Innovation drives us toward the future. Henry Ford discovered that automation on the assembly line leads to a more efficient production method for all cars. Many industries then adopted this concept. Developing new technologies to make life more convenient became the norm. With each new piece of technology, people adapt and incorporate it into their way of life. Twenty years ago, no one could have guessed that people would be carrying tiny computers in their pockets, tweeting their feelings, or streaming videos on the web.

Now we have Netflix and Hulu, we belong to multiple social networks, interact with others around the world on blogs and can access the information super highway via smartphones, tablets, laptops (and yes, desktops for those who still have them).  We are constantly connected and now we want our things to join in. The internet of things is driving innovation and connectivity, as it demands faster processing speeds and bandwidth.  Artificial intelligence, machine learning, and big data aid us in crunching the numbers of mass data quantities. They say self-driving cars will require more information analysis daily, than most of today’s technology can process. What does that mean? Innovation is coming.

The future of our society is in STEM education because we need more minds willing to engineer tomorrow’s drone, the next iPod, and discover the predecessor of virtual reality.  Discover how technology is changing your life for the better, and learn how to protect yourself from cyberattacks that are no longer science fiction.  Innovation is coming. Are you prepared?