Building a STEM Education Ecosystem for Future DoD Engineers
Abstract
Maintaining America’s undersea superiority remains a top priority for the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD). The proposed UConn & URI Navy STEM Coalition supports this priority by establishing a long-term STEM pipeline program in Southeast New England, which has been dubbed the “Silicon Valley of undersea warfare.” The Coalition addresses an urgent need in the naval community for STEM talent. The U.S. is currently undergoing a multi-generational effort to rebuild its submarine fleet, which has significantly increased the demand for engineering talent in the region. At the same time, it is estimated that 50% of our nation’s Navy STEM professionals are currently eligible for retirement. The Coalition directly addresses the DoD STEM mission by engaging STEM talent from K-12 through graduate school in innovative naval-focused activities and hands-on projects with participation by the regional naval community to provide early and frequent interaction and ultimately retention in this community. UConn and URI s long history of supporting naval research and education activities provides a strong foundation for establishing the proposed STEM coalition. The Coalition will implement an integrated program of activities based on best STEM practices that directly address DoD STEM priorities. These include community-engaged real-world learning activities, curriculum and projects that increase participants’ knowledge of the Navy and promote innovative thinking to address DoD S&T challenges. The Coalition will also address the need to recruit diverse talent by implementing programs for students from underrepresented groups, women, student veterans and students from military families. The Coalition is strongly supported by the regional naval community, which recognizes the critical need for STEM talent. The accompanying letters of support received from naval facilities and industry express their commitment to support and participate in Coalition activities. At the launch of the Coalition, the leadership team will implement a formal management framework that promotes ideation and innovation while also ensuring steady progress towards desired outcomes. This framework will utilize regular data collection and evaluation of all program activities. As the flagship public universities in Connecticut and Rhode Island, UConn and URI have an enduring commitment to support the workforce development needs of the region. Over many years, UConn and URI have committed significant resources to building academic environments that support the naval sector through our educational and research programs. The proposed Navy STEM Coalition will formalize this tradition by launching an integrated program of activities focused on naval science and technology. Once in motion, this program will be sustained through our universities’ ongoing commitments to supporting the regional naval community.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Nov 10, 2021
- Source ID
- HQ00342110016
Entities
People
- Alexandra Hain
Organizations
- Office of the Secretary of Defense
- University of Connecticut
- Washington Headquarters Services