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A JOINT MEMORIAL

REQUESTING THAT NEW MEXICO BE A LEADER IN PREPARING YOUNG

RESEARCHERS TO ANSWER THE GLOBAL CHALLENGES IN SCIENCE,

ENGINEERING AND MATHEMATICS.

WHEREAS, New Mexico faces a serious and intensifying

challenge to its future competitiveness and standard of living

as fewer of its students select careers in science,

engineering and mathematics; and

WHEREAS, the standard of living of New Mexicans depends,

to a large degree, on the quality of jobs that they are able

to hold; and

WHEREAS, New Mexicans find themselves in competition for

jobs, not just with their immediate neighbors, but with

individuals around the world; and

WHEREAS, New Mexico is competing with countries that

expend proportionately more money per student to build their

science and engineering communities; and

WHEREAS, research projects allow students to apply their

knowledge and skills directly, a technique that has been shown

to improve their understanding of mathematical, scientific and

engineering concepts; and

WHEREAS, students are New Mexico's finest resource;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE

STATE OF NEW MEXICO that the state be a leader in preparing

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young researchers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the governor be requested to

declare a "New Mexico Young Researchers Awareness Day"; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public education

department be requested to require that all students in

secondary schools conduct a scientific research project for

presentation or review prior to graduation; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that expositions of student

science projects no longer be identified as "science fairs"

but as "student science and engineering research challenges";

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that every post-secondary

educational institution establish a review process for

secondary-school student research projects and that the

results be considered when admitting students to those

institutions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that all new teachers of science

and mathematics be involved in evaluating student research

projects that are displayed in public; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public education

department and the higher education department collaborate to

provide kindergarten through twelfth grade teachers with the

opportunity to conduct their own research for their own

professional growth; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the public education

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department and the higher education department work with the

international science and engineering fair; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a public education and

marketing program be established to help educate residents

about how work force education issues will affect New Mexicans

and their standard of living for generations to come; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this memorial be

transmitted to the public education department, the higher

education department and the governor.