Parents, Don’t Be Afraid Of STEM Education

Just 5 out of 10 parents feel very capable helping their child with math homework. That number drops to 4 out of 10 when science homework is in the backpack. Interest in math doesn’t improve when parents are the problem-solvers: Nearly 9 out of 10 adults (85 percent) would choose an unpleasant household task like doing laundry over solving a math problem.

“Engineers and scientists are a leading force behind the innovations powering our daily lives, but we’re still seeing an interest and awareness gap from people who don’t fully realize the potential of a STEM career path,” said Katherine Button Bell, senior vice president and chief marketing officer for Emerson. “We’ve made progress in sharing the message of STEM, but we still have an opportunity to educate people on the impact that STEM education could have across the globe.”

The latest survey comes as Emerson launches its “We See” campaign to highlight the societal achievements of its engineers and scientists in areas like environmental conservation, food safety and manufacturing efficiency. In addition, Emerson is partnering with YouTube’s self-proclaimed science nerd Hank Green to help build STEM momentum.

Read more about Emerson’s study HERE.