The Effect of the Cold War on Stem Education - 3949 Words

The Effect of the Cold War Arm’s Race on STEM Occupations during the Cold War Ketib Oldiais Mr. Kelley IB Asian and European History HL 00450- A. Plan of Investigation 5 marks During the Cold War, the struggle for power between the communists of Soviet Russia and the pro-democracy politicians of the United States escalated in numerous proxy wars, acts of espionage, and potential nuclear warfare. Behind it all however, the Cold War was a breeding ground for competition in the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. From the 1960s, upon the spark of the Space Race with the Soviet Launch of Sputnik, to the 1990s with the reunion of East and West Germany, the Cold War was a period of increase in occupations related to†¦show more content†¦Both sides clearly understood the power of having the best possible weaponry, something that could only be attained with the brightest minds. Gone were the days were having the most men would win the battle; the Cold War was an era of scientific and technological progress. Even in the American education system, trends in doctorate degrees were evident enough of th e public’s enthusiasm in participating in a new, fruitful field. From 1971 to 1985, the number of engineering and engineering technology master’s and doctorate degrees increased from 16,443 to 21,555 degrees. (National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators 2008, Figure 3-1). It is very evident that the American people were just as concerned about national security and patriotism at the time than the politicians were. From 1950, there were less than approximately 500,000 STEM employees. By 1960, this figure had increased to approximately 1.25 million, by 1970 at least 1.75 million, and by 1980 about 2.5 million ((National Science Board, Science and Engineering Indicators 2008, Figure 3-1). (Refer to appendix 1 for a more accurate line graph of this trend.) It is important to note however, that all these growth spurts were sparked by the technological, scientific, engineering, and mathematical advancements that both the Soviet Union and the United States accomplished. It was during the Cold War that atomic energy, the most powerful energy that could possibly beShow MoreRelatedThe National Defense Education Act1901 Words   |  8 PagesIn America, the state of education has always been a pressing concern, perhaps now more than ever. Improving education has been proven to strengthen the nation time and time again, specifically with regard to science, mathematics and technology. Ten years after the start of the Cold War on October 4, 1957, the Soviet Union launched the first ever man-made satellite, Sputnik-1. This action by the Soviets caused immediate concern for the educational system in the United States because this launch provedRead MoreProgressive Education in the 1970s Essay1222 Words   |  5 PagesDid Progressive Education Permeate in an Immigrant High School in 1970s? At the end of the nineteenth century, progressive movements emerged and affected many aspects of the United States such as education, culture and politics. Since the rapidly increase of enrollment in high school in this period, educators and reformers desired a apt method to teach these students and debated what should be involved in curriculum. The ideals of progressive education led by John Dewey, who is an American philosopherRead MoreShould Marijuana Be Legalized?1436 Words   |  6 Pagescontinue to be stigmatized by the media, stem from the 1970’s and how the government manipulated the information regarding marijuana for its own agenda. To understand how America came to believe that marijuana users were dangerous and a threat to America, one must go back to Richard Nixon’s and Ronald Reagan’s presidency and their stance towards marijuana. In order to shift public perceptions negatively towards marijuana, Nixon and Reagan began this massive war against drugs and were able to convinceRead MoreWhen Thinking Of Life Skills Needed For After High School1498 Words   |  6 Pagesimportant? Is it academic knowledge for higher education and careers? Financial literacy? What about how to feed oneself and nutrition? ProStart is a culinary program for high school students under the Family Consumer Science (FCS) Department that teaches not only how to feed oneself, but also leadership skills and nutrition to make better eating choices- promoting a healthier lifestyle for the individual’s future. Because of budget cuts in the education department, and the focus on science, technologyRead MoreThe Never Ending Cycle1441 Words   |  6 Pagesnot value people of wage labor. In our society today poverty is a never-ending cycle that feeds off itself, making the rich richer and the poor poorer. There are three main factors that can be brought up when talking about the cycle of poverty; education, nutrition, and redistribution of wealth. Without a strong foundation in all of these categories, a society will never have a class system without large gaps, and with gaps in a society come class antagonisms. Society needs to work together inRead MoreThe Profiling Of Muslims At North American Borders1564 Words   |  7 Pagesby Islamic extremist group named Al-Qaeda, produced widespread fear through terrorism and ever since border security in North America has been on high alert (Schwartz 2010). Muslims face the most problems when it comes to immigration because of the ‘war on terror. Even though many of these individuals are innocent, society labels them as terrorists, based on the assum ptions of their practiced religion, that being Islam. The religious profiling of Muslims at North American borders has become prominentRead MoreThe American Revolution-Eight Long Years852 Words   |  4 Pagesthe American Revolutionary War and the War of Independence, lasted from 1775 to 1783. It stemmed from growing tensions between England’s 13 North American colonies and the colonial government representing England, as well as cost sharing imposed on English colonies by successive governments in London for debts attributed to former wars (Foner, 2012). The â€Å"cost sharing† encompassed a variety of measures including taxation on goods produced in the colonies, efforts to stem widespread smuggling andRead MoreThe Conflict Between the Ukraine and Russia Essay1614 Words   |  7 PagesRussia is the Ukraines most long-standing and deadly crisis; since its post-Soviet independence began as a protest against the government dropping plans to forge closer trade ties w ith the European Union. The conflict between Russia and the Ukraine stems from more than twenty years of weak governance, the government’s inability to promote a coherent executive branch policy, an economy dominated by oligarchs and rife with corruption, heavy reliance on Russia, and distinct differences between UkrainesRead MoreThe Cost of Funding American Public Schools 1495 Words   |  6 Pagesdue to lack of employment opportunities, there has been great demand in education reform with regards to laws and funding (Grubb). In 1958, education reform was propelled forward by one of the biggest contributors for America’s public education system stemming from the National Defense Education Act (NDEA). On September 2, 1958, the act was signed, initiating a program that poured billions of dollars into the U.S. education system. Funding supported programs that furthered the nation’s advancementsRead MoreWhy is Africa so under-developed?1653 Words   |  7 Pageslargest continent and the second most populated continent behind Asia. Africa is the poorest and the most undeveloped continent in the world, and is commonly referred to as a ‘Third World Continent’. The term ‘Third World’ came around during the Cold War to classify countries/continents that remained self-governing with a capitalist or communist government. This definition allows us to categorise the nations of the world into three groups based on social, political, and economic distribution. These