Topeka ? Several members of a high-tech task force Thursday said the next trend of economic development may rely on strengthening science and math instruction.

“If we don’t have kids excited about math and degreed teachers teaching it, every effort we’ve talked about here is going to be weakened,” said state Sen. Nick Jordan, R-Shawnee.

Jordan is a member of a group that advises U.S. Sen. Pat Roberts, R-Kan., on science and technology. Roberts appointed the committee in 1996 to jump-start bioscience work and attract more research dollars to Kansas.

He credited committee members with helping push for bonds to build new research facilities at Kansas University, Kansas State and Wichita State, and getting the Legislature to adopt a new bioscience initiative.

But in the highly competitive world of research, Kansas can’t rest, he said.

“Our challenge today is to decide on what directions will take us to this ‘promised land’ of job creation,” Roberts said.

“What areas of science and technology contain the greatest opportunities for Kansas, and what steps do we take to make those opportunities a reality.”

Committee members said plans were under way to increase research, especially in aviation, agriculture and biology.

Jordan said he was concerned that Kansas students were not interested in science and math, and that was forcing companies to outsource good-paying engineering jobs to other nations.

Jordan said that he would propose several pieces of legislation this year aimed at strengthening science and math instruction in schools across the state.