Photo By Scott Pittman | Personnel from Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport, and others volunteer...... read more read more
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The Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Outreach Program at Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport is inspiring future innovators, supporting Navy readiness and strengthening community partnerships by engaging students of all ages in STEM activities.
Led by NUWC Division, Keyport STEM Outreach Director Sam De Lano, the program leverages the expertise of mentors from across the command—including computer scientists, engineers, technicians and other STEM professionals—who share their knowledge and experience with K-12 students throughout the Kitsap Peninsula and beyond.
“We provide opportunities that teachers and students don’t otherwise have access to: hands-on projects that make STEM learning fun and approachable,” said De Lano. “We align our projects with both the Navy mission and school curriculum standards, giving students a real-world connection to what they’re learning.”
According to NUWC Division, Keyport Chief Technology Officer Aaron Darnton, the primary goals of the STEM Outreach Program are to help build the future workforce for both the command and its partner organizations and to foster a positive image of the Navy within the local community.
“Ultimately, the aim is to build a positive and engaging relationship with our partners in the local community,” said Darnton. “When we work with schools, we want to get kids excited about STEM and show them that the Navy values its community partners and is committed to investing alongside them.”
There are currently several dozen mentors guiding students through hands-on STEM activities, including underwater remotely operated vehicle builds and challenges such as the annual Bridge Building Competition. Mentors participate as their workloads allow, while De Lano oversees the development of the activities and ensures they align with Next Generation Science Standards.
A cornerstone of the program is the underwater ROV project, which allows students to design, build and test their own underwater robots. The project has been adapted for elementary, middle and high school students, teaching younger learners to build basic ROVs with pre-wired components, while older students design their machines’ electrical systems from scratch. The middle and high schoolers’ projects culminate in “pool days,” where students test their robots and demonstrate their capabilities.
Another important STEM initiative is the Navy Robotics Competition, developed and co-led by NUWC Division, Keyport and Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility. Held each April, this event challenges students to apply their knowledge of computer science and teaming and troubleshooting skills to build and operate robots. In its most recent iteration, it drew more than 300 community members and included 46 student teams from elementary through middle school competing in hands-on challenges.
Recognizing the importance of extending STEM opportunities to all communities, NUWC Division, Keyport is actively fostering relationships with tribal schools in the Olympic Peninsula.
“We’ve been working with a couple of the tribes up on the Olympic Peninsula out at Neah Bay and the Makah Tribe in Clallam Bay,” said Darnton. “We’ve been working with them virtually or by providing kits and curriculum that teachers can use to deliver instruction in their classrooms, even when we’re not there in person. And that's been a really positive and engaging experience, I think, for both parties.”
Jacob Burianek, a NUWC Division, Keyport computer scientist and STEM mentor, learned about the STEM Outreach Program through the command’s internal newsletter. He now dedicates up to 15 hours a week to mentoring, particularly with the Bremerton High School robotics team, where he teaches programming skills to students who might not otherwise have access to this type of instruction.
“I try to help students not just with programming, but also with general science and electrical engineering concepts, which are closely related to computer science,” said Burianek.
In addition to drawing talented young people into careers at the command and within the Navy, the STEM Outreach Program helps retain current employees by providing an outlet for their STEM passions and opportunities for professional development and collaboration with colleagues, said De Lano.
De Lano added that the program contributes to national security by fostering the next generation of STEM talent for the Navy.
According to computer scientist and STEM mentor Isabel Hinkle, the STEM Outreach Program fosters a spirit of mutual learning. Hinkle, who joined the program to share her enthusiasm for science and technology with younger students, said she quickly discovered that the learning goes both ways.
“When we work with one of the middle schools, we build hydraulic claws,” Hinkle said. “I had never seen the mechanics of a hydraulic system up close before. Through the project, I learned how hydraulics work and the different types we encounter in everyday life without realizing it. That was a big one for me, along with learning more about circuit design and the components that make up a circuit.”
NUWC Division, Keyport Computer Scientist Dion Moses, who leads the program’s advanced ROV program, finds it rewarding to work with young people and help them discover the scientific process, troubleshoot problems and explore potential career paths.
“I’ve been interested in STEM pretty much my whole life,” Moses said. “That’s part of what draws me to STEM outreach: If I were a student in these schools, I’d be completely into everything we do through the program. There are a lot of students who don’t enjoy much else in school, but they love this because it’s hands-on. They get to work with their hands, solve problems and feel that sense of accomplishment. Helping them see that this can be a real career path if they enjoy it is a big part of what the STEM program is about.”
Electrical Engineer and STEM Mentor Nikole Bussom emphasized how the program provides a supportive environment for exploration and skill development.
“It’s rewarding having a positive impact on the kids,” said Bussom. “We get to help them learn how to think about things, approach new problems and solve problems in new ways. It’s a safe space for them to make mistakes. The students’ problems seem impossible to them and it’s great to show them how to overcome their challenges.”
Bussom added that working with students locally and at competitions like RoboBoat, RoboSub and Robot-X has helped her with her own work projects.
“Students have a limited budget to build a vehicle that does all sorts of tasks, so you see a variety of cost-effective solutions at competitions,” said Bussom. “Working with the students has taught me a lot about sensors and other components for autonomous systems. Now we use some of the same components in our prototype projects at Keyport.”
Josh Bailey, a mechanical engineer and fellow STEM mentor, enjoys inspiring students to engage with science.
“I’ve definitely seen kids come into class thinking already that they don’t enjoy science, based on their past experiences,” said Bailey. “But working with them on a project, you can see them kind of flip their attitude toward it. [...] There's a lot of impact that can be made on students in getting them excited if they see that you're also excited about projects and the work that you do.”
The STEM Outreach Program has a busy schedule ahead, with more than a dozen events planned through the end of the year, including a series of Navy STEM Day activities at the U.S. Naval Undersea Museum, Nov. 19 - 21.
De Lano encourages NUWC Division, Keyport employees to get involved as STEM mentors, adding that the program is continually seeking people with a range of backgrounds and experience levels.
“You don't have to be an expert in any field to make an immediate impact,” he said.
-KPT-
Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport is headquartered in the state of Washington on the Puget Sound, about 10 miles west of Seattle. To provide ready support to Fleet operational forces at all major Navy homeports in the Pacific, NUWC Division, Keyport maintains detachments in San Diego, California and Honolulu, Hawaii, and remote operating sites in Guam; Japan; Hawthorne, Nevada; and Portsmouth, Virginia. At NUWC Division, Keyport, our diverse and highly skilled team of engineers, scientists, technicians, administrative professionals and industrial craftsmen work tirelessly to develop, maintain and sustain undersea warfare superiority for the United States.
| Date Taken: | 11.14.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 11.14.2025 17:26 |
| Story ID: | 551151 |
| Location: | KEYPORT, WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 86 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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