STEM Takes Flight Across the Nation
The Patuxent River Flight Academy located at the Forrest Career & Technology Center in Leonardtown, Maryland, is one of only three such academies in the nation, but STEM-based, hands-on learning is growing as defense and education partner across the nation.
STEM is a program designed to prepare students to fill the high-paying technical jobs in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics-related fields.
The U.S. Navy is particularly aggressive in supporting STEM education, evidenced by the three flight academies but also in a wide array of naval activities. Partnering recently with the City of Chicago, the U.S. Navy is helping high school and community college students receive a STEM-based education in everything from aero and hydrodynamics to solid-state electrical components and nuclear reactions. The Critical MASS (Midwest Association for Science and Service) is a five-year, $2-million investment that will bring enrichment programs to seven Chicago high schools, including five early college institutions driven by STEM curricula.
“Our Navy needs engineers, naval architects, and weapons developers,” said Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Matthew L. Klunder. “More than half of our science and engineering professionals will be eligible for retirement by 2020, so we have to develop these important skills in the generation going through high school right now,”added Rear Adm. Klunder, who leads the Office of Naval Research (ONR), which is the Navy’s executive agent for STEM-related initiatives.
Just as the Chicago initiative focuses on particular elements of STEM needs in the Navy, the Pax River Flight Academy is an Aviation Classroom Experience (ACE), which applies science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) to teach aviation in an immersive, game-based learning environment. This is the first ACE in the Mid-Atlantic region and will be similar to those established in Pensacola, Florida.
“The future workforce requirements for the Navy at Pax River are critical,” said Mr. Gary Kessler, executive director for Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division and deputy assistant commander for T&E for Naval Air Systems Command. “The ACE program is an important initiative to develop the future workforce and emphasize the importance of STEM careers. NAWCAD is pleased to provide the grant to bring the ACE classroom to St. Mary’s County.”
“Our commitment is to advance education through STEM initiatives to develop our future workforce,” said Bonnie Green, executive director of The Patuxent Partnership. “The ACE classroom will reinforce and build on STEM fundamentals and the importance of science and math in succeeding in technology-based careers.”
