Naval STEM News

Read the latest news stories about Naval STEM.
News From The Field

Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic Interns Build Lightboard to Test Airfield Lighting Control Systems
Five Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic interns recently built a simulation platform to test the functionality of Navy and Marine Corps airfield lighting control systems (AFLCS), which will have a significant impact worldwide.
This past summer, the group created a lightboard, a lab-testing tool to enhance the NIWC Atlantic Shore Air Traffic Control (ATC) Systems team’s testing process that ensures the reliability of lighting systems at every Navy and Marine Corps aviation facility across the globe.

High School Students Learn 3D Printing Skills Thanks to Office of Naval Research Grant
Students in the Santa Paula High School (SPHS) Robotics Club will learn the intricacies of assembling desktop 3D printers as well as how to troubleshoot issues with them, thanks to an Office of Naval Research (ONR) grant that paid for the printers and associated materials.
Ramon Flores, science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) coordinator at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Port Hueneme Division (NSWC PHD), submitted the ONR grant application to fund five Prusa MK4 3D printers and filaments for SPHS, at a total cost of $6,400. The grant was awarded in late September, and the printers were delivered to the school on Nov. 9.

Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane SMART Scholar Steps Up to Support Prototype Development Team
CRANE, Ind. – A Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane) engineer steps up to support prototype development team and their work in Energy Magazine Prototype (EM-P), which is a power system component that allows for a faster recharge in a battery.
Elliott Yu, an Engineer and SMART Scholar at NSWC Crane, served as Point of Contact (POC) for the EM-P team. Originally, Yu was assigned to shadow and assist the main POC/test engineer for the project–but when this person had to take leave, Yu was tasked with taking over the position. Yu took over the role within months of starting at NSWC Crane and his responsibilities included serving as a project representative, contractor contact, coordinator for scheduling purposes, test engineer, and report writer.

Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Mobile Digital Fabrication Laboratory (FABLAB) at Inaugural JAM Fest
Before returning to school, dozens of children received a lesson they would not learn in a classroom. On Aug. 16, the U.S. Navy’s Airborne Electronic Attack (AEA) Systems Program Office (PMA-234) welcomed more than 75 family members and guests to the inaugural JAM Fest at Naval Air Station Patuxent River.
The event, dubbed JAM Fest in a nod to radar jammers, was designed to provide family members an inside look at how program office personnel support the U.S. Navy and Marine Corps. It was also an opportunity for the next generation to learn how they could support the warfighter in the future.

Assistant Secretary of the Navy Berger Kicks off Climate Week NYC with JROTC Students at Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum
NEW YORK — Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, & Environment and Chief Sustainability Officer Meredith Berger started Climate Week NYC Youth Day by meeting with Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) students at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum Sept. 17.- Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Energy, Installations, & Environment and Chief Sustainability Officer Meredith Berger started Climate Week NYC Youth Day by meeting with Junior Reserve Officers Training Corps (JROTC) students at the Intrepid Sea, Air, and Space Museum Sept. 17.

United States Naval Academy STEM Center participated in the Oceana Air Show Outdoor STEM Laboratory
The USNA STEM Center participated in the Oceana Air Show Outdoor STEM Laboratory in Virginia Beach, VA from September 15-17, 2023. The STEM Laboratory has been sponsored by NAS Oceana since 2016 as part of their annual Air Show, and consists of developmentally appropriate, hands-on activities that engage and inspire students for career opportunities in STEM.
Naval STEM News

2023 NAVAL HORIZONS CONTEST SEES GREATEST NUMBER OF WINNERS YET
ARLINGTON, Va.— The results are in for the recent Naval Horizons student essay contest. The organizer — the Department of the Navy’s (DoN) Naval STEM Coordination Office, which is located at the Office of Naval Research — is excited about the growth of the contest since its premiere several years ago.
In the 2023 Naval Horizons, 827 students were awarded a $200 cash prize each, the contest’s largest winner pool yet.
Naval Horizons is a STEM educational video series comprising more than 45 videos highlighting scientists and engineers, including active-duty military personnel, working within the DoN.

Under The Sea: Students and Robotics at Seaperch
Outside the University of Maryland’s (UMD) recreation center, teams of students laugh and talk excitedly with one another. Once inside, though, discussions are limited to commands and instructions for students competing in RoboNation’s International SeaPerch Challenge, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

STEM Celebration: DoN Promotes Student Outreach at Navy League STEM Expo
ARLINGTON, Va.—Science and technology enthusiasts were treated to a day of educational fun at the recent Navy League STEM Expo, held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in National Harbor, Maryland.
The free event gave local students the opportunity to engage and be inspired by all things STEM — or science, technology, engineering and math. It also enabled them to learn about the newest iteration of the Naval Horizons student essay contest — organized by the Department of the Navy’s (DoN) Naval STEM Coordination Office, located at the Office of Naval Research (ONR).

‘Keep Asking Questions’: High School STEM Researchers Celebrated At NJSHS
Looking out at the audience of more than 200 high school students, Dr. Bindu Nair exhorted them to sustain their passion and curiosity for all things STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) — and to continue to ask questions, no matter how strange.

Prize-Winning Prose: Naval STEM Launches New Version of Naval Horizons Essay Contest
The Department of the Navy’s (DoN) Naval STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) program has gone live with the newest iteration of its Naval Horizons student essay contest for high school and college students.
Naval Horizons is a STEM educational video series from the DoN’s Naval STEM Coordination Office, located at the Office of Naval Research (ONR). It is a collection of more than 45 videos highlighting scientists and engineers, including active-duty military personnel, working within the DoN. It aims to broaden the awareness of real-world science and technology challenges facing the Navy and Marine Corps today and help illuminate the many pathways to STEM careers.

Diverse Perspectives: Naval STEM Touts Outreach Programs at DoD STEM Event
Looking back on his experiences in medical school, and while serving as a practicing specialist in orthopedic medicine, Lt. Cmdr. Marvin Dingle — an orthopedic surgeon at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Maryland — recalled how he didn’t encounter many other African Americans in his field of study.

Onward, Upward: 2022 Naval Horizons Contest Boasts Greatest Number Of Winners Yet
ARLINGTON, Va.—The results are in for the recent Naval Horizons student essay contest. The contest organizer, the Department of the Navy’s (DoN) Naval STEM Coordination Office (NSCO), which is located at the Office of Naval Research, is excited about the growth of the contest since its premiere. In the 2022 contest, over 710 students were awarded a $200 cash prize.