DALLAS--(BUSINESS WIRE)--U.S. News & World Report has announced that Tom Luce, founding CEO and current chairman of the National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI), has been chosen as one of the inaugural STEM Solutions “Leadership Hall of Fame” honorees. Mr. Luce and the other inductees will be recognized at a Hall of Fame Awards luncheon, the capstone of the U.S. News STEM Solutions 2012 Summit, which takes place June 27-29 in Dallas. The awards ceremony is scheduled for Friday, June 29, from 12 to 2 p.m., at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel.
Mr. Luce served as the founding CEO of NMSI from 2007 to 2011 before transitioning to his current role as chairman of the board of directors. Under his leadership, the organization experienced tremendous growth and success, replicating on a national scale highly successful science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education and teacher-training programs. This fall, NMSI programs will be in 29 states, reaching students in 34 universities and 410 high schools.
“This is a well-deserved honor for Tom, who has been a thought leader and driving force for improving education for decades,” said Dr. Mary Ann Rankin, President and CEO of NMSI. “We are grateful to him for his ongoing leadership and commitment to NMSI and to the U.S. public school system. His efforts have significantly elevated awareness of the STEM education crisis facing our nation and have produced major changes in policy and funding paradigms that will dramatically improve STEM education for more U.S. students.”
In choosing the honorees, the selection committee sought out leaders who have achieved measurable results in STEM fields, challenged established processes and conventional wisdom, inspired a shared vision, and motivated legions of future STEM professionals. In addition, the committee focused on identifying individuals whose commitment and dedication to STEM have left a lasting legacy. In addition to Luce, the inaugural honorees included:
Richard Alley, Ph.D., Evan Pugh Professor of Geosciences, Penn State
Mary Good, Ph.D., Special Advisor to the Chancellor for Economic Development, University of Arkansas at Little Rock
Freeman A. Hrabowski III, Ph.D., President, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
Ray Mellado, Chairman and CEO, Great Minds in STEM
“ExxonMobil is proud to support trailblazers who share our goal of laying a strong foundation for the next generation of scientists and engineers,” said Ken Cohen, vice president of public and government affairs of Exxon Mobil Corporation, a founding sponsor of NMSI. “Mr. Luce has shown tremendous vision, commitment and dedication throughout his career, ensuring that students receive the math and science skills that are critical for them to succeed and address our country’s most challenging issues.”
An attorney, Mr. Luce was a founding partner and managing partner of the law firm of Hughes & Luce, LLP until his retirement from the firm in 1997. In addition to his active law practice, he served as the U.S. Assistant Secretary of Education for Planning, Evaluation and Policy Development from 2005-2006.
Following his departure from the U.S. Department of Education, Mr. Luce rejoined the board of Dell Inc. He is the longest-serving outside member, having previously served on the Dell board from 1991 until 2005; he also has served on the boards of the Texas Education Reform Caucus and multiple community and charitable organizations. He served as a member of the National Commission on Teaching and America's Future and on the Executive Committee of the Dallas Citizens Council, an organization composed of CEOs of Dallas' largest businesses. In addition, the United States Senate appointed Mr. Luce a member of the Library of Congress Trust Fund Board where he served until 2005.
Mr. Luce also has been appointed five times to major posts by Texas governors, including Chief Justice pro tempore of the Texas Supreme Court. He is perhaps best known for his role as the Chief of Staff of the Texas Select Committee of Public Education, which produced one of the first major reform efforts among public schools in 1984.
Mr. Luce was a co-founder of the National Center for Educational Accountability and served as Chairman of the Board from its inception until 2005. He also founded Communities Just for the Kids and served as its Chairman until 2005. In 1995 Mr. Luce wrote Now or Never - How We Can Save Our Public Schools, a book that defined his educational philosophy and outlined a preliminary plan for educational reform that called for broader support for public education. His second book, Do What Works, was published in December 2004 and received numerous positive reviews.
About NMSI:
The National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI) was launched in 2007 by top leaders in business, education, and science to reverse the troubling decline in American math and science education. NMSI is dedicated to dramatically impacting the U.S. public school system by bringing best practices to education and replicating programs nationally that have documented success in math and science education. These programs include the Advanced Placement Training and Incentive Program to prepare more high school students to succeed in college level courses, the UTeach program to recruit and train more math and science teachers, and the Laying the Foundation program to prepare middle school and high school students to succeed in pre-AP and AP classes.
Inaugural funding for NMSI was provided by the Exxon Mobil Corporation, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation.
About STEM Solutions 2012:
The inaugural STEM Solutions 2012 summit will bring together business, education and government leaders who have long recognized the need to connect the dots between STEM education and careers. It will provide a forum for important conversation that will develop into action plans for our nation. More than 50 key organizations representing industry and education have signed on as Co-chairs to support STEM Solutions 2012 during this three-day summit, June 27-29, 2012, at the Dallas Sheraton Hotel in Dallas, Texas.