Allan Conrad is a retired project manager for the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. He has functioned as the volunteer coordinator for the Western Colorado Math & Science Center (where he is also on the board of directors) for more than eight years. He also serves as a math tutor at Grand Junction High School.

This column is the first in what is conceived to be a weekly discussion of topics that fit loosely under the umbrella of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Those of us volunteering at the Western Colorado Math & Science Center have explained the principles of STEM to well more than 60,000 students who have come through our doors with their teachers, parents and grandparents.

The Daily Sentinel has given us the opportunity to address a larger audience on a variety of topics that we anticipate will be of interest to the general reader. In the absence of the face-to-face discussions of the hands-on exhibits present at the center, we will resort to written words, those abstract representations of the real world.

Now, why would a group of volunteers, most of whom already have completed a previous career, want to step out of their comfort zone to share their perspective on how things of man and nature work and the principles that govern their operation? We are concerned that too many students are forfeiting a golden opportunity to pursue careers of a technical nature, and this is detrimental not only to them but to our nation.

We would hope to be catalysts in having students become more excited about the beauty and challenge of technical careers. But students cannot do this alone; they need the support of their parents and their teachers to achieve success. We wish to help those students, their parents and teachers develop a sense that technical subject matter is understandable. By understanding some fundamentals they can gain some confidence that “Math and Science are Cool!”

Adequate academic preparation in math and science is the key to today’s students’ future success. The world has become, and will continue to be, so focused on technical innovation that knowledge of some of the basics is important to nearly every career path. It is difficult to find career opportunities that do not involve technical aspects, whether you are a newspaper reporter, a business person, an economist, an athlete or a lawyer.

It is well-documented that the United States is not producing enough technically trained people to replace those who have retired or those who are on the verge of retirement. Even importing enough talent to fill the present and future needs for trained scientists, engineers and mathematicians is next to impossible. That talent resides in our current classrooms, and it consists of both genders!

We know all too well that technology is not the panacea for all that affects our future as a nation, but without a strong, dedicated technical component in our society we do not stand much chance to maintain the necessary progress. Technical knowledge is not a guarantee of success, but it is a necessary condition if we are to maintain our role as a world leader.

Our hope is that our columns are of some help in this regard, not only appealing to middle- and high-school age students, but also to their parents and teachers who may find that what is written helps de-mystify things that have confused them in the past. Perhaps the availability of such columns will stimulate conversation and interest in the classrooms and around dinner tables.

Our intent is to inform the reader with facts as best we can determine them. In some matters the facts may not yet be clearly established and perhaps the existing research data appears contradictory. In those instances we will describe various points of view that are driving the research that will one day remove the ambiguity surrounding the subjects.

Not having all the answers, we still want to share what we know, hoping that a broader dialogue may develop in our community. This important exchange regards how we as a society address the continuing and expanding need for our society to be more aware of the world around us and to be less intimidated by what we do not know.

The problem we are trying to address by educating young and old will not have an easy solution, but we are dedicated to doing what we might to make a difference in the lives of the people in western Colorado long after we have ceased to write. Thank you for your participation in this great experiment!

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Have a question or column idea for Speaking of Science? E-mail Teresa Dwire at masc@bresnan.net.