Naval CARE: Naval Corrosion Awareness through Research and EducationEnhancing STEM Outreach and Undergraduate/Graduate Education and Research in Mechanical, Materials, and Manufacturing at GMU
Abstract
Project Abstract Approved for Public ReleaseNaval CARE: Naval Corrosion Awareness through Research and EducationEnhancing STEM Outreach and Undergraduate/Graduate Education and Research in Mechanical, Materials, and Manufacturing at GMUThe Department of Mechanical Engineering at George Mason University (GMU) proposes the Naval CARE program which will provide training for students that will create a pipeline of future engineers to support the Navy s need for technical expertise and workforce capable of crossing the boundaries between disciplines in corrosion engineering, mechanical, materials, and manufacturing. The Naval CARE seeks to build opportunities with the United States Navy to expose its faculty and student-body to a wide range of Navy technical problems and help to greatly increase the students# awareness of U.S. Navy STEM employment opportunities in the greater Washington D.C. metropolitan area and beyond. Activities are designed for STEM education at local high schools for students and teachers to explore the Navy real-world applications by engaging in STEM education and research. Corrosion is selected as a focal point of the Naval CARE program because of the interdisciplinary nature of the corrosion which requires crossing the boundaries between several disciplines such as electrochemistry, materials science, mechanical engineering, and manufacturing. The Naval CARE will showcase the outreach objectives through the science behind corrosion by providing educational training and research experience for students and STEM teachers. Further, the Naval CARE program will incorporate corrosion-related challenges as a focus in Navy capstone design projects. By doing so, students willhave the opportunity to develop and implement innovative techniques, materials, and technologies that prevent, monitor, and mitigate corrosion in naval environments. The Naval CARE program includes two main objectives and six tasks:#Objective 1 STEM EducationoTask E1. High-school and undergraduate students# education oTask E2. Navy capstone design projects oTask E3. Dissemination of the NavalCARE to a broader audience#Objective 2 STEM ResearchoTask R1. Naval exposure and research experience for teachersoTask R2. Naval exposure for undergraduate students through researchoTask R3. Naval graduate student research and STEM outreach.The proposed efforts align with the broader goal of producing well-rounded engineers with a deep understanding of real-world challenges faced by the Navy. These efforts will enhance research experience amongst high school teachers and community college faculty in support of developingcurricula to engage and retain students as they transition from 2-year institutions to 4-year universities. With a growing, diversecollege-age population in Northern Virginia who make up the ranks of first-generation college students and who identify as underrepresented in engineering, it is anticipated that outreach efforts featuring Navy related activities will greatly enhance their persistence and degree completion in STEM majors.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Nov 21, 2023
- Source ID
- N000142412008
Entities
People
- Mehdi Amiri Darehbidi
Organizations
- George Mason University
- Office of Naval Research
- United States Navy