New Mexico Congresswoman Melanie Stansbury is touting legislation she says will boost the state’s STEM economy.
Stansbury touted the science and technology benefits of the Partnerships for Energy Security and Innovation Act, which was an amendment she sponsored to the America COMPETES Act.
The bill’s goal is to garner for STEM growth by facilitating technology transfer between national labs, private startups and local colleges and universities.
Stanbury says the legislation can help lead to innovations to deal with such major issues in New Mexico like clean energy, climate and building a more sustainable economy.
“One of the things that we hear all of the time here in New Mexico is why is it that we have two national labs here in our home and yet there are so many challenges that we’re not able to solve using the brain power in science and technology that comes out of these labs,” she said.
Dr. Milford Muskett with the Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute says they have developed partnerships with the Department of Energy and the Sandi and Los Alamos National Laboratories.
He says it provides native students with internships, research opportunities and access to experienced engineers and scientists.