The Science Insider listens to actor Tim Daly, advocating for science education, who thinks the officially sanctioned ed-school terminology is bad marketing.
"The acronym STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) blows," says Daly, who participated in a lunch-time rally today for the upcoming National Lab Day on 12 May as co-chair of the Creative Coalition, a nonprofit organization that lobbies for the arts community. "Everybody thinks you're talking about stem cells. It should be STEAM. It's not only a better acronym, but it will enhance what they are doing."
On the one hand, "STEM" is so completely uninspiring, that it's even obvious to the actor best known from "Wings," boat anchor of "Must See TV." On the other hand, "STEAM" not only blows, it also sucks. And I don't mean that in a steampunk kind of way.
I mean, why not just call it "SMEAT"? Because, people, you're arguing about an acronym. Is there anything more quintessentially nerdy than trying to find the majick acronym that will float to the top of the grant application pile? They may as well name it "nerdropology."
