[UPDATE, 11/23: Given the lack of support from Congress, even under Democrats, President Obama is enlisting the private sector, including Elmo, to help him build a “Generation E” excited about science and math education.]
More than 100 schools, student groups and nonprofit organizations have signed a letter pressing the Senate to provide the money President Obama has sought for his Re-Energyse program, which is aimed at building the intellectual capacity to transform the country’s energy system. The letter, drafted by the Breakthrough Institute and sent to Senate offices this week, comes after the education program was cut to zero by a Senate committee from Mr. Obama’s $115 million request. In its markup, a House committee cut the request to $7 million. (See the ScienceInsider blog for more.) The money would flow to a variety of educational programs from elementary through post-graduate levels.
The Breakthrough group, created by Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus, has been sharply attacked by some energy-climate campaigners for rejecting the cap-and-trade approach to curbing greenhouse-gas emissions and focusing on the need for greatly boosted energy technology research and development. But, joining with the Association of American Universities, it rounded up a long list of institutions for this particular letter, which you can see listed below.
Before the letter was sent, I’d asked the White House about the cuts by lawmakers. Kenneth Baer, the associate director for communications and strategic planning at the Office of Management and Budget, sent this reply: “The appropriations process is ongoing, and we look forward to working with Congress to make sure there is the needed funding to prepare our students for the jobs of the growing clean energy sector.”
Here’s the list of signatories:
Alliance for Climate Education
The Altshuller Institute for TRIZ Studies
American Geological Institute
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
Apollo Alliance
Arizona State University
Appalachian State University PSM in Engineering Physics- Instrumentation and Automation
Association of American Universities
Association of Public and Land-grant Universities
Babson College
Babson College Energy and Environmental Club
Baker College
Berkeley Energy Resources Collaborative
Binghamton University- State University of New York
Bloomsburg University
Boston University Energy Club
Breakthrough Institute
CSTEM Teacher and Student Support Services
The California State University
California State University-Bakersfield
California State University-Channel Islands
California State University-Chico
California State University- East Bay
California State University-Fresno
California State University-Fresno PSM Programs in Biotechnology and Water Resources
California State University-San Bernardino
California State University-Stanislaus
California State University-Stanislaus PSM Program in Genetic Counseling
Center for Genomic Sciences- Allegheny-Singer Research Institute
Clemson University
Columbia University
Cornell University
Council of Graduate Schools
Council on Undergraduate Research
Duke University
EAST Initiative
emPOWER, Brown University Student Energy Group
Energy Action Coalition
Engineers Without Borders- USA
Florida Atlantic University
Florida State University
Focus the Nation
Georgia Institute of Technology
Global Exchange
Harvard College Environmental Action Committee
IEEE-USA
LearnOnLine, Inc.
Maritime Academy Charter High School
Michigan Student Sustainability Coalition
Middle Tennessee State University
Missouri Student Environmental Coalition
Morgan State University
National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity
National Council for Advanced Manufacturing
Council of Energy Research and Education Leaders
Council of Environmental Deans and Directors
National Professional Science Master’s Association (NPSMA)
National Science Teachers Association
New Mexico State University
New York University
North Carolina State University
Northwestern University
Ohio State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University PSM Programs
Pathways into Science
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
Renewable Northwest Project
Rice University PSM Program
Rhode Island Student Climate Coalition
Roosevelt Institution
San Diego State University PSM Program in Biotechnology
San Jose State University
Sierra Student Coalition
South Dakota State University
SPIE- The International Society for Optics and Photonics
State University of New York PSM Programs
STEM School Administrators Association
Student Environmental Action Coalition
SustainU.S., the Youth Network for Sustainable Development
Syracuse University
University of Arizona
University at Buffalo SUNY PSM Program
University of California-Berkeley
University of California-Davis
University of California- Irvine
University of California- Riverside
University of California- San Diego
University of California- Santa Barbara
University of California- Santa Cruz
University of Central Florida
University of Chicago
University of Cincinnati
University of Connecticut PSM Program
University of the District of Columbia
University of Houston System
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign PSM Program
University of Kentucky
University of Maryland- University College PSM Program in Environmental Management
University of Massachusetts PSM Programs
University of Michigan
University of Nevada- Las Vegas
University of North Carolina- Charlotte
University of Northern Iowa PSM Program
University of Oregon
University of Southern California
University of South Carolina Biotechnology PSM Program
University of Texas-El Paso Bioinformatics PSM Program
University of Wisconsin- Madison
University of Wisconsin System
Vanderbilt University
Will Steger Foundation