PRESS ROOM & NEWS

FIRST Selected to Strengthen National K-12 STEM Education and Outreach

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

MANCHESTER, N.H., May 29, 2019 – 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, including FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology), an international, youth-serving not-for-profit organization founded by inventor Dean Kamen in 1989 to inspire young people’s interest and participation in science and technology.

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 to work 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 part of DSEC, FIRST® will administer DSEC grants to more than 1,000 FIRST® LEGO® League Jr., FIRST® LEGO® League, FIRST® Tech Challenge, and FIRST® Robotics Competition teams mentored by DoD employees, reaching thousands of K-12 students through the funds.

“As supporters of FIRST for 10 years, the Department of Defense and its employees are truly invested in expanding access to STEM inspiration and education,” said Donald E. Bossi, president of FIRST. “DSEC will help us bring game-changing FIRST programs to more students who might otherwise not have access to pathways to develop the skills they need to be well-rounded leaders, innovators and changemakers.”

The DSEC network includes the following organizations:


About FIRST®
Accomplished inventor Dean Kamen founded FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology) in 1989 to inspire an appreciation of science and technology in young people. Based in Manchester, N.H., FIRST designs accessible, innovative programs to build self-confidence, knowledge, and life skills while motivating young people to pursue opportunities in science, technology, and engineering. With support from over 200 of the Fortune 500 companies and more than $80 million in college scholarships, the not-for-profit organization hosts the FIRST® Robotics Competition for students in Grades 9-12; FIRST® Tech Challenge for Grades 7-12; FIRST® LEGO® League for Grades 4-8; and FIRST® LEGO® League Jr. for Grades K-4. Gracious Professionalism® is a way of doing things that encourages high-quality work, emphasizes the value of others, and respects individuals and the community. To learn more about FIRST, go to www.firstinspires.org.