Last week, the UConn-URI Navy STEM Coalition hosted a series of student presentations to showcase the work of their outreach students, undergraduate summer researchers, and students in the Hacking 4 Diplomacy (H4D) course running in Fall 2024.

The presentations took place at UConn Avery Point during the Fall Review for the National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology (NIUVT) – a partnership between UConn, the University of Rhode Island, General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB), and the Naval Undersea Warfare Center.

On Sept. 27, several students presented on the outreach efforts the Coalition has developed. These include both classroom activities, which have engaged over 7,400 students across the state of Connecticut since 2022, and larger national efforts in partnership with GDEB, including hands-on workshops at the Order of the Arrow Conference on undersea robotics in July 2024.

In Fall 2024, the Coalition began a new partnership with the State Department to sponsor a Hacking 4 Diplomacy course, which involves student teams working to solve real-life engineering and policy problems from across the department. Student teams presented their work on projects involving 3D printing, drone detection, and global logistics management. Students are also preparing for global travel as part of their projects, including trips to Frankfurt, Germany, and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

“The Coalition is excited that the Undersecretary of State for Arms Control and International Security, Bonnie Jenkins, was able to meet with students and discuss their contributions to naval workforce development in the region,” says Navy STEM Program Director Alexandra Hain, who is also an assistant professor within the UConn School of Civil and Environmental Engineering.

Similarly, Admiral Michael van Poots, Commander of the Undersea Warfighting Development Center, met with students and spoke about the need for innovative thinking and a strong workforce in the region. He also stressed the need for a whole-of-government approach in southern New England to meet both national and international security commitments with the submarine force.

The Coalition said they were grateful for the continued strong support from both the Departments of Defense and State and look forward to ongoing partnerships as it continues to inspire students in STEM, meet the workforce needs of the submarine industrial base across southern New England, and expand to meet the region’s significant AUKUS commitments.