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Impact

Developing the Future of STEM with DSEC

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  • Developing the Future of STEM with DSEC

Teaming up with the U.S. Department of Defense to deliver STEM education

The Federal Government is the largest employer of STEM workers in the United States, depending on more than 300,000 scientists and engineers across the Defense Laboratory Enterprise to meet national defense challenges and modernization priorities. It's clear to U.S. officials that the current pipeline of future leaders in these fields will not support future workforce needs.

To combat this shortage, the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) partnered with RTI International and other organizations to create the Defense STEM Education Consortium (DSEC). For more than 60 years, RTI has been a leader in solving some of the world’s most complex challenges. This research and development expertise in STEM has led to unmatched resources – resources that RTI is honored to share with the next generation of STEM leaders through DSEC.

What is the Defense STEM Education Consortium? 

DSEC is a collaborative partnership between academia, industry, not-for-profit organizations, and government that aims to broaden STEM literacy and develop a diverse and agile future workforce to power the nation’s innovative defense infrastructure. As the lead organization of DSEC, RTI is helping to drive that effort by managing the innovative consortium of organizations that directly and indirectly supports students, teachers, and communities. Five fundamental principles guide the work of the consortium:

  • Engage students and educators in meaningful STEM experiences
  • Serve students who are military-connected and underrepresented in STEM
  • Connect to the DoD STEM workforce
  • Leverage the network as a force multiplier
  • Evolve the approach based on data

With over $75 million in federal funding to support more than 20 diverse entities making up the consortium, RTI is overseeing the implementation and efficiency of DSEC by streamlining business processes, providing thought leadership on how to fuel the growth of STEM education in grades K through 20, and fostering collaboration across the consortium members.

Student using a power drill

A student uses a power drill for a STEM-related project.

Bringing STEM to Students 

The consortium is instrumental in furthering STEM education by amplifying the reach of individual programs by connecting them with new populations of students. It also creates pathways for students to seamlessly connect their goals and coursework as they transition through their K-12 and postsecondary experience.

The DSEC STEM On the Go Van is a prime example of how DSEC can connect students with STEM education. Just this summer, DSEC partner, Teaching Institute for Excellence in STEM, launched the traveling STEM van to visit three North Carolina high schools. The mobile digital fabrication and machining laboratory includes 3-D printers, vinyl and laser cutters, a computer numerical controller router, and other pieces of robotics and STEM-related devices for student learning and use. The DSEC STEM On the Go Van also provides students with the opportunity to use technology that they would not normally be able to access, while further developing their interest in STEM. The van will continue to travel to schools across the country through the 2021-22 school year.

Students using laptops outside STEM on the Go bus

Students from White Oak High School in Onslow County, North Carolina, working outside the DSEC STEM On the Go Van.

Evolving to Create Opportunity

Last year, DSEC welcomed four new partners to further the impact of the program. DoD leaders and RTI identified the need for more applied training for future STEM technicians and analysts – a technical skills gap that two-year colleges are better equipped to manage than traditional four-year institutions. DSEC will continue to evolve to meet the needs of students today to ensure the skills pipeline can meet the demands of tomorrow’s workforce.

Through ongoing innovation, subject matter expertise, and a dynamic consortium membership, RTI is creating the foundation for the future of STEM education. To learn more about the DSEC program and RTI’s STEM education expertise, contact Rebecca Stanley.

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Clients

  • U.S. Department of Defense (DoD)

Partners

  • American Institutes for Research
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  • Arizona State University Center for Gender Equity in Science and Technology
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  • The Dayton Regional STEM Center
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  • UC San Diego CREATE

Our Experts

Rebecca Stanley
Rebecca Stanley Education Consultant

Practice Areas

Education and Workforce Development K-12 Education
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