Education scholar Okhee Lee to speak Tuesday on opportunities and challenges of inclusive education in science and engineering with panel of international experts at Swedish Embassy in D.C.



NEW YORK– Oct. 14, 2019 – Okhee Lee, a visionary leader in STEM education for pre-K-12 students, will join international science and engineering experts Tuesday at the Embassy of Sweden in Washington, D.C., for a Swedish-U.S. seminar on inclusive learning, education and workforce development in future societies.

Lee is an award-winning education scholarwidely known for advancing research, policy, and practice that simultaneously promote science and language learning for all students, including English learners. Theprofessorof childhood education at New York University’s Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Developmentadvocates for developing English language proficiency standards that are better aligned with what students are actually learning in the classroom. She has directed research projects funded by the National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Education, Spencer Foundation, and other national and state organizations.

“It’s an honor as an educator to participate in this important discussion about how we will meet educational challenges faced by societies around the world. With the recent population migrations, cities and countries will have to provide educational opportunities to be inclusive of all individuals, especially those who have been underrepresented in STEM education. Education is the source of economic growth and security,” Lee said. STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

Lee will participate in a discussion on how to increase engagement of underrepresented groups in engineering education with fellow panelists: Christine Cunningham, professor of Education and Engineering, Pennsylvania State University; Björn Åstrand of Umeå University, Sweden, an investigator for the Swedish government; and Eva Lundgren, school policy expert for the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences.

The seminar is part of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences’ (IVA) celebration of its 100-year Jubilee. The National Academy of Engineering and the Embassy of Sweden participated with the IVA to organize the seminar.

Other prominent speakers at the event include: France Córdova, director of the National Science Foundation, Anna Nilsson-Ehle, chairperson of the Swedish Innovation Agency, John Anderson, president of the National Academy of Engineering, H.E. Karin Olofsdotter, ambassador of Sweden to the United States, Tuula Teeri, president of the Royal Swedish Academy of Engineering Sciences, and Amelie von Zweigbergk, political education expert and former state secretary at the Swedish Ministry of Education.