CRANE, Ind. – Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division’s (NSWC Crane) Sea, Air and Land Challenge took place Saturday April 15 at Ivy Tech Community College’s main campus in Bloomington. The challenge is a new Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) initiative with a focus on engineering and robotics that fosters interest in DoD technologies by giving high school students hands-on experience and exposure to the Special Operations community.
This was NSWC Crane’s second year hosting the Sea, Air and Land Challenge, and the event garnered over 100 student participants and an additional 25 adult educators and mentors.
“It is a low cost and high intensity approach to STEM. We’ve spent the last two years offering a STEM initiative to schools and kids that might not otherwise have the opportunity,” NSWC Crane Director of Engagement Brian Blackwell explained.
Sea, Air and Land — also mimicking the name of the SEALs — allows students to participate in projects of their choice that work with at least three elements through military-relevant scenarios. Students have just over 3 months to design, build, test, and perfect a robotic system to complete one of the three missions. Teams are limited to $500 and must incorporate sensors or cameras as they cannot see the Challenge field when competing.
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“I’m hoping the students involved in this challenge will be our future workforce pipeline,” said Angie Mann, Sea, Air Land Challenge Regional Coordinator. “They are the next generation of scientists and engineers that will support our future warfighters.”
NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with focus areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions and Electronic Warfare. The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multi- spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today’s warfighter.