Fox News -
The military relies on science and tech innovations like these to stay ahead. And if students lose an interest in math and science, it could spell disaster for the U.S. Navy, with more than half of its science and tech professionals eligible for retirement by 2020 and a shrinking pool of replacements.
“Right now [the U.S.] are the leaders in technology -- military and otherwise -- but there are some concerning signs on the horizon that we are not filling up the pipeline,” secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus told FoxNews.com.
“This is important to the entire country,” Mabus said, pointing out that private-sector industries normally leading the world in innovation are feeling the pinch, too.
To counter that decline, Mabus and the Navy announced plans Wednesday morning to invest a massive $108 million in science and technology education by 2016 -- effectively doubling its $54 million annual investment within five years.
"'We're going to double [funding] in targeted education and innovation in order to reach the maximum number of people and have the maximum impact we can,” Mabus said.
He also announced a new "strategic roadmap" in which the Navy will concentrate on programs that inspire and engage younger students, mentor and assist college-level STEM majors, and help recruit and retain professionals in the field. That help is sorely needed, said Nancy Jackson, president of the American Chemical Society.
“We need all the help we can get," Jackson told FoxNews.com. “The Navy getting involved is fantastic,” she said. More
