Rep. Ben Ray Luján

SANTA FE – U.S. Rep. Ben Ray Luján of New Mexico’s Third District will highlight the importance of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) education during a number of stops across northern New Mexico this week on a STEM Tour. 

Luján will meet with students, educators and other stakeholders to discuss the need to encourage students to pursue an education in STEM at a young age and the opportunities available in STEM fields. In an increasingly global economy, the high tech sector continues to grow and offer good jobs for those with the necessary skills and training.

Luján has been an advocate for STEM education, introducing legislation to support teacher training in these subjects as well as encourage coordination between the business and education communities in order to identify the STEM skills students will need in the workforce. 

Events and tours Luján will participate in during the district work period to focus on the importance of STEM education:

• Monday, 3 p.m. at April 14 – Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute is at 9169 Coors Boulevard NW, Albuquerque. Visit and Tour of the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute’s Science and Technology Center. Luján will meet with students and staff while touring the robotics lab, manufacturing lab, geospatial information technology lab and more;

• Tuesday, 3:30 p.m. at April 15 – Visit with students and faculty at UNM-Los Alamos to discuss STEM education. Los Alamos National Security, LLC and Los Alamos National Laboratory have a long-standing partnership with UNM-LA to develop and support STEM education and workforce development programs to create a pipeline of future employees for the region. UNM-Los Alamos, Building 2 Student Center at 4000 University Dr. Los Alamos;

• Wednesday at 3:30 p.m. at April 16 – Girls Incorporated of Santa Fe at 301 Hillside Ave., in Santa Fe. Visit and tour of Girls Inc. Luján will encourage young girls to pursue their interest in STEM and discuss how important it is to engage students, particularly girls, in STEM at a young age. He will be joined by women STEM professionals who will share their experiences with the girls. Girls Inc. provides girls ages 5 to 18 an opportunity to participate in hands-on activities that teach them about science and math, along with other important leadership skills; and

• Tuesday at 11 a.m. April 22 – Church of Christ auditorium at 2323 Diamond Dr. in Los Alamos. Remarks at Supercomputing Challenge Expo and Awards Ceremony. Luján will present awards to participants in the yearlong program in which teams of students complete a computational science project.