Workforce Development - Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Defense Education Program
Abstract
Description: SMART is a scholarship-for-service program that provides support to high performing U.S. graduate and undergraduate students in 21 academic science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines identified as areas of future workforce priorities for the DoD. The disciplines align with the Department’s Science and Technology (S&T) priorities and emerging scientific research areas such as: Aeronautical and Astronautical Engineering; Biomedical Engineering; Biosciences; Chemical Engineering; Chemistry; Civil Engineering; Cognitive, Neural, and Behavioral Sciences; Computer Science; Electrical Engineering; Environmental Sciences; Geosciences; Industrial and Systems Engineering; Information Sciences; Materials Science and Engineering; Mathematics; Mechanical Engineering; Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering; Nuclear Engineering; Oceanography; Operations Research; and Physics. Upon completion of their degree, students fulfill a service commitment to the Department on a one-to-one payback per year of education funded. In part, SMART's success is measured by participants that choose to remain in the DoD workforce beyond their required service commitment. Approximately 1,200 participants have successfully completed the program through their DoD Service commitment, of which 71 percent of those participants continue to be employed by DoD. Oversight of the SMART program falls under the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering (USD(R&E)). Two types of individuals participate in the program: (1) retention scholars who are current DoD employees; and (2) recruitment scholars who are students enrolled in undergraduate and graduate programs and represent new technical expertise for the Department. Internships provide SMART scholars with an opportunity to engage in the DoD science and technology enterprise through research and work experiences in defense laboratories, thereby enhancing their educational experience and understanding the relevance of DoD research priority areas. Since FY 2005, approximately 3,000 students have participated in the SMART program at approximately 190 sponsoring facilities. As of October 2018, approximately 2,000 SMART scholars have transitioned into the service commitment phase. To date, these scholars have transitioned as civilian employees into the Air Force, Army, Navy, and other DoD components.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Accomplishment
- Publication Date
- Oct 01, 2021
- Source ID
- 5137327bb1ae06e642026fa7fb36f223