professionals in STEM and related fields can contribute to the continued growth of the field by focusing some of their time on education. Tech and patent attorney Phillip Pippenger works hard to instill the love and respect of technology and engineering through education. He believes first and foremost that effective education can elicit or even create a feeling of curiosity and wonderment about how the world works. This type of curiosity can continue throughout school and even turn into a passionate pursuit of a profession with the STEM industries.

“I’m an attorney by trade,” Phillip Pippenger noted, “but I have a deep technical background. I have a Bachelor’s in physics and mathematics, and another in electrical engineering, as well as a Master’s in Electrical Engineering.  Only after all that did I go to law school. So although I’m an attorney, much of my childhood and young adulthood was centered on how stuff works. I really enjoy showing people and teaching those around me that everything that happens around you is a result of physics. Anyone can understand anything, from how planes fly to why the sun is hot. It’s just really exciting and empowering to understand the things around us.”

This love and appreciation of understanding helps Pippenger bring an excited and enthusiastic perspective of the sciences to the children he teaches.

“I have four kids and the first thing I try to teach them is the physics of a given situation,” Pippenger furthered. “Anytime there’s a question about how something works, I try to relate it back to physics to give them an understanding of why things do what they do and how they work, and that’s the first thing I do with my young students, too.” Pippenger has also invested time in STEM training on behalf of the Boy Scouts and Cub Scouts.

Getting kids interested and excited about science and technology means encouraging their passion early on. By investing in children through education, you are directly investing in this country’s success and adaptability. For tech industry professionals like Phillip Pippenger, the future looks even brighter when more kids are encouraged to take an interest in the way the world works.