image: TALLAHASSEE, Va. (Sept. 21, 2017) Dr. Sophoria Westmoreland, from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), talks about the Naval Research Enterprise and the Science and Engineering apprenticeship programs during the Department of the Navy (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) Naval Opportunity Awareness Workshop at Florida A&M University. The DoN HBCU/MI program is designed to increase the participation of HBCU/MIs in the Navy's research, development, test and evaluation programs and activities. view more
Credit: (US Navy photo by John F. Williams/Released)
ARLINGTON, Va.--On Aug. 30-31, the Department of the Navy's (DoN) Historically Black Colleges and Universities/Minority Institutions (HBCU/MI) program will host its annual Naval Opportunity Awareness Workshop (OAW) at Clark Atlanta University in Atlanta, Georgia. There also will be a special, student-focused pre-workshop event on Aug. 29 from 1:30 to 4 p.m.
The workshop is aimed at college and university presidents, vice presidents, provosts, faculty, staff and students from HBCU/MIs. It will highlight research opportunities within the Navy and Marine Corps, summer faculty/sabbatical research opportunities, student internships and scholarships.
The OAW provides a critical platform for direct engagement between the Department of the Navy and key stakeholders, potential grantees and future partners. It serves as a recruitment tool to get more HBCU/MI faculty involved in naval-relevant scientific research--and attract students to internships.
There are hundreds of minority serving institutions across the country, and Navy HBCU/MI officials want to increase awareness to take advantage of the DoN HBCU/MI programs. HBCU/MI programs offer various opportunities for faculty and students to work collaboratively with scientists and engineers at naval labs on projects of mutual interest.
"HBCU/MI students are a national asset," said Anthony C. Smith Sr., director, Department of the Navy, HBCU/MI program. "We're interested in fostering student interest in scientific research and implementing their research into the DoD."
The DoN HBCU/MI program is based at the Office of Naval Research, with the mission of discovering some of the best and brightest minds at HBCU/MIs.
"These students and faculty are a huge, untapped asset that can benefit the Navy and the nation," said Smith.
The program has three main goals:
- Expand opportunities for schools to successfully compete for grants and contracts for basic and applied research.
- Offer scholarships, fellowships and internships to students pursuing degrees in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) studies.
- Promote greater student interest in STEM degrees at HBCU/MIs.
"We want our young minds and their ideas, infused into our programs," Smith Sr. said. "Diverse, innovative minds will help us maintain a competitive advantage over our adversaries."
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Watch a video about the Navy's HBCU/MI program.
For more information about the Naval Opportunity Awareness Workshop, or to register, please contact Dr. Cyntrica Eaton at cyntrica.eaton.ctr@navy.mil.