Science and Engineering Scholarships and Fellowships Blog

Office of Naval Research:2011 Naval STEM Forum:

Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Nevin Carr announced an incentive plan to award up to $8 million for ideas aimed at boosting K-12 education in the sciences during a June15-16 conference in Alexandria, Va.

“Today’s approaches to training and education must seek new innovative ways to sustain America’s position as a global technology leader,” Carr told the more than 650 government, academia and business leaders gathered at the Naval Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) forum.

“I wouldn’t begin to pretend that the Navy is going to solve the country’s STEM problem…there are others out there working very hard to do that,” Carr continued, “but we also want to make sure we are all intersected in a way that we can get the most out of the collective.”

The challenge is one of many efforts the Navy has developed to encourage students, parents and teachers to pursue STEM education and careers. Through its STEM initiatives, the Navy seeks to increase the talent pool of future Sailors, naval scientists and engineers.

The Navy will award up to $1.5 million to each Phase One selectee. Teams will compete to advance to Phase Two. In the second stage, up to two teams will be awarded as much as $1 million each to extend their Phase One success to a Navy training challenge for another year. The technologies will be designed to meet students’ individual learning style.

The Navy STEM Forum was held in Alexandria, VA on June 15 & 16, 2011; was hosted by the Office of Naval Research (ONR).  There were at least 500-600 people in attendance with the expectations to hear about ONR’s STEM initiatives.

Office of Naval Research:2011 Naval STEM Forum:

“Inspiring today’s youth to pursue STEM careers is a major focus of the Naval STEM Forum,” Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Nevin Carr said. “We want to improve current initiatives and explore new ways to interest students at all levels. The Navy has pulled together some highly distinguished leaders in government, business and education to help inform our future STEM engagement.”

The Naval STEM Forum included presentations from Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus; Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Gary Roughead; Carr; Undersecretary of Defense (Personnel and Readiness) Dr. Clifford Stanley; White House Office of Science and Technology Policy Dr. Carl Wieman; President of the American Chemical Society Dr. Nancy Jackson; President of the National Academy of Engineering Dr. Charles Vest; founder of For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology and DEKA Research and Development Corporation Dean Kamen; and author, TV personality and executive director of the Planetary Society Bill Nye, who delivered the closing keynote address on June 16.