As part of Business Class News’ spotlight on corporations that support education, our Publisher, Karl Woolfenden spoke to Peter Balyta, at Texas Instruments (TI), who is the President of their Education Technology side of their business.

A couple of weeks ago we showcased a contest that TI  is holding and Karl was curious to find out about what other things TI are doing, so he invited Peter onto his show, Link’d AM.

SEE THE ORIGINAL ARTICLE

TI is committed to providing students opportunities and Peter spoke about the importance of STEM as being part of the educational process:

“I [PETER BALYTA] believe STEM skills are survival skills, and the future depends on kids being STEM smart right now. We live in a technology centric world. And this requires a STEM literate population. For our kids, this means that they’ll need to manage in a world that increasingly relies on technology, the current global public health crisis. We need for today’s students to become tomorrow’s problem solvers and leaders. So [that means] scientists, doctors, engineers, we need them to find and implement solutions to our planet’s challenges. So STEM literacy is no longer optional. And coding isn’t just for nerdy kids anymore, it’s a skill that all kids will likely no matter what career they choose, and so I see coding as a third language, or at the very least a second language that all students should know.”

You can listen to the full interview on how TI is impacting the educational space with their commitment here.  You can also listen to it on Apple Podcasts, iHeart Radio and Google Podcasts, just search for Business Class News.

About Peter Balyta

Peter Balyta, is corporate vice president of academic engagement and president of the Education Technology business at Texas Instruments. He is responsible for leading global teams that focus on the mission of improving the teaching and learning of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) subjects. This includes several groups and programs that span TI, all of which aim to help students develop a strong educational foundation, setting them up for future success in a workforce that increasingly demands STEM skills.

Balyta holds a Ph.D. in mathematics and technology education and a B.Ed in mathematics and physical education from McGill University; a master of science in mathematics education from Concordia University; and a master of business administration from the University of Texas at Dallas. Before starting his career at TI in 2000, Balyta was a mathematics educator and district supervisor for mathematics, science, health, and physical education. In 1996, he was recognized as a Teachers Teaching with Technology (T3) national instructor in the U.S. and Canada. In his roles at TI, he has brought his enthusiasm and experience from the classroom to support and drive TI’s education vision of equipping and inspiring future generations of leaders and engineers.

Balyta is the recipient of the 2017 UT Dallas Green and Orange Award for his support and service to University of Texas at Dallas where he sits on the university’s Executive Board, a 2020 TI Founders Community Impact Award recipient for his volunteer efforts, a Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas 2020 Honor Pin recipient where he is a member of GSNETX’s Executive Committee, serving as chair of the Strategic Planning Committee. Peter is the proud chair of McGill University’s Faculty of Education Advisory Board and a member of McGill’s Bicentennial Campaign Cabinet.