“The Sea-Air-House Expo is a superb alternative for college kids to see STEM in motion by seeing how lots of the ideas they study are utilized to Navy merchandise,” stated Dr. Greg Bouton, who leads SSP’s STEM training efforts, guiding packages at headquarters and across the nation.
“Being represented on the STEM expo provides SSP a novel platform to market and model the group as an thrilling place to work with a significant and essential mission.”
Volunteers from SSP—the Navy command that owns the cradle-to-grave accountability for the submarine-launched ballistic missile system—had three demonstration stations obtainable for expo attendees. College students had been capable of construct and launch rockets utilizing straws, clay, and index playing cards; inflate balloons and fasten them to 3D printed rockets to look at them fly; and construct constructions utilizing toothpicks, spaghetti noodles, and marshmallows. These studying actions symbolize baseline engineering competencies like constructing structurally sound shapes or understanding how numerous parts—like including fins—can have an effect on a rocket’s time and distance traveled.
Testing these fundamentals pertains to the real-world deterrence mission SSP serves—a mission that ties on to the CNO’s “America’s Warfighting Navy” steerage and contributes to the Navy’s capacity to “protect the peace, reply in disaster, and—if mandatory—win decisively in struggle.” SSP oversees all features of analysis, growth, manufacturing, logistics, storage, restore, and operational help of the Strategic Weapons System (SWS) for Ohio-class ballistic missile submarines (SSBN). The submarine launched ballistic missile functionality represents 70% of the nation’s nuclear triad.
SSP’s presence on the Expo is a multipurpose profit for the command. Illustration at an expo like Sea-Air-House not solely helps public buy-in and understanding of the mission, it additionally gives a novel venue to draw the appropriate expertise to allow the mission. Throughout a current tv interview, SSP’s Director Vice Adm. Johnny Wolfe, Jr additionally highlighted the command’s want for extra “gamers on the sector” at SSP.
“What we actually want in the present day is, we want a really gifted workforce that understands the mission— that’s all in,” stated Vice Adm. Wolfe.
A part of SSP’s no-fail mission just isn’t solely to ship capabilities for the strategic deterrence mission at pace and on course however to equip its folks with the appropriate abilities, instruments, coaching, and mindset to innovate and carry sea-based strategic deterrence by way of 2084.
“As a result of SSP should proceed sustainment efforts and develop future expertise for the weapons system, it’s paramount that we actively execute methods and techniques to maintain our succession plan as we develop, evolve, and develop our scope to fulfill present and future developmental wants,” defined Dr. Bouton.
Nationwide, SSP’s STEM outreach program focuses on area people efforts to generate early curiosity within the subject for college kids of all ages. SSP’s outreach into the area people has resulted in robust partnerships to supply important STEM training for college kids.
“SSP’s management understands the significance of a robust STEM pipeline to make sure the longevity of the organizations future,” stated Nicolas Tarver, SSP’s headquarters STEM Workforce lead.
“It’s vital to have an energetic presence in order that SSP will develop into extra generally acknowledged amongst the STEM group, and hopefully appeal to a few of its greatest expertise.”
For the expo, SSP collaborated with The Future Modern Rising Engineer (FIRE) STEM Rocket Problem group, based by Ms. Robin Houston, to supply one of many STEM actions through the expo. Houston’s exhibit offered college students the chance to construct miniature rockets, add options like fins to the pencil-sized fashions, after which launch them to check how mechanics, options, and angle of launch have an effect on trajectory.
Houston launched the FIRE Rocket Problem program in 2021 to mentor youth from grades 5-12. Her program is tailored to succeed in numerous youth in underrepresented and under-resourced teams to encourage them to pursue careers in a STEM subject.
“Many youths from numerous backgrounds face boundaries to participation in high-quality STEM packages for causes resembling program prices/charges; areas, days, and instances the packages are supplied; lack of position fashions they will join with; and data that packages exist,” Houston stated.
“The Fireplace Rocket Problem program breaks down these boundaries by offering mentors and coaches who appear to be the scholars they help.”
She harassed the significance of continued help from companies and organizations that match her program’s dedication to develop numerous expertise. Final yr, she linked with Tarver at an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics networking occasion and stated collaboration with SSP—together with funding help—has been monumental for her program.
Houston identified organizations like FIRE and SSP alike depend on engagement with one another’s missions because the automobiles for casting imaginative and prescient and expectation in younger folks—and an occasion like Sea-Air-House brings that imaginative and prescient to life.
“As a result of we’re a 100% volunteer group and not using a constant revenue stream, partnering with organizations like SSP that may present monetary help is crucial to our capacity to supply high quality experiences to youth from households that wouldn’t have a variety of discretionary funds left on the finish of the month,” stated Houston.
“These kind of alliances enable us to be the boots on the bottom to get the job achieved.”
Houston emphasised that immersive experiences for college kids and connection to folks working within the trade are all vital methods to assist unlock the potential these college students might not have realized.
“Publicity is the important thing to dreaming massive!”
A particular due to Ms. Robin Houston (FIRE Rocket Problem, Straw Rocket Launcher exercise); Oscar Wiygul (3D printed balloon rocket exercise); Adam Allex (setup and occasion help); Marvin Turner (setup and occasion help); Dr. Greg Bouton (SPHQ STEM Outreach training lead) and his daughters (setup, SSP show, marshmallow/toothpick constructing station); Kathleen Cushman (SSP memorabilia); and Nick Tarver (SPHQ STEM Outreach lead) for making SSP’s participation within the Sea-Air-House STEM Expo a actuality!
