The U.S. and Florida must place a higher emphasis on technological research and education in order to prevent themselves from falling further behind other nations, Florida Lt. Gov. Jennifer Carroll and a world-renowned engineer said Thursday.
More than 150 people crowded into MacKay Auditorium at Pugh Hall to hear Carroll and Norman Augustine discuss ways to improve U.S. technological development.
Carroll said developers within the state have done a good job of coming up with ideas and solutions to making those ideas a reality.
However, she said other states have been responsible for the production phase of most of these developments.
“We need to see more of these ideas through,” Carroll said.
Because of this trend, Carroll placed a heavy emphasis throughout her presentation on the importance of creating incubators to assist in technological developments.
She also said making advances in technology in schools would help to reach the state’s goal of creating 700,000 jobs in the next seven years.
“The private sector coupled with the university system will help us grow our economy and create more jobs,” Carroll said.
Augustine, a former CEO and chairman of Martin Marietta and Lockheed Martin, discussed the declining performance of American students in math and science and its effect on the country’s technological sector.
He echoed Carroll’s sentiments on improving domestic technology development.
He also said there is not enough investment in technology research. As a result, universities in other countries are hiring some of the best minds away from American universities.
