DoD STEM Blog

Two DoD-sponsored teams: FIRST Tech Challenge 16884 Mechanical Advantage and FIRST LEGO® League 2751 Lego Legion, received recognition and awards during the internationally televised FIRST Global Innovation Challenge Award Ceremony held on June 30, 2021.

During an exceptionally challenging 2020–2021 season that forced organizers and participants to pivot to virtual and hybrid event formats in light of the COVID-19 pandemic, 1,300 out of 1,600 teams sponsored by DoD STEM participated in activities and events.

Jonté Lee, a chemistry and physics teacher and DoD STEM Ambassador from Washington, DC, moved his chemistry lab to his home for online instruction during the pandemic. His informative and fun weekly lessons from his kitchen have caught on with not only his students but with others across the country.

How best to teach STEM? As part of its $200 million investment in STEM education for pre-K through postdoctoral studies nationwide, U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) STEM convened a half-day virtual workshop to share knowledge and encourage interaction among representatives from more than one hundred industry, academic, governmental, and non-governmental organizations about best practices for improving educational experiences for students and teachers.

The Department of Defense announced the selection of 12 awardees for the National Defense Education Program Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) awards.

For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST®), a strategic partner of the Department of Defense (DoD) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) under the Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC) for inspiring future STEM talent, hosted the FIRST Virtual Showcase on May 2, 2020.

MATHCOUNTS®, a strategic partner of the Department of Defense (DoD) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) under the Defense STEM Education Consortium for inspiring future STEM talent, held the 2019 Raytheon MATHCOUNTS National Competition in Orlando, Florida on May 13, 2019.

For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST®), a strategic partner of the Department of Defense (DoD) Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) under the Defense STEM Education Consortium for inspiring future STEM talent, hosted two annual world championship competitions in Houston, TX and Detroit, MI in April 2019, where inspiring young innovators, leaders, and changemakers were celebrated for their STEM achievements.

The Department of Defense (DoD) held its third DoD Lab Day on Thursday, April 25, 2019, in the Pentagon Courtyard in Arlington, VA.

Congratulations to the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Black Mountain Middle School robotics team, sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD) and located in the San Diego region of California, for competing in the FIRST Tech Challenge (FTC) San Diego League Semi Finals and winning the Motivate Award!

Wright-Patterson Air Force Base will host an exciting Science, Discovery and Family Fun event at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force located in Dayton, Ohio on Sunday, Jan. 13, from 1 – 4 p.m.

The For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Knob Noster High School Stealth Panther robotics team, sponsored by the Department of Defense (DoD) and located in Knob Noster, Missouri, recently designed, tested, and produced a 3D-printed prototype switch cover for a B-2 Stealth Bomber cockpit within 72 hours following an in-flight emergency in October 2018.

The Department of Defense (DoD) would like to give a shout out to the “Bruinbots” For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics team based locally in Burke, Virginia.

Congratulations to the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Lego League (FLL) Robotics teams, Team Flash and Area 53 of Camden County Middle School in Kingsland, Georgia, who competed at the robotics competition in Waycross, Georgia on December 8, 2018!

The Office of the Secretary of Defense Basic Research Office will be hosting its Science, Technology, and Innovation Exchange (STIx) December 10-11, 2018 at the US Institute of Peace located in Washington, DC.

Dr. Shadi A. Naderi from the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) was recently honored as the 2018 third quarter winner of the Department of Defense (DoD) Laboratory Scientist of the Quarter Award.