Abstract
Over the last half-century, there have been many dramatic social, historical, cultural, demographic, and political changes worldwide. National boundaries have dissolved or shifted to the extent that society is conceptualized not only on a national level, but also on an international one. The global economy is based on information, invention, and innovation deriving from science and technology. Competing successfully in today’s global economy necessitates developing a well-educated and well-trained science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) workforce. In the global knowledge-based economy, the most important resources are human resources. Bringing together people with a variety of perspectives to address problems results in better solutions and enhances both innovation and creativity (Medin, Lee, and Bang, 2014; Phillips, 2014).