As a firm believer in the notion that advancing technology is the key to employment opportunities, prosperity and a better standard of living for all, I am frequently encouraged to see corporations contribute time and resources to supporting education in engineering and science. National Instruments is one such company that often puts its money (and resources) where its mouth is, supporting the pursuit of learning and innovation among future technologists from grade school to grad school.

And so, I’d like to share the following from our friends at NI.

 Declines in enrollment and retention in engineering education are worldwide problems that lead to shortages of skilled professionals in industry who will be responsible for solving society’s greatest challenges. Today, educators around the world are challenged with introducing students to exciting real-world applications and motivating them to pursue engineering and make a lasting impact.

For years, National Instruments has recognized the influence of inspirational leaders in engineering education, and today NI is sharing their stories in “Saving the World One Student at a Time,” a guidebook for educators in engineering and science. This guidebook highlights how professors around the world have reinvigorated their classrooms by incorporating hands-on projects into curriculum and inspiring students to be innovative. I thought you might be most interested in the chapter about teaching middle-schoolers RF and wireless communications concepts, one of the examples that NI’s educator guidebook displays the significant impact of utilizing industry-grade hardware and software teaching tools to make a lasting impression on students.

“Saving the World One Student at a Time” recognizes educators who teach engineering concepts in a variety of applications such as robotics, controls, circuits, RF and biochemistry, and includes profiles and testimonials from 12 universities representing more than 10 countries.