Thanks to the support provided by generous donors, the U.S. Naval Academy STEM Center for Education and Outreach continues to make an impact in both local and national communities. Ongoing and substantial funding creates a world of possibility for students and educators as STEM outreach programs have a lasting and transformational impact on our youth, including those from underserved and underrepresented populations. During the 2023-2024 academic year, the STEM Center utilized these contributions to develop future leaders with the confidence, creativity, problem-solving skills and technological proficiency to address challenges in a constantly evolving world.
YEAR IN REVIEW
Ì In June 2024, 990 rising 9th-11th graders from all 50 states attended the Summer STEM Program, a residential week-long program held at the U.S. Naval Academy. USNA faculty presented highly engaging sessions in DoD technical areas across STEM disciplines. Additional high school programs include STEM on Deck in August, providing a one-day Summer STEM Program for 250 high school students from around the country. High School Biotech Day was again offered in January 2024, and High School Flight Day was offered in October 2023.
Ì 500 female students participated in the fall 2023 and spring 2024 Girls Only STEM events. Events included middle and high school programs, such as the annual High School Girls Space Day and Astronaut Convocation. The addition of field trip groups brought students from inner-city underserved schools to these events.
Ì 305 teachers attended STEM Educator Workshops, reaching thousands of students through secondary impact. New initiatives included site visits to DoDEA schools overseas to provide professional development at schools serving military-connected students.
Ì 4,580 students participated in Summer Heroes Youth Program (SHYP), with 24 midshipmen mentors leading 265 classroom visits for 11 middle schools in the local region. Additional events included an underwater robotics SeaPerch Showcase for fifth graders from local Anne Arundel County Public Schools, a Baltimore Fleet Week “Family STEM Day” open to the public in collaboration with the National Park Service at Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore, MD, and a two-day STEM program at USNA for middle school students in the Navy League Sea Cadets program. SUMMARY
4,580
STEM CENTER FOR EDUCATION & OUTREACH YOUR IMPACT
STUDENTS participated in the Summer Heroes Youth Program (SHYP) in 2024.
42
500
MIDSHIPMEN participated as academic mentors in the 2024 Summer STEM Program, which hosted 990 students.
FEMALE STUDENTS participated in the Girls Only STEM events, targeting underserved and underrepresented populations.
SUMMER STEM PROGRAM
The USNA STEM Center develops midshipmen as STEM leaders and reaches into the community to sustain and foster the STEM pipeline. In collaboration with the Office of Admissions, the STEM Center implements the academic portion of the Summer STEM Program. The annual program holds three one-week sessions and encourages rising 9th-11th grade students to pursue educational paths and careers in science, technology, engineering and math while introducing them to the U.S. Naval Academy as a possible resource for their future. The program has grown to include 11,040 student alumni, many of whom go on to continue their education at USNA and/or pursue STEM majors. With the Summer STEM Program now in its 17th year, about 800 past participants have been inducted as USNA midshipmen, preferentially choosing majors in the math and sciences division and the engineering and weapons division.
The Summer STEM Program invites students from all 50 states and several countries to attend a week-long residential program held on campus at the U.S. Naval Academy. In 2024, the program was expanded to include 990 total students across three sessions. The academic modules offered were expanded to include 21 different topics, led by USNA STEM faculty, staff and midshipmen. The modules provide campers with exposure to world class laboratories, authentic learning experiences presented at a collegiate level, hands-on interactions and real-world applications. Subjects include robotics, machine learning, bioterrorism, applied mathematics, operations research, chemistry, aviation and aerospace, mechanical engineering, reverse engineering, electrical engineering and electronics, computer programming, cybersecurity, mechanical computing, oceanography, weather and climate and aquaculture engineering. In June 2024, 990 students attended the week-long residential, led by 25 faculty and staff and 42 academic midshipmen.
Additional high school programs have been introduced to provide more opportunities for students to explore the academic programs at USNA. STEM on Deck, first offered in August 2022, is designed as a one-day Summer STEM Program held at USNA for 250 high school students to attend from around the country. High School Biotech Day exposes students to DoD research and careers in biotechnology, with applications ranging from biofuels manufacturing to viral diagnostics and biodefense. In April 2023, High School Flight Day was offered as a new program, in which students investigate the principles of flight by exploring rockets, gliders and rotorcraft.
SUMMER STEM PROGRAMS
BRIDGE BUILDING
MATH CHALLENGE
SPINNING WINGS, ROTORCRAFT
ROBOSENSE
AI: ROCK PAPER SCISSORS
COUNTDOWN TO LAUNCH
MAKING WAVES, OPTICS
CIRCUITS, WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS
ENGINEERING DESIGN: MARBLE MAZE BIOTERRORISM
CYBER ATTACK
WEATHER AND CLIMATE
AQUACULTURE ENGINEERING
MACHINE LEARNING
SEARCHING FOR UNOBTAINIUM, MATERIALS SCIENCE
CHEMISTRY APPLICATIONS: OPERATION WASH UP
STORM CHASING, STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING
SOLDERING: BUILD YOUR OWN
REVERSE ENGINEERING
TURING TUMBLER, MECHANICAL COMPUTING
AUTONOMOUS AID, OPERATIONS RESEARCH
GIRLS ONLY STEM EVENTS
The STEM Center hosts events specifically for girls each year, with the aim of encouraging young women to pursue interests in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. In 2023-2024, 500 middle and high school girls attended the STEM Center’s Girls Only STEM Day events. Participants included diverse, underserved populations as well as military-connected students. Activities were led by female faculty and near-peer midshipmen mentors serving as role models. The Girls Only STEM events give students the opportunity to explore STEM topics and realize their own potential to thrive in rapidly growing STEM fields where female scientists and engineers remain underrepresented.
The Middle School Girls Only STEM Day event was held in fall 2023 and spring 2024 at the U.S. Naval Academy as a day-long program for students, with a focus on reaching underrepresented populations. Midshipmen led students in hands-on activities building problem solving and critical thinking skills while engaging in the engineering design process and exploring scientific principles and how they relate to careers and real-world applications. The event theme this year was “Robotics and Coding” with topics including webpage design, Sphero, Ozobot and EV3 robotics, Arduino, machine learning, bionic hand, soldering, mechanical computing and more. About 225 students attended each event, including field trip groups from underserved schools in Anne Arundel County, Baltimore County, Calvert County and New York City.
In spring 2024, the annual High School Girls Space Day and Astronaut Convocation featured hands-on activities focused on aerospace and flight, reaching underserved and underrepresented students including a field trip group from Vertex Public Charter in New York City. Students also attended the Astronaut Convocation and a Meet and Greet with astronauts.
SUMMER HEROES YOUTH PROGRAM
The USNA Summer Heroes Youth Program (SHYP), offered annually, reaches thousands of middle school students from underserved schools in the region. Student activity sessions are led exclusively by midshipmen near-peer mentors, who act as role models in STEM. During the course of the program, midshipmen gain professional development experience in leadership, adaptability and communication. Student participants learn about STEM careers and focus on how scientists and engineers use their knowledge and technical skills to improve society and tackle global problems. Students develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills as they complete challenges in science and engineering and participate in sessions on a variety of subjects including engineering design, applied math, flight principles, chemistry, mechanics, physics, biotechnology and bioengineering. The aim of the program is to promote positive attributes of perseverance, self-esteem and confidence while exposing students to STEM career possibilities and real-world applications.
In summer 2024, 24 midshipmen engaged 4,580 students with 265 classroom visits in 11 public middle schools with underserved populations in Baltimore, MD, Washington, DC, Prince Georges’ County and Anne Arundel County, MD. Additional events included an underwater robotics SeaPerch Showcase for fifth graders from local Anne Arundel County Public Schools, a Baltimore Fleet Week “Family STEM Day” open to the public in collaboration with the National Park Service at Fort McHenry National Monument in Baltimore, MD, and a two-day STEM program at USNA for middle school students in the Navy League Sea Cadets program.
STEM EDUCATOR WORKSHOPS
During the 2023-2024 academic year, the STEM Center held eight professional development events for 500 educators at workshops held at the U.S. Naval Academy and other sites. These training sessions, led by USNA faculty and staff, give teachers a chance to explore STEM content areas and real-world applications, with curriculum and methodology to engage students in project-based activities in science and engineering. Materials were also provided for immediate implementation in the classroom. Providing training to teachers in public and private schools around the nation and DoDEA schools in the country and overseas, the STEM Center’s educational influence is far reaching and impacts not just the individual educators who participate in the programs, but their schools, colleagues, students and future students as well.
The STEM Center’s annual SET Sail fall and spring programs included workshops held at USNA attended by educators from schools in underserved communities in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, DC, and other regions. Faculty, with midshipmen support, presented on multidisciplinary topics including health technology, engineering design, applied math, flight dynamics, robotics, sound, optics, sensors and more. Teachers received curriculum and sample supplies for implementation in the classroom. Educators from Maryland earned Continuing Professional Development credit from the Maryland State Department of Education for repeat attendance in the USNA training program.
Additional educator programs included a series of Professional Development sessions for teachers in Baltimore City and Baltimore County Public Schools. STEM training was conducted for DoD scientists, engineers and educators at workshops held at the Naval Academy and at NIWC Pacific in San Diego, CA.
SET Sail STEM Educator Training is an annual week-long residential summer educator program with two sessions held onsite at USNA in July. Workshops cover a range of science and engineering topics delving into hands-on teaching strategies and Navy relevant applications. In summer 2024, 101 teachers from public, private and DoDEA schools across the country as well as DoDEA schools overseas were invited to attend. Lodging, meals and a travel stipend are provided, as well as supplies to implement activities in the classroom.
SET SAIL SUMMER PROGRAM
CYBERSECURITY:
Cryptography, password hacking, hashing
ELECTRICITY:
Circuits, soldering
BIOTECHNOLOGY:
Biofuels, bioterrorism, DNA extraction
AEROSPACE AND FLUIDS:
Bernoulli’s Principle, flight, rockets
ENERGY TRANSFORMATIONS:
Thermodynamics
MECHANICS AND HYDRAULICS:
Hydraulics, forces, Pascal’s principle
ENGINEERING DESIGN:
Simple machines, mechanical devices
CHEMISTRY:
Chromatography, polymers, surface tension
DATA SCIENCE AND MATH:
Machine learning, artificial intelligence, applied math
