Wichita State President John Bardo will be in Washington, D.C. to testify in front of the U.S. Congress Thursday morning.

Bardo was invited to speak to the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Science, Space, and Technology about STEM research. The hearing will be hosted by the Subcommittee on Energy.

Bardo has prepared a ten page testimony titled “Innovations in STEM Mentoring, Training and Apprenticeships.” His speech will be a shortened version of the written testimony, WSU Director of News and Media Relations Joe Kleinsasser said.

The hearing will “shed light on innovative workforce training programs that keep students in the STEM pipeline and create pathways to successful STEM careers,” according to a release from the congressional committee.

Bardo will speak about his goal for WSU to be “internationally recognized as the model for applied learning and research.”

Bardo is the only university president testifying. He will be joined by representatives from Morgan State University — a historically black college in Baltimore, Maryland — and Moraine Valley Community College — a community college in Palos Hills, Illinois known for its STEM Center.

The committee is chaired by congressman Lamar Smith, a republican from Texas. Congressman Roger Marshall, a republican, is the only member of the committee from Kansas. He represents Kansas’ first district, which covers the western portion of the state.

Bardo was unable to attend the monthly Kansas Board of Regents meeting in Topeka this week because of the trip.

The hearing will take place at 9 a.m. Central Standard Time in the Rayburn House Office Building.