By John Ostapkovich

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Many leaders, including Bill Gates, have warned that America is at risk of losing high-tech dominance if we don’t do a better job of teaching Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, sometimes called STEM.

A potential solution is called STEM the Tide, by David Drew, professor of Education, Management and Mathematics at Claremont Graduate University.

He lays out strategies for bringing technology within reach, such as continually improving teacher corps, keen on math, which he calls “the central focus,” yet one in which too many students have decided to fail.

“And I’ve run across many students who fear the subject, who have concluded ever since high school geometry that they cannot do mathematics and they find they can. I think that it comes back to the teacher and how he or she teaches,” explains Drew.

Drew says mentors are also part of the solution, as well as high expectations, the willingness to chuck an approach if it doesn’t work and promoting college education even though a really successful non-grad is Bill Gates.