ONR honored for STEM work

The Office of Naval Research (ONR) earned accolades as a national "pacesetter" during an Oct. 8 ceremony for its efforts to promote education in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields. ONR's executive director, Dr. Walter F. Jones, accepted the ASM Materials Education Foundation's 2012 Pacesetter Award at a leadership luncheon at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, Pa. The recognition highlights the Navy's efforts to address a critical shortage in the science and engineering workforce. Among its efforts to boost STEM education, ONR has funded a series of summer camps along the Gulf Coast to train middle and high school teachers in physics and materials science, electronic engineering, chemistry and polymer science. The Naval Research Laboratory detachment at Stennis Space Center, Miss., worked with the foundation to organize the program, which could expand to other parts of the country as the Navy seeks to double its STEM investments by fiscal year 2015. (Source: NNS, 10/09/12)