JONESBORO, Ark.—The Arkansas STEM Coalition held a STEM Think Tank session at the A-State Cooper Alumni Center on October 26. Hytrol served as the Platinum Sponsor. Attending the event were an array of educators and community leaders all focused on the goal of supporting STEM education and encouraging and preparing students for STEM centered jobs. Phillip Poston, Hytrol’s Chief Development Officer, delivered the keynote address over the emerging impact on Artificial Intelligence in business.

Poston said, “I am pleased to have the opportunity to present at events such as this and represent the Hytrol family. Our company was built on ingenuity and strives to foster future generations of problem solvers. It is both important and fun to network with representatives from all sectors of the community on the importance of STEM.”

Christy Valentine, Hytrol’s Manager of Academic Partnerships served as a panelist for the event and covered the Arkansas STRIVE initiative which also seeks to help connect educators and business. Other topics for discussion included the importance of STEM education to local businesses, how to prepare students for STEM careers and what STEM skills are in high demand by employers. Executive Director for the Arkansas STEM Coalition, Hannah Volger, ended the day by highlighting some of the current and future projects of the group.

Volger said, “The beauty of these events and a main goal of the coalition is to encourage open communication between various stakeholders in support of a common cause. Improved interest in STEM benefits students, local businesses and the community as a whole.”

About The Arkansas STEM Coalition:

The Arkansas Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Coalition is a statewide partnership of leaders from the corporate, education, government and community sectors which plans, encourages, coordinates and advocates policies, strategies, and programs supportive of excellence in STEM teaching and learning in order to expand the economy of Arkansas and produce higher paying jobs.

About Hytrol:

Hytrol Conveyor Company Inc. is a world leader in the design and manufacturing of material handling systems for a variety of industries. Since its founding, the company has been dedicated to pushing forward the material handling industry. Hytrol is the largest conveyor manufacturer in the United States. It designs, develops, and delivers the most advanced material handling systems and includes a network of more than 100 independent businesses worldwide. The company also develops software for conveyors and warehouse management. For more information on Hytrol, visit hytrol.com.