Washington, DC, USA /PRNewswire/ — As a major step in its commitment to math and science education, Raytheon Company has launched MathAlive!, an immersive exhibit enabling students, teachers and visitors of all ages and backgrounds to experience the outcomes of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) through highly engaging hands-on activities.
MathAlive! opened to the public on March 10 at the Smithsonian International Gallery. Following a three-month debut in the nation’s capital, MathAlive! will embark on a multiyear tour sponsored by Raytheon to science centers and museums in 15 American and international cities, reaching an estimated 4 million visitors. Tour stops for 2012 include the Arizona Science Center in Phoenix, Ariz., and the U.S. Space & Rocket Center in Huntsville, Ala.
MathAlive! is Raytheon’s latest response to the national imperative to improve students’ math proficiency. Leaders in business, government and academia have expressed concern over the nation’s ability to produce tomorrow’s technical talent required to fuel innovation and assure American competitiveness.
“MathAlive! is designed to excite students by making real-world connections between math and the activities students already love to do,” said Raytheon Chairman and CEO William H. Swanson. “Our goal is to engage and inspire today’s students to remain interested in math and science so that they have the opportunity to become the engineers and technology leaders of tomorrow.”
MathAlive! enables students and teachers to explore exciting STEM-powered activities such as designing video games, engineering cities of the future and riding snowboards. Interactive stations allow students of various grade levels and capabilities to enjoy fresh subject matter to complement the math they experience at school and at home. The bilingual exhibit is presented in English and Spanish in the United States, and will be in the native languages of host nations as well as in English when it travels internationally. Additional customization of the exhibit for international appearances will address aspects such as weights and measures, cultural factors and local education standards.
Results of a new survey of America’s middle school students indicate that nearly half of students aged 10-14 enjoy learning math outside of school and consider hands-on activities their favorite method for experiencing new subject material. An infographic depicting key findings of the survey – plus photos, videos and personal stories relating to MathAlive! – is available on MathAlive!’s Tumblr page.
Institutional collaborators in MathAlive! include NASA, the National Council of Teachers of Mathematics, National Society of Professional Engineers, National Engineers Week Foundation, the Society of Women Engineers, and MATHCOUNTS®. The exhibition is produced by Evergreen Exhibitions.
MathAlive! is the largest-scale initiative to date of Raytheon’s MathMovesU®, a national program inspiring students to embrace mathematics as a key to their future.
Raytheon’s MathMovesU® program is an initiative committed to increasing middle and elementary school students’ interest in math and science education by engaging them in hands-on, interactive activities. The innovative programs of MathMovesU include the traveling interactive experience MathAlive!™; Raytheon’s Sum of all Thrills™ experience at INNOVENTIONS at Epcot®, which showcases math in action as students design and experience their own thrill ride using math fundamentals; the “In the Numbers” game, a partnership with the New England Patriots on display at The Hall at Patriot Place™ presented by Raytheon; the company’s ongoing sponsorship of the MATHCOUNTS® National Competition; and the MathMovesU scholarship and grant program providing more than $1 million in annual funding to students and teachers. Follow MathMovesU and other Raytheon community outreach programs on Facebook and on Twitter @MathMovesU.
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