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In this work, we analyze the lessons learned from the CoVid-19 pandemic and the prospects of the science education that evolved as a result of the pandemic. The two primary shortcomings that arose during the pandemic include: the poor presence of cross-boundary and interdisciplinary research as evidenced by the urgency in establishing cross-boundary research groups in the early days of the pandemic, and the lack of understanding of the scientific method in the general public as evidenced, for example, by the worldwide Hydroxychloroquine events of 2020. An effective approach to solving these shortcomings is increasing innovative research at the two-year tertiary education level. The focus of continuing technical education will shift towards technologies that provide self-sufficiency, such as artificial intelligence, intelligent robotics, augmented reality, digital twins, and additive manufacturing. These features likely constitute the cornerstone of the upcoming science education paradigm, which we denominate "STEM 3.0". 

Recently, drones have become a useful tool in training and practicing the core of industry 4.0 for applications ranging from machine diagnostics to surveillance and detection of air leaks. In this work, train-the-trainer workshops were organized to train primarily STEM educators from Two-year higher education and secondary education institutions on Smart Manufacturing (SM) technologies. The hands-on activities during these workshops included assembling and coding drones. Four workshops were held between 2019 and 2021 with 114 participants from 20 states across the United States. The workshops included research, industry speakers, and hands-on activities with assembling and coding drones with Arduino, Python, or Blockly. The effectiveness of using drones for training in SM workshops was evaluated using retrospective surveys. Most participants reported that their knowledge of coding and smart manufacturing increased and that the knowledge gained from the workshops is applicable to their work. In addition, using statistical tools, 7,182 students ± 1,903 were exposed to the smart manufacturing concepts using drones six months after the workshops with a confidence level of 90%. 

In this work, we analyze the lessons learned from the CoVid-19 pandemic and the prospects of the science education that evolved as a result of the pandemic. The two primary shortcomings that arose during the pandemic include: the poor presence of cross-boundary and interdisciplinary research as evidenced by the urgency in establishing cross-boundary research groups in the early days of the pandemic, and the lack of understanding of the scientific method in the general public as evidenced, for example, by the worldwide Hydroxychloroquine events of 2020. An effective approach to solving these shortcomings is increasing innovative research at the two-year tertiary education level. The focus of continuing technical education will shift towards technologies that provide self-sufficiency, such as artificial intelligence, intelligent robotics, augmented reality, digital twins, and additive manufacturing. These features likely constitute the cornerstone of the upcoming science education paradigm, which we denominate “STEM 3.0”.