MilitarySpot.com

Serving the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, Coast Guard and National Guard

Online Schools
| VA Loans
Follow MilitarySpot:
 
  • Home
  • Enlist
    • Join The Army
    • Join The Navy
    • Join The Air Force
    • Join The Marines
    • Join The Coast Guard
    • Join The National Guard
    • ASVAB
    • Army Physical Fitness Test
    • Military Draft
    • Prior Service Army Enlistment
  • Career
    • Join the Military
    • Jobs for Military and Civilians
    • Career Center
    • Prior Service Army Enlistment
    • Criminal Justice
  • Education
    • Online Schools
    • Spouse Education Benefits
    • GI Bill
    • Military Schools
    • Criminal Justice
  • Benefits
    • Army Benefits
    • Navy Benefits
    • Air Force Benefits
    • Marine Corps Benefits
    • National Guard Benefits
    • Coast Guard Benefits
    • Veteran Benefits
    • Basic Pay Rates
    • Allowances
    • Special & Incentive Pay
    • Military Spouse Education Benefits
    • VA Education Benefits
    • GI Bill
  • News
    • Headline News
  • Finance
    • Debt Relief
    • Military Pay Rates
    • Military Personal Loans
    • VA Loans
    • Military Star Card
    • Military MyPay
  • Spouses
    • School Finder
    • Scholarships & Grants
    • PCS, DITY, & Moving
    • Pay Rates
    • MyCAA
    • Education Benefits
  • Community
    • Military Games
    • Military Reunions
    • Classifieds
    • Photo Gallery
    • Buddy Finder
    • MilitarySpot Pinups
    • Military Bases
  • Resources
    • Military Alphabet
    • Military Reunions
    • Military Acronyms
    • Currency Converter
    • Military Tools
    • Ranks
    • Military Time
    • Military Tactics
    • Military Discounts
    • Military Games
    • Military Videos
    • Photo Gallery
    • Infographics
    • How To
  • Travel

Students Take on Navy Missions and Prepare for Future Careers with STEM

JULY 1, 2015, KING GEORGE, Va (NNS) – Teams of middle school students deployed robots they built and programmed to complete fictitious Navy missions at the Virginia Demonstration Project (VDP) Summer Academy from June 22-26.

The students – and their parents, teachers, and mentors – believe that the same science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) skills applied to the complex scenarios will give them control over their careers, income, and potential to make a positive impact for the United States and the Department of Defense.

What’s more, the sixth, seventh and eighth graders enjoyed controlling the same real-world robot used by U.S. warfighters to clear mines and ordnance in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In all, 96 students took turns operating the Army Talon Ordnance Disposal Robot, mastering their skills on a robot designed to defeat counter-improvised explosive devices, or CIEDs.

“It’s realistic and opens a bigger perspective on how real robots works,” said Meesam, a Stafford Middle School rising eight grader, who used the robot to inspect, collect, and dispose of make-believe ordnance.
The robot’s cameras transmitted four video feeds back to students as they operated the same remote controls used for the Xbox and Playstation video game consoles. Army engineers have also used the Wii game controller and iPod Touch.

“Students are working on LegoMindstorm robots as part of the camp challenges,” said Greg Marsh, assistant VDP science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) coordinator for the College of William and Mary STEM Education Alliance. “The Talon robot is a real world example of military equipment that students use throughout camp.”

The students, however, spent most of the week applying their STEM skills to solve problems of Navy interest at the National Defense Education Program (NDEP) sponsored event.

Their mentors – 17 Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD) scientists and engineers – teamed up with 17 middle school teachers to challenge students throughout the week with scenarios mimicking real engineering problems.

“To me, the most wonderful thing was to see the excitement build in some of the students. Most were eager and ready to go, but a few were hesitant to jump in,” said academy coordinator and NSWCDD engineer Scott Gingrich. “One student in particular had not had much experience with computers or robots, but after running the big mine-retrieval robot through its paces, she was positively eager to try her hand at the Lego robotics missions.”

Parents were invited to watch their children deploy robots on ten missions encompassing real life Navy experiences such as mine sweeping, delivering weapons to warships, rescuing swimmers, and rescuing ships.

The VDP STEM Academy runs a parallel junior mentor program where nine high school students, an NSWCDD scientist or engineer mentor, and a middle school teacher engage students in advanced robotic missions, leadership roles, and presentation skills.

The junior mentors helped set up the robotics challenge and shared their knowledge with academy students. They also assisted with judging whether student teams successfully completed their missions.

“I want to be an engineer and thought it (junior mentoring) would be a good way to learn more about STEM,” said Ashley, one of the junior mentors, speaking to parents gathered in an auditorium for briefings that included advice on exploring potential STEM career paths for their children.

The students represented the Dahlgren School at Naval Support Facility South Potomac, Fredericksburg public schools, and King George, Spotsylvania, and Stafford counties in Virginia.

“NSWCDD’s STEM outreach efforts have been evaluated by the STEM Education Alliance at the College of William and Mary throughout the ten-year program,” said Gail Hardinge, executive director for the College of Williams and Mary STEM Education Alliance. “There is a wealth of research demonstrating the impact of scientist and engineer mentoring – how virtual mentoring compares to face-to-face mentoring and, most importantly, how sustainable the program’s influence is.”

NDEP VDP originated under the Office of Naval Research N-STAR (Naval Research – Science and Technology for America’s Readiness), a science and technology workforce development program launched in 2004. It was initiated to show a diversity of pre-teens and teens that math, science and engineering are fascinating, fun and rewarding.

Since its inception, VDP’s ultimate goal has been to establish educational outreach programs at Navy research and development centers throughout the country.

“While return on investment is challenging to determine in complex social settings, the positive Influence we see four and five years after a student has participated in the program suggests that the NSWCDD’s STEM outreach efforts demonstrate long-term impacts,” said Hardinge.

The initiative could eventually expand beyond the Navy and evolve into a national demonstration project encompassing all Department of Defense laboratories in a sustained effort to secure the long-term competitiveness of America’s science and technology workforce by hooking more kids on math and science at an earlier age.

“It is wonderful to see the light in the students’ eyes when it finally ‘clicks’ and they understand something, or when, after many tries, they succeed in getting their robot to finish a mission,” Gingrich reflected about his experience at the VDP summer academy.

Research indicates that STEM programs like VDP are contributing to the rising number of students earning university degrees in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology.

Comments

Filed Under: Navy, News

  • News
  • Enlist
  • Education
  • Career
  • Finance

Delayed Entry Program: Where Training the Future Force Begins

MAY 23, 2022 – Members of the Delayed Entry Program visited Dobbins Air Reserve Base on May 7, 2022 to tour a C-130H Hercules cargo aircraft, perform drill movements, and review the Airman’s creed and core principles of the Air Force. “Seeing the C-130H Hercules today was a great experience,” said Rylan Sietsema, DEP member. […]

Is the Army Reserve Calling You?

APRIL 27, 2022 – Graduating high school is a momentous achievement culminating in years of hard work and dedication. It also presents one of the most challenging questions many people will face in their life, “What do I do now?” Many high school students struggle with what they should do next, joining the workforce or […]

NEXCOM’s NEXT Gen Scholars Program Support Students

MAY 17, 2022 – The Navy Exchange Service Command’s (NEXCOM) NEXT gen Scholars Program offers qualified students the opportunity to win $2,500, $1,500, $1,000 or $500 each quarter for earning good grades in school. The next drawing is at the end of June 2022. To enter the drawing, students must be full-time with a “B” […]

How to Live as a Civilian After Active Duty

MAY 20, 2022 – When you were on active duty, money might not have been a huge issue. You lived on base, ate at the mess hall, and didn’t have any outstanding debt. Life was far different than what you lived prior to entering the service. But now that your time in the military is […]

DoD Authorizes Temporary Increase to 2021 BAH Rates

SEPTEMBER 27, 2021 – The Department of Defense has temporarily authorized increases in the 2021 Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) rates for 56 housing markets (commonly referred to as Military Housing Areas, MHAs) across the U.S. Uniformed service members who have incurred increased housing costs above their current BAH may be eligible to apply and […]

Recent Posts

  • Delayed Entry Program: Where Training the Future Force Begins
  • USS Minneapolis-Saint Paul (LCS 21) Commissions
  • Army Leaders Across Indo-Pacific Meet to Discuss Challenges
  • C-17 Globemaster III Dedicated in Honor of ‘Candy Bomber’
  • It’s Not Just State Actors Who Pose Cyber Threat to U.S.
MAINMENU




SITESEARCH
Can't find something? Try using our site search to dig through our entire site.



Still having trouble? Try the Advanced Search to refine your searches.
NEWSLETTERSUBSCRIBE
Sign Up To Receive Information, Updates and Special Officers from MilitarySpot.com.



Don't miss an issue! Jump in the Newsletter Archives to catch up on previous issues.
FOLLOWMILITARY SPOT

Follow us on Facebook, Twitter & StumbleUpon and more. Keep up with MilitarySpot.com news & updates. We also have an RSS Feed.

Advertise | About | Contact | Feedback | Unsubscribe | DMCA | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
 
Copyright 2004-2022 Sun Key Publishing. All Rights Reserved.



 
This is not the official recruiting website of the U.S. Military. The site you are on is run by Sun Key Publishing, a private company, and is not endorsed by or affiliated with the U.S. Military.