Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google


STEM Forward Program to Take Students on a Virtual STEM Tour of Japan with Olympian Katy Ledecky

  • By Kate Lucariello
  • 01/18/24

Panasonic North America, Discovery Education, and Olympic and World Champion Katy Ledecky will team up to take students in middle and high school on a second virtual tour through the educational program STEM Forward.

The Innovators for Impact virtual tour will visit a "future forward" region of Japan focusing on using technology to make daily life better. Students will hear from Panasonic's STEM experts about innovations in robotics, smart mobility solutions, sustainable smart towns, re-energized solar power, and 100% renewable energy in a fun and engaging way, Panasonic said.

The tour will premiere on Thursday, Feb. 15, 2024, at 1 p.m. EST. Signups are available on Discovery Education's STEM Forward page. Those interested can watch a trailer for the tour, and educators can download a pdf guide.

This will be three-time Olympian, 21-time World Champion and 10-time Olympic medal-winning swimmer Ledecky's second virtual tour. An avid STEM advocate, Ledecky helped launch the STEM Forward virtual tours in 2022 with a visit to five Panasonic Innovation Centers in North America. The program has reached 10,000 educators and over 628,000 students since its inception, Panasonic said.

"Any opportunity I have in life to inspire educators and students to live more sustainably, I'm going to take it," Ledecky said. "It was exciting to explore Panasonic's innovations in its global headquarters in Japan and then be able to share that experience to help engage educators and students. From solar power to smart mobility, furthering STEM education and providing equal access to students can help today's youth realize their impact."

"We are proud to continue to work alongside Katie Ledecky to show today's educators and learners how they can have a positive impact on the world through STEM," said Megan Myungwon Lee, Panasonic North America CEO.

Visit Panasonic's STEM Forward page to learn more about the program.

About the Author

Kate Lucariello is a former newspaper editor, EAST Lab high school teacher and college English teacher.

Featured

  • child stands with a laptop, in front of various drawings related to math and science

    Why Screen Time Limits Are Not the Answer

    At a fundamental level, screen time policies and laws aim to address academic achievement by balancing digital instruction with traditional teaching methods. But they do not tackle how devices are used.

  • Class CrunchLabs YouTube channel

    Mark Rober's Class CrunchLabs Courses Now Available for Free on YouTube

    Class CrunchLabs, the suite of free curriculum resources from NASA engineer turned YouTube science communicator Mark Rober, has released its first two courses on YouTube.

  • Neon blue security locks with a single red highlight

    With AI, Cybersecurity Focus Shifts from Finding Flaws to Fixing Them

    For decades, one of cybersecurity's biggest challenges has been finding vulnerabilities before attackers do. A growing number of security professionals now say artificial intelligence is changing that equation, shifting the focus from discovering flaws to fixing them quickly enough to prevent exploitation.

  • Wi-Fi icon on dark blue circuit background

    FCC to Conduct 'Top-to-Bottom' Review of E-Rate Program

    The FCC is laying the groundwork for a comprehensive review of its E-Rate program, the federal initiative that provides K–12 schools and public libraries with discounts on internet, WiFi, and telecommunications services to ensure equitable digital access.