Christopher Simpson, a SMART scholar and Ph.D. graduate in aerospace and aeronautical engineering from the University of Alabama, is paving the way for the next generation of STEM professionals within Department of Defense (DoD). Now serving as a DoD civilian scientist, Simpson recognizes the transformative opportunities that the SMART Program offers. He is leveraging the SMART Creative Research & Engineering Advancing Technical Equity in STEM (CREATES) grant to inspire and attract fresh talent to critical STEM roles within the DoD.
SMART’s CREATES grant expands STEM opportunities to underrepresented communities by increasing collaboration between top DoD facilities and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), minority-serving institutions (MSIs), tribal colleges and universities (TCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions (HSIs), and women’s colleges (WCs). As a collegiate basketball official, Simpson made longstanding connections with staff from Alabama A&M University, Alabama State University, Tuskegee University, and Miles College.
With this grant, awarded through his sponsoring facility, the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division (NAWCWD) in China Lake, California, Simpson and collaborators are hosting technical workshops and educating undergraduate students on basic concepts in propulsion, guidance, digital engineering, and scientific photography and sensing. Additionally, the team will expose students to work they could perform through opportunities with the DoD mentorship from NAWCWD employees, and an understanding of how they can assist on research in critical DoD technology areas, such as hypersonics, advanced materials, and integrated sensing and cyber.
One such collaboration involves co-principal investigator Mike Delaney’s work with the New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, where students and faculty are focusing on a project involving quantitative streak schlieren development - an advanced visualization and measurement technique used in aerodynamics. As a result of Delaney’s outreach, one of the students in the research program applied for and was awarded the SMART Scholarship in 2024. This student, whose research will be partially funded by this SMART grant, was able to visit NAWCWD laboratories, see what a cutting-edge career in DoD STEM looks like, and as a result, decided to utilize the SMART Program for her education and career. This student will receive full tuition for her bachelor’s and master’s degrees, receive an annual stipend, conduct internships, be mentored by existing DoD employees, and receive a guaranteed full-time civilian DoD career upon graduation.
The SMART CREATES grant offers three different types of opportunities: pipeline, collaboration, and innovation. Pipeline supports SMART sponsoring facilities in their efforts to build more meaningful relationships with HBCUs, MIs, MSIs, TCUs, and WCs, and specifically supports SMART recruiting efforts in concert with the sponsoring facility’s own outreach and workforce development and diversification activities. Collaboration provides an opportunity for any and all Phase 2 or 3 SMART scholars to pursue DoD relevant technical collaborations with faculty and students at an HBCU, MI, MSI, TCU, or WC. Lastly, innovation is an opportunity for Phase 2 or 3 SMART scholars who received their SMART-sponsored bachelor’s or master’s degree from an HBCU, MI, MSI, TCU, or WC to enhance their technical acumen while employed at their DoD sponsoring facility. The pipeline grant awarded to NAWCWD focuses on supporting undergraduate and graduate research teams from underrepresented institutions, helping them develop skills and expertise in areas of strategic importance to the DoD.
The SMART CREATES pipeline grant has already established strong connections between NAWCWD and underrepresented institutions, resulting in increased interest in SMART and other DoD career pathways. By sponsoring these initiatives, the DoD ensures that students from diverse backgrounds are empowered to contribute their unique perspectives to the challenges of national defense.
For more information about the SMART CREATES grant program, including details on how to apply, visit https://www.smartscholarship.org/smart?id=grant_opportunities.
| Date Taken: | 12.04.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.04.2024 14:15 |
| Story ID: | 486631 |
| Location: | TYSONS CORNER, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 167 |
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