U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan Participates in Time Warner Cable's Global Online Town Hall Where Students Sound Off on Math and Science Education

Hosted by Former Vice President Al Gore, Panelists Bill Nye, Dean Kamen, Sally Ride, Kudo Tsunoda and Discovery Channel's MythBusters engage students on what can be done to increase participation in these subjects

NEW YORK, Nov. 17, 2010 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, more than a thousand students from the U.S. and around the world will gather with science and technology leaders, including U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, to discuss the future of STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) education as part of Time Warner Cable's (TWC) live, interactive online town hall called "Math, Science and the Future of Our Nation."

"Science, Technology, Engineering and Math are at the forefront of our global economic future," said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. "We need to invest in STEM education in order to provide our students with the knowledge and skills necessary to compete with their peers around the globe. All of us–education leaders, elected officials, business leaders, parents and students have a responsibility to improve resources for STEM education and inspire our youth to become America's next generation of leaders and entrepreneurs."

Moderated by Vice President Al Gore, the town hall will virtually connect students and provide them a unique opportunity to share experiences and ask questions to STEM luminaries including Bill Nye, the Science Guy and executive director of the Planetary Society, inventor Dean Kamen, astronaut Sally Ride, Kudo Tsunoda, Creative Director of Kinect for Xbox 360 and the stars of Discovery Channel's MythBusters.

"In today's increasingly global economy, America cannot afford to continue to fall behind the world in the very subjects that are going to drive economic growth and development in the coming decades," said Gore, who is appearing courtesy of Current TV, where he serves as Chairman.  "By creating a dialogue that includes not only experts on the subject matter, but the kids who are ultimately affected by this issue, Time Warner Cable's Global Online Town Hall is likely to provide tremendous insights into the issue and provide a jumping off point for action."

The global online town hall is part of Connect a Million Minds (CAMM), TWC's $100 million cash and in-kind philanthropic commitment to connect youth to ideas, people and opportunities that will inspire them to pursue education and careers in science, technology, engineering and math. Discussion will primarily focus on attitudes among American youth toward math and science, and how to inspire and motivate students so they will be better positioned for future success in a competitive global marketplace.

"We want to put a human face on a very sobering statistic – the U.S. ranks 35th in math and 29th in science worldwide - to spark a new level of interest among our kids so they are prepared for what lies ahead," stated Glenn Britt, TWC CEO. "As parents, educators, elected officials and business leaders, we need to do all we can to encourage our youth to take an active, enthusiastic interest in STEM and connect them to opportunities that stoke this passion."

"Time Warner Cable is providing the ideal forum to ignite excitement among kids about science, technology, engineering and math, as well as inspire their interest in pursuing STEM careers," said Dean Kamen, founder of FIRST®. "We will help to foster a dialogue among students that sparks innovative thinking and a passion for solving problems as we help prepare the next generation for the complex issues of the 21st century." 

Participants spanning the globe are able to participate in the event using a new online broadcasting platform from Vokle that will allow them to submit live video questions and comments in real time.

Simultaneous "viewing parties" will be held in 16 TWC markets across the country, including California, Idaho, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin. Participants will gather with local STEM luminaries to view and engage in follow up discussions on local solutions to generate better student outcomes in STEM subjects in their respective communities.

"The goal of this event is to motivate a shift in mindset and create a dialogue throughout the country," stated astronaut Sally Ride. "Parents, educators, elected officials and business leaders need to do all they can to encourage our youth to take an active, enthusiastic interest in STEM and increase the opportunities available to them."

"There is never, at any time, any issue more important to this country than the education of its youth. We are thrilled and humbled to be involved in some way with this crucial initiative, and it has our full support," said Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage, co-hosts of MythBusters presented by Discovery Education.

For more information about Time Warner Cable's Connect a Million Minds program, please visit http://www.connectamillionminds.com.

About Time Warner Cable's Connect a Million Minds Initiative

Time Warner Cable (TWC), the second-largest cable operator in the U.S., launched Connect a Million Minds (CAMM), a five-year, $100 million philanthropic initiative to address America's declining proficiency in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), which puts our children at risk of not competing successfully in a global economy. Using its media assets, TWC creates awareness of the issue and inspires students to develop the STEM skills they need to become the problem solvers of tomorrow.

Program highlights include: original PSAs that challenge public perceptions of STEM; a unique website, www.connectamillionminds.com, where parents and community members can pledge to connect young people with the wonders of science;  and "The Connectory", a one-of-a-kind online resource that makes it simple and easy for parents and students to find informal science and technology learning opportunities in their communities. TWC's national CAMM partners are CSAS (Coalition for Science After School) and FIRST (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology). Local TWC markets are activating CAMM across the country with community-specific programs and partnerships.

About Current Media

Current Media is an award-winning media company committed to exploring the world's most important, interesting, and entertaining stories. With a fully integrated television and online platform, Current connects its audience with what's going on in their world through its blend of bold and unique original and acquired productions. Current has also been at the forefront of user-generated advertising, engaging its creative community to create authentic and effective ads, called VCAMs.  It has offices in San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, London, Rome and Milan. Current TV is now viewed in the U.S., U.K., Italy and Ireland in 70 million households through distribution partners. More information is available at www.current.com.

About Discovery Education

The hosts of MythBusters are presented by Discovery Education.  A division of Discovery Communications, Discovery Education is the leading provider of high-quality curriculum-based digital content and professional development resources whose services are available in more than half of U.S. schools. Discovery Communications (NASDAQ: DISCA, DISCB, DISCK) revolutionized television with the Discovery Channel and is now transforming classrooms through Discovery Education. Powered by the number one nonfiction media company in the world, Discovery Education combines scientifically proven, standards-based digital media and a dynamic user community in order to empower teachers to improve student achievement.  Already, more than half of all U.S. schools access Discovery Education digital services.  Explore the future of education at www.discoveryeducation.com.

About FIRST®

Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology and engineering. With support from three out of every five Fortune 500 companies and $14 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition (FRC® ) and FIRST® Tech Challenge (FTC®) for high-school students, FIRST® LEGO® League (FLL® ) for 9 to 14-year-olds, (9 to 16-year-olds outside the U.S. and Canada) and Junior FIRST® LEGO® League (Jr.FLL™) for 6 to 9-year-olds. Gracious Professionalism™ is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community.

About Vokle:

Vokle provides an elegant, next generation interactive platform for broadcasters, bloggers or anyone wishing to reach an audience through live video dialogue. Speakers can easily broadcast to a virtual auditorium of viewers and take live video and text questions with a click of a button. Hosts have the option to assign staff roles to any attendee in the audience to help run the event. Roles include co-hosts to broadcast with the host, screeners to pre-screen video callers privately behind-the-scenes, and an editor to cut between live video streams for a more dynamic broadcast. Launched in December 2009, Vokle is a portfolio company of Tech Coast Angels, the nation's largest angel investor network. Vokle is the chosen online live platform of renowned influencers like Arianna Huffington, Willow Bay, Tony Robbins and Imogen Heap to interact live with their audiences.

SOURCE Time Warner Cable