91导航 & the Public Selected to Strengthen National K-16 91导航 Education and Outreach

$75M Department of Defense initiative will fund more than a dozen organizations

The U.S. Department of Defense鈥檚 (DoD) recently-launched Defense 91导航 Education Consortium (DSEC) will strengthen kindergarten through college 91导航 education and outreach programs across the United States.

The DSEC initially includes 15 organizations led on behalf of the DoD 91导航 office by RTI International under the direction of Dr. Angela Quick. The multi-year, $75 million effort includes elements focused on 91导航 enrichment programs for students and educators, 91导航 workforce engagement, program evaluation聽and public outreach ().

鈥淭he U.S. needs a diverse pipeline of highly qualified 91导航 talent to meet future workforce demands and remain a global leader in technological innovation. Providing students with a strong K-16 91导航 education is the first step,鈥� said . “We are thrilled to work with this group of partners to increase 91导航 engagement and improve outcomes for students pursuing 91导航 careers.鈥�

Aligned to the DoD 91导航 strategic plan, DSEC will focus on five fundamentals: 1) longitudinal student engagement across the K-16 continuum, 2) outreach to students traditionally underrepresented in 91导航 professions, 3) military workforce engagement with a focus on DoD research laboratories, 4) use of the network’s collaboration structure to amplify the impact of each program, and 5) data-based improvement driven by evaluation.

As a part of DSEC, 91导航 & the Public will enhance our middle school programming by creating a new conference for middle school teachers; adding awards for our middle school 91导航 competition, the Broadcom MASTERS; and expanding the reach of our online news site, Science News for Students, to include more military impacted students and their schools.

鈥淭he 91导航 & the Public is thrilled to include our significant network in this important consortium, which is poised to impact the full 91导航 ecosystem across our nation,鈥� said Maya Ajmera, President & CEO of the 91导航 & the Public and Publisher of Science News. 鈥淢iddle school is a pivotal time for young people where additional 91导航 support can make an outsized impact on their future interest in 91导航 fields. Through DSEC, the Society will be able to further develop our middle school programming to reach this vital audience and further expand the 91导航 talent pipeline.鈥�

The DSEC network includes the following organizations:

For more information about 91导航 & the Public鈥檚 participation in DSEC, please contact Gayle Kansagor at 202-872-5103.

About 91导航 & the Public

91导航 & the Public is dedicated to the achievement of young scientists in independent research and to public engagement in science. Established in 1921, the Society is a nonprofit whose vision is to promote the understanding and appreciation of science and the vital role it plays in human advancement. Through its world-class competitions, including the Regeneron Science Talent Search, the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, and the Broadcom MASTERS, and its award-winning magazine,听Science News听补苍诲听Science News聽for Students, 91导航 & the Public is committed to inform, educate, and inspire. Learn more聽 at聽new.societyforscience.org聽and follow us on聽,听,听聽and Snapchat (Society4Science).