A committee tasked by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently released a report on the impact of arts and humanities integration into science, technology, engineering, mathematics, and medicine (STEMM) curricula in higher education. Dr. Youngmoo Kim, professor in Drexel's Electrical and Computer Engineering, served on the committee during the two-year study.
"We found an emerging body of evidence suggesting that integrating STEMM fields...with the arts and humanities in higher education is associated with positive learning outcomes," shared Dr. Kim, "including improved communication and problem-solving, increased empathy, and the ability to make ethical decisions and apply knowledge in real-world settings - skills that will help students succeed in their careers, become active and informed citizens, and lead more fulfilling lives."
A free PDF version of the report can be downloaded here. A webcast of the report's release, featuring National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt and the committee's chair, Secretary of the Smithsonian David Skorton, can be found here.
"National Academies reports have often served as inflection points, steering our nation's education agenda and shaping research and funding opportunities in both the public and private sectors," said Dr. Kim. "It is my hope that this report creates a new openness to transdisciplinary approaches, touching everything from fundraising and budgeting to promotion criteria and accreditation, in Colleges and Universities across the country."