The Defense Department (DoD), like much of the technology industry, is struggling to fill STEM positions. The Department of Navy Science, Technology, Engineering, & Mathematics (STEM) Education and Workforce Program, administered by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), looks to fund innovative solutions that directly maintain or cultivate a diverse, world-class STEM workforce in order to maintain the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps’ technological superiority.
This project leveraged the REC Foundation’s evidence-based VEX Robotics programming to deliver authentic STEM activities and stories with direct relevance to the Navy and DoD. The goals of the REC Foundation’s ONR grants were to:
- Start new robotics teams by providing competition robotics kits to students across all islands of Hawaii.
- Provide competition fields and game elements to event partners on each island to host robotics tournaments.
- Provide teacher stipends to engage, support, and sustain new robotics coaches.
- Create a STEM ONR Workforce Lab aligned to each robotics platform.
- Engage students from naval schools and Title 1 schools serving naval families.
The STEM Workforce Labs found in this article seek to accomplish the following:
- Students will be able to identify different STEM-focused careers offered by the Navy that relate to mechanical and electrical engineering.
- Students will learn skills related to designing and building robots, including mechanical engineering, problem solving, and teamwork.
- Students will learn how to program the basic functions of a robot, that may contain sensors.
Lesson Plans
Treasure Hunt | ONR Lesson Plan
Tallest Tower | ONR Lesson Plan
Navy Cryptologic Career | ONR Lesson Plan
Career Readiness | ONR Lesson Plan