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JBSA News
NEWS | Feb. 26, 2018

Naval Oceanographic Office Inspires Next Generation to Pursue STEM Careers at Navy Week San Antonio

By Rebecca Burke Eckhoff Naval Oceanographic Office Public Affairs

Military and civilian personnel from the Naval Oceanographic Office, or NAVOCEANO, visited over 600 students across San Antonio at Navy Week, Feb. 19-23, to discuss their careers in science, technology, engineering and math, or STEM, fields.

Retired Chap. (Maj.) Joe Jeffries of Thomas A. Edison High School says NAVOCEANO's visit to his ROTC program "shows the cadets opportunities that they wouldn't usually be exposed to and helps them make decisions as they prepare to leave high school."

At each of 11 schools, from elementary schools to colleges, NAVOCEANO discussed the command's mission to conduct oceanographic surveys aboard Pathfinder (T-AGS 60) class vessels, ensuring safety of fleet navigation. Command personnel also showcased NAVOCEANO's use of unmanned underwater vehicles and the mission and capabilities of its civilian dive team and the Navy's only operational geology laboratory.

NAVOCEANO's Lt. Justin Shaw explains the importance of reaching out to this community and others that would not otherwise be exposed to Navy careers, saying, "It's all about building the next generation of Sailors and civilian scientists and explaining what the STEM community does for the Navy. We've had a blast getting the kids excited about science and their future careers."

NAVOCEANO's focus at Navy Week San Antonio was exposing children throughout the community to marine science and inspiring students to seek military and civilian Department of Defense opportunities, such as scholarships and higher education training programs, in STEM fields.

The Mississippi-based command's primary mission is to provide the fleet with the best available oceanographic knowledge of the maritime battlespace, aiding in the safety of navigation.

NAVOCEANO, comprised of approximately 800 military, civilian and contractor personnel, uses a variety of platforms - including ships, aircraft, satellite sensors, buoys and unmanned underwater vehicles - to collect oceanographic and hydrographic data from the world's oceans.