Inspiring Students to Pursue U.S. Navy STEM Careers through Experiential Learning
Abstract
Florida Tech proposes an experiential learning program built around education and outreach opportunities that inspire and engage K-12 students, educate undergraduate and graduate students, attract university graduates to Navy careers, and further develop graduates and employees. The proposed program is closely aligned with the core thrusts of the Naval STEM strategy. The proposed project builds upon a previous effort funded by ONR in 2016 2019. The emphasis of the 2016 2019 project phase was to develop the Florida Tech Flight Test Engineering program in order to meet the needs stated by NAVAIR. The focus of the proposed 2020 - 2023 effort is to shift towards astronautical engineering, robotics, and ocean engineering, and to emphasize the early exposure of K-12 students to STEM, in particular to engineering. This new focus brings in the Navy mission areas of sea, land, and space to augment the airplane and helicopter mission areas.The program pulls together faculty from flight test engineering, aerospace engineering, aviation, ocean engineering, and project-based learning to craft outreach campaigns, laboratory courses and summer camps designed to break through the modern students addiction to virtual experiences and devices. Two of the faculty are retired military officers who understand how to attract andnurture the future talent pool as well as foster the continued development of the naval STEM workforce. The selection of topics and instructors is custom tailored to encourage, promote and sustain naval science and technology efforts. The goal is to have students of all ages and backgrounds touch and operate real air, sea and space systems and to solve worthwhile engineering challenges. Students will fly in airplanes, ride on boats, operate satellite simulators, and build, test and break robotic systems. The outcomes will be reinforced by organizing a number of engineering competitions and summer camps at the middle school and high school levels, involving inspiring personalities and leaders in the field. Not accounting for overhead, two thirds of the requested funding will flow directly into student experiences. Throughout the proposedthree-year effort, the team will monitor the effects of the innovative educational program initiatives by repeatedly interviewing the participating students to measure their motivation to pursue further education in STEM, their performance in science and technology courses and their interest in career paths relevant to the Navy. Florida Tech embraces the ONR statement, Proposers whose efforts are primarily to purchase supplies and materials, cover the cost of student tuition, stipends, labor, internship costs, or provide salary and/or travel support are discouraged from applying. As such, the proposed program has 40% going to K-12 experiences, tuition, teacher training, and equipment. It has 16% going toundergraduate navy-relevant projects and equipment. The budget has 21% going to travel, of which 12% is for K-12 participant travel and 9% is for guest speaker and investigator travel. Florida Tech will not fund any graduate students (tuition, stipend, labor, or internships). Investigator support is only 23% of the budget. Of the $746,311total budget, $173,682 is overhead for an effective rate of 23.27%.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Aug 31, 2020
- Source ID
- N000142012669
Entities
People
- Brian Kish
Organizations
- Florida Institute of Technology
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy