Lingle to meet with Segway inventor, promote science education

Gov. Linda Lingle will be in New Hampshire this week to meet with the inventor of the Segway scooter and discuss ideas to boost the science and technology fields in the islands.

Lingle will also attend an international high school robotics contest this weekend founded by Dean Kamen, the multimillionaire inventor best known for his two-wheel personal transporter.

Teams from both Waiakea High School in Hilo and Punahou School in Honolulu will be competing regionally for a chance at being sent to the championship FIRST, or For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology, competition held in Atlanta this spring.

In a speech following her inauguration last month for a second term, Lingle said one of her goals will be to shift the state's economy away from land development and toward innovation.

She says a portion of her upcoming State of the State address this month will also likely focus on a new plan for increasing science training for Hawaii's public school students.

Lingle said she plans to unveil a proposal to bring more of what are known as STEM, or Science Technical Engineering and Math, skills into island schools.

STEM is a national effort with a lengthy list of supporters including the National Science Teachers Association, Johns Hopkins University and a bipartisan congressional caucus.

Lingle said she would also like to bring a FIRST competition to Hawaii to enable more local students to compete.

"We don't have any of these regional competitions here. But it would benefit our kids. I will be talking to Dean Kamen to learn more about bringing them here," she said.

Lingle said the goal of bolstering science education in the state isn't to transform Hawaii into a state of scientists.

"It doesn't mean we would be creating more scientists, it is that we would be teach people to think in a more critical fashion," she said.

On the Net:

Segway: http://www.segway.com/

STEM Education Coalition: http://www.stemedcoalition.org/