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STEM learning outside the classroom was the subject of a hearing held February 26 by the U.S. House Committee on Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Science Education. The focus of the hearing was the recently published National Research Council report, Learning Science in Informal Environments: People, Places, and Pursuits.

According to Sean Smith, government relations director at ASTC, "members of the Subcommittee expressed interest in, and support for, informal STEM education; this statement by Chairman Daniel Lipinski (IL-3) who holds a Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, sums it up nicely: 'It seems to me that if we hope to promote a more scientifically literate citizenry across all age groups, and to attract and educate the nation’s future scientists and engineers, we cannot depend upon schools alone. Instead, we should be tapping all our resources and looking at the potential for learning that happens every day, outside the classroom door.'" For details, including a webcast of the hearing, see the Subcommittee website.