SANTA CLARA, Calif., Nov. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Furthering its commitment to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education, Texas Instruments (TI) announced its $1 million "Power of STEM Education" initiative, benefitting four communities it recently joined when it acquired National Semiconductor in late September.
The "Power of STEM Education" initiative aims to increase teaching effectiveness and build student interest in math and science. Grant recipients include educational institutions and nonprofits in California and Maine in the United States; Greenock, Scotland and Melaka, Malaysia -- communities where National operated and TI now has a major presence.
"TI, like National, has long supported STEM education as it is critical to the communities in which we live and work," said Trisha Cunningham, TI's chief citizenship officer. "Strong communities build strong companies, and strong companies build strong communities. Together, with our community partners, we want to build a better future for both our company and for our community so we can deliver more together."
Initial grant recipients were selected based on their impact on STEM education in the local communities. The first $225,000 will be distributed in 2011. The remaining $775,000 will be distributed over the next three years.
"The Power of STEM Education initiative builds on the foundation of National Semiconductor's previous education initiative," said Joan Scott, community relations director for Texas Instruments in Silicon Valley. "Earlier this year, National awarded $1.2 million over three years to support STEM education in the company's major communities. The additional $1 million dollars through the Texas Instruments' Power of STEM Education initiative enables us to have a much greater impact on education in our local communities." Both of these education efforts are funded through the Texas Instruments Community Fund, formerly the National Semiconductor Foundation, a donor-advised fund at the Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
Inaugural grants were awarded to groups in the following locations:
Silicon Valley, California
- The Santa Clara Unified School District will receive $100,000 for its program, Inquiry for Understanding Mathematics. This initiative aims to close the achievement gap in math by providing teacher professional development in content, lesson design and hands-on inquiry-based instruction for 500 third to fifth grade teachers, serving 8,000 students. An instructional guide, professional development and ongoing support, in conjunction with the math curriculum and hands-on manipulative student materials purchased by the district, will bring a powerful new approach to teaching math in the district's elementary schools.
South Portland, Maine
- The Gulf of Maine Research Institute (GMRI), a leading nonprofit marine research institution whose goal is to ignite science interest and raise STEM career aspirations in youth, will receive $50,000 for LabVenture! Through this program, GMRI provides free, universal access to an immersive, statewide science education experience for fifth and sixth grade students, of which many are from rural communities and disadvantaged circumstances. This grant will enable GMRI to reach 10,000 students, representing 70% of all fifth and sixth graders in Maine.
Greenock, Scotland
- Generation Science, the touring science program of the Edinburgh International Science Festival, will receive $50,000 through the Power of STEM Education initiative. The goal of Generation Science is to ensure that children in disadvantaged communities have equal access to interactive science education. Through this grant, all 22 primary schools in Inverclyde, the second most income-deprived region in Scotland, will receive two free Generation Science shows or workshops, reaching over 3,000 students. The grant will also provide funding to assist in the design and production of updated teacher materials that are provided in conjunction with the shows and workshops.
Melaka, Malaysia
- The Asia Foundation will receive $25,000 to support its program, Books for Asia, which puts one million brand new books – from children's books to legal reference materials – into the hands of students, educators, and local and national leaders across Asia every year. Through the Power of STEM Education grant, over 12,000 new books, dedicated to specific reading levels and subjects of interest (such as STEM textbooks suitable for primary and middle school students), will be distributed to schools and libraries in Malaysia.
Future grants under the Texas Instruments Power of STEM Education initiative will be selected through targeted RFP (request for proposal) processes in each location. Grants will be awarded over three years, with the next announcement taking place in the spring of 2012.
Improving STEM education in its communities around the globe is a top priority of Texas Instruments. Over the past five years, the company and the Texas Instruments Foundation have invested over $150 million in education, $30 million for K-12 STEM education. This is in addition to the $3.4 million in STEM-related grants National Semiconductor has awarded over the past five years. Through the Power of STEM Education initiative, Texas Instruments is able to build on National Semiconductor's legacy of education support and expand the impact on STEM education in its new communities.
About Texas Instruments
Texas Instruments semiconductor innovations help 80,000 customers unlock the possibilities of the world as it could be – smarter, safer, greener, healthier and more fun. Our commitment to building a better future is ingrained in everything we do – from the responsible manufacturing of our semiconductors, to caring for our employees, to giving back inside our communities. This is just the beginning of our story. Learn more at www.ti.com.
SOURCE Texas Instruments