Gov. Terry Branstad appointed Central College President Mark Putnam to the Governor’s Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) Advisory Executive Committee and Council.
The 40-member council is co-chaired by Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds and Mary Andringa, president and CEO of Vermeer Corporation in Pella.
“The role of a college is to always think about the future and as we look ahead to the needs of Iowa and across the country, STEM education is a critical factor in our shared success,” said Putnam. “The role independent colleges can play, in particular, is unique in that we are deeply embedded with our K-12 partners in areas of curricular design, teacher development and educational programming that serves to advance this interest. This is a high-priority for me, and I’m very excited about the opportunity to serve in support of this initiative.”
Established in July 2011, the council works to support and improve STEM education, STEM innovation and to better position Iowa’s youth and economy for the future. Current priorities for the council include establishing STEM-focused schools to offer students more STEM education opportunities, building an online portal to house a best practices clearinghouse and increasing retention of top math and science teachers.
Putnam’s appointment will take effect Sept. 1.
