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Allie DeLeo, student success specialist in Louisiana Tech University’s College of Engineering and Science, will be an audience participant in an upcoming episode of Louisiana Public Broadcasting’s (LPB) “Louisiana Public Square,” that will focus on teacher preparedness for Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM.)

The program is scheduled to air at 7:00 p.m. on June 26 and will feature a panel discussion of guests and experts in STEM education followed by an audience question and answer session.  The primary focus of the program will be to show how Louisiana can better equip itself to fill future STEM positions.  Projections show that Louisiana will face 69,000 STEM-related job vacancies by 2018.

DeLeo, who is also a 2012 mechanical engineering graduate of Louisiana Tech, works with high school students who are interested in attending Louisiana Tech and majoring in engineering or science.  She says Tech’s approach to STEM education is unique.

“Unlike other universities, Louisiana Tech’s engineering program immediately involves first year students in a hands-on, project-based curriculum that hooks students immediately.  Using a student-owned lab platform, these students deliver into engineering principles and solver actual engineering problems in their freshman year.”

In addition to DeLeo, the program will have another Louisiana Tech/Lincoln Parish connection with Lincoln Parish Schools ACHIEVE Coordinator and Louisiana Tech alumnae Cathi Cox-Boniol participating as one of the panel experts.  Other participants include Ken Bradford from the Office of Content for the Louisiana Department of Education; Curt Eysink, executive director for the Louisiana Workforce Commission; Stacey Chiasson with Dow Chemical Company and Dr. Isiah M. Warner, Boyd Professor of Chemistry at LSU.  Beth Courtney, CEO of LPB, and Shauna Sanford, an LPB news anchor, will moderate the discussion. Written by Catherine Fraser – cfraser@lpatech.edu