The U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) recently-launched Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC) will strengthen kindergarten through college STEM education and outreach programs across the United States.
The DSEC initially includes 15 organizations led on behalf of the DoD STEM office by RTI International under the direction of Dr. Angela Quick. The multi-year, $75 million effort includes elements focused on STEM enrichment programs for students and educators, STEM workforce engagement, program evaluation, and public outreach (www.dodstem.us).
“The U.S. needs a diverse pipeline of highly qualified STEM talent to meet future workforce demands and remain a global leader in technological innovation. Providing students with a strong K-16 STEM education is the first step,” said Quick, the DSEC consortium chair and director of RTI’s Center for Education Services. “We are thrilled towork with this group of partners to increase STEM engagement and improve outcomes for students pursuing STEM careers.”
Aligned to the DoD STEM strategic plan, DSEC will focus on five fundamentals: 1) longitudinal student engagement across the K-16 continuum, 2) outreach to students traditionally underrepresented in STEM 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, CEE will provide unique research content and mentors to strengthen the STEM impact through its RSI program at MIT. The Center will feature key speakers through its Guest Lecture Series to introduce students to STEM career opportunities and to increase the future pipeline of students.
“CEE is committed to increasing the talent pool with our 36 years of STEM programming experience to encourage our Nation’s students to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and to consider Defense laboratories as a career opportunity,” said Joann DiGennaro, President of CEE.
The DSEC network includes the following organizations:
- American Institutes for Research (AIR)
- Building Engineering & Science Talent (BEST)
- Center for Excellence in Education (CEE)
- Dayton Regional STEM Center
- For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST)
- MATHCOUNTS
- Morgan State University, Center for Excellence in Science and Mathematics Education
- National Center for Women and Information Technology (NCWIT)
- National Math and Science Initiative (NMSI)
- RTI International (RTI)– lead organization
- Society for Science & the Public (Society)
- Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM (TIES)
- TGR Foundation, A Tiger Woods Charity
- University of California, San Diego, CREATE
- USA Science and Engineering Festival (USASEF)
For more information about CEE’s participation in DSEC, please contact Maite Ballestero, Executive Vice President of Programs/Administration.
About the Center for Excellence in Education
The Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) was founded in 1983 by the late Admiral H.G. Rickover and Joann P. DiGennaro, President of the Center. CEE’s mission is to nurture high school and university scholars to careers of excellence and leadership in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, and to encourage collaboration between and among leaders in the global community. CEE’s programs include the Research Science Institute (RSI), the USA Biology Olympiad (USABO), and the Teacher Enrichment Program (TEP). Follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn
| Media Contacts: | Christopher Sedlock, (703) 448-9062 ext. 223 |
| Resources: | Joann P. DiGennaro, CEE President, (703) 448-9062 ext. 239 |
| Maite Ballestero, CEE Executive VP, (703) 448-9062 ext. 235 |
Related websites:
Center for Excellence in Education: http://www.cee.org
Research Science Institute: http://www.cee.org/research-science-institute
USA Biology Olympiad: http://www.cee.org/usa-biology-olympiad-usabo
DoD: https://dodstem.us/