2022 Navy League STEM Expo is a Hit!

25 July 2022

From Alexandra M. Landsberg, Director, Mathematics, Computer and Information Sciences Division, Office of Naval Research

On Sunday, April 3, 2022, the Navy League of the United States hosted its 6th annual STEM Expo with much excitement. This year’s STEM Expo was especially exhilarating because attendees could fully enjoy this in-person event. It was such a thrill to see kids of all ages actively engaging in naval-relevant STEM activities!

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Students participate in a hands-on workshop at the Office of Naval Research exhibit during the STEM Expo at National Harbor, Md.

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. (April 3, 2022) Students participate in a hands-on workshop at the Office of Naval Research exhibit during the STEM Expo at National Harbor, Md. (U.S. Navy photo)

The STEM Expo is a free event designed to inspire students to pursue STEM career paths. The event featured hands-on science stations, live on-stage demonstrations, interactive exhibits on STEM concepts, instant liquid nitrogen ice cream and the science behind this, and more!

I’m incredibly proud of the Naval STEM exhibitors that brought such innovative and fascinating STEM activities. For example, the Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC) presented an activity that provided students with miniaturized blocks and mortar to design and build structures. The students could follow a design provided to them or create their own designs. The NAVFAC activity introduced students to architecture and structural design concepts.

The Naval Information Warfare Center (NIWC) Atlantic (LANT) had a fantastic exhibit that resulted in a cool keepsake. The NIWC team had a booth that created ID cards that displayed the students’ initials in binary code, i.e., ones and zeros. They also offered several avatars that the student could choose to their liking for the ID card. The NIWC activity allowed students to create, wear and keep their own “official” NIWC LANT badge. The NIWC activity introduced students to computer coding, specifically binary coding; how it is used in devices such as cellphones and computers; and how it translates numbers, letters, symbols and images. I admit I have a t-shirt that says, "There are 10 types of people in this world, those who understand binary and those who don't.”

Here’s a complete list of all Naval STEM exhibitions, with select activities and the related STEM discipline.

Exhibitor	Activity	STEM Topic
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)	Demonstrations of naval technology in automated and intelligent decision making for attacker vs defender type war-games	Artificial intelligence, machine learning, computer programming
U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL)	A small-scale model of NRL’s Space Solar Power that simulates four principal parts of the system: space solar power collector, power conversion module, radio frequency (RF) transmitter and antenna, and an RF to DC power converter	Photovoltaic (PV), space solar power, antenna design, power conversion
Naval Sea Systems Command Carderock Division (NSWC Carderock)	“Oh Barnacle”-STEM-In-A-Box Kit that demonstrated marine life impact on ship performance	Physics, engineering
Marine Corps Systems Command (MCSC)	Medium-Range Thermal Bi-Ocular (MRTB) demonstration: Participants observed local surroundings through the MRTB imaging system through the eyepieces or via an external video monitor.	Thermal imaging systems
Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command (NAVFAC)	Miniaturized blocks and mortar building station	Architectural and structural design
Naval Information Warfare Center Atlantic (NIWC LANT)	Creating ID Cards using binary coding	Computer coding
Strategic Systems Programs (SSP)	Robot Calculator – Students maneuvered a two-wheeled rover by programming directional commands using a TI85 graphic calculator.	Robotics, programming
United States Naval Academy (USNA)	Straw Rockets – Students built their own straw rockets where they chose the shape of the fins and determined where they should be located.	Flight fundamentals
Naval STEM Interns	Summer internship opportunities for high school and college students	Informational
Naval STEM Coordination Office	STEM opportunities for students	Informational
Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Patuxent River (NAWCAD)	Mobile Fabrication Laboratory (FabLab) holds a suite of digital fabrication and rapid prototyping machines, including a CNC milling machine; laser cutter/engraver; 3D printers; and accompanying computers, software and electronics for design and programming, all in a trailer that can be brought to students at their schools.	Digital fabrication, rapid prototyping machines, augmented reality

Chief of Naval Research Rear Adm. Lorin Selby showed up to meet the exhibitors, students and parents to see first-hand the impact of the STEM Expo. The previous day, Saturday, April 2, Selby met with approximately 40 Sea Cadets, sharing his STEM journey and giving them words of encouragement. He was delighted to have the time with the cadets!

Pre-registration sold out and, due to the high demand, the doors opened 30 minutes early!

Thanks to the Navy League of the United States and all of the exhibitors who made this year’s STEM Expo a huge success!

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