News at 4Cs

Advancing the Next Generation in STEM - A Message From President Cox

A Message From President John Cox

Across our community, both at the K-12 level and in higher education, we are many years into our collective efforts preparing the next generation of well-educated and well-trained professionals in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM). These efforts began years ago, through a groundswell of support responding to the growing needs of the local and global economy, stepping our collective efforts up in how we offer STEM education while enhancing access.

These efforts, expanding our STEM teaching capabilities and outreach, ensuring equity for women and people of color, started modestly. For many of our now-college aged students, they were first exposed to STEM education early in their elementary school years, viewing the sciences through a lens of wonder and exploration. Over the course of their educational journeys, the power of STEM was nurtured through passionate faculty and regional resources.

This strong commitment and educational foundation for STEM has broadened interests among students ready to leave their mark in the world. Just last month at Cape Cod Community College, we saw the culmination of more than ten years of community efforts and commitment with the opening of the Frank and Maureen Wilkens Science and Engineering Center.  

The Center became a reality thanks to countless supporters and donors, including the generosity of Mrs. Maureen Wilkens and her family. These efforts over the years came from many, including our legislative delegation, including Rep David Vieira and his leadership on the Joint Committee on Bonding, Capital Expenditures and State Assets ensuring funding in the State’s Bond legislation, and the Baker Administration, including 4Cs in the Capital Investment Program. Truly, this Center is a modern wonder and a testament to the continuing effort of building interest in STEM and serving our community.

Bringing the sciences to the literal center of our campus, every student at our College now sees the power of STEM in real-time. From our robotics lab, buzzing and whirling with the brightest future engineers using machinery to serve practical purposes, to our science labs and math learning center, leveraging the modern use of DTEN technology to bring state-of-the-art learning to students in the classroom and remotely, our Center has immediately become the centerpiece of our campus community.

4Cs’ Center includes the “Toilet of the Future,” featuring the first commercial application in North America of the Gates Foundation’s award-winning design based on our collaboration with Caltech scientist Clement Cid. The toilet operates with no sewer lines as a closed-loop system using electrolysis to treat waste, conserving water and energy. The entire facility represents the next step in our collective work to advance STEM education.

Preparing the learners of tomorrow includes our regional STEM networks. Bridget Burger, the Director of the Cape Cod Regional STEM Network, has worked building relationships with K-12 schools, bringing young minds into the college setting, showcasing the amazing, rewarding careers that STEM provides. In 2022, Burger received a Fulbright Specialist award to Iceland to Husavik Academic Center. Through a series of workshops and trainings, she is leveraging her expertise in STEM education to build STEM Husavik, the first community-based STEM network in the northeast of Iceland. In 2023, she will connect the newly formed network with the Cape Cod Regional STEM Network through projects and collaborations in 2023, building global bridges between our institutions and communities in the process.

Across southeastern Massachusetts, our current and future economic health relies heavily on the being STEM-ready. We see this work expanding quickly with the rise of wind power careers on the horizon, the recognition and growth of the Blue Economy, and the expansion of Biotechnology and Engineering programs across the region. It is also worth noting that the years of emphasis on creating equity are also evident, for example, with more women and people of color entering STEM every year. Here at 4Cs, a source of great pride is the number of women enrolled in our Aviation Maintenance Technology (AMT) program, and the racial and ethnic diversity among the students learning at Plymouth Municipal Airport. This semester, 11% of enrolled students in the program are women, well above the 4% national average, as we continue to grow our Women in Aviation program.

The efforts across our community are paying off and the economic health and trajectory of success of our students and future graduates are benefiting.  Cape Cod Community College is proud serving the educational needs of our region and encouraging lifelong learners to remain curious about the world around us.

Dr. John L. Cox, President of Cape Cod Community College