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The Navy’s key to the future is the re- search and development being conducted today around the nation, and even around the world. Science and technology (S&T) is foundational for future naval capabili- ties, and the Office of Naval Research (ONR)—the interface between S&T and future naval forces—leads the sea ser- vice’s science and technology efforts. “Our top priority is to focus on those areas that deliver the biggest payoff for our future and ensure we make every sin- gle dollar count for maximum benefit for the war fighters,” says Rear Adm. Nevin

Carr, Chief of Naval Research.

ONR’s mission is to “plan, foster, and encourage scientific research in recogni- tion of its paramount importance as re- lated to the maintenance of future naval power, and the preservation of national security” and to “manage the Navy’s basic, applied, and advanced research to foster transition from science and tech- nology to higher levels of research, de- velopment, test, and evaluation.”

To do that, Carr says, ONR sponsors scientific research and technology to pur- sue revolutionary capabilities for Naval forces of the future; mature and transition

S&T advances to improve naval capabil- ities; respond to current critical needs; and maintain broad technology invest- ments both to hedge against uncertainty and to anticipate and counter potential technology surprise.

Strategic Plan

The Navy and Marine Corps leadership and reaffirmed its support of the Naval

Science and Technology Strategic Plan, which ensures S&T has long-term focus, meets near-term requirements, and makes our course clear to decision makers, S&T partners, customers and performers.

ONR directs a portfolio of research that spans a spectrum that includes basic re- search; applied research; through Ad- vanced Technology Development (6.3).

The funding is divided between Discov- ery and Invention (D&I), Innovative

Naval Prototypes (INP), and Future

Naval Capabilities (FNC).

The S&T Plan focuses on 13 key areas where ONR’s S&T investment will have high payoff: 1) Power & Energy, 2) Mar- itime Domain Awareness, 3) Operational

Environments, 4) Asymmetric and Irreg- ular Warfare, 5) Information Superiority & Communication, 6) Power Projection, 7) Assure Access and Hold at Risk, 8)

Distributed Operations, 9) Naval

Warfighter Performance, 10) Survivabil- ity and Self-Defense, 11) Platform Mo- bility, 12) Fleet/Force Sustainment, and 13) Total Ownership Cost. “Not only does basic research give us those technologies that will open doors tomorrow, it’s also the basis for employ- ing the people and the scientists at the warfare centers and the Naval Research

Laboratory (NRL), and out in academia and industry that conduct the basic re- search,” says Carr. “Our investment en- sures that the Navy and the nation can count on continued and meaningful re- search from qualified and experienced scientists who have the necessary tools and systems.”

ONR’s investment spans all warfight- ing domains—land, sea, air, undersea, space, and cyber—and provides the bridge between the fleet and the S&T community, contributing to immediate warfighter needs as well as long-term basic research that is the foundation for future discoveries and innovations.

STEM

The U.S. remains the world’s technol- ogy leader, but it is the dynamics and the trends that are a concern. That’s why the

Navy’s support for Science, Technology,

Engineering and Math—or “STEM”— initiative are so important to the Navy and the nation.

Of the 3 million high school graduates last year, 2 million go on to college and half of those will major in STEM disci- plines. About 480,000 graduate with those degrees, and about 300,000 go on to an advanced degree. In 2009, most of those advanced degree STEM graduates were non-U.S. citizens. “We’ve been charged by the Secretary of the Navy to look at and help orches- trate the Navy’s effort to support science, technology, engineering, and math edu- cation and the Navy’s support and our outreach,” Carr says. “It is important do this for the country, but also obviously we want to do this because we want good scientists and engineers to support Navy efforts.” “At ONR, we do not take that S&T workforce for granted. Our nation’s tech- nological superiority and competitiveness depends on it,” says Carr. “By investing more than half of ONR’s Basic Research funding with university programs, we not only gain valuable knowledge and dis- covery, but at the same time educate and develop the scientists and engineers of the future. We make grants to individual investigators and sponsor fellowship pro- grams that support faculty, graduate, and undergraduate education of U.S. citizens who plan to work in Navy laboratories.

Special programs also support the educa- tion and professional development of mi- nority students and faculty members.”

Teaching Moments

That strategy calls for investing in both research, and in people to conduct that re- search today and into the future.

Across the full science and technology (S&T) portfolio, ONR is engaged with the NRL, the Navy’s warfare centers, the

Federally Funded Research and Devel- opment Centers (FFRDCs), academia and industry to expand the boundaries of human knowledge, especially as that knowledge can meet current and emerg- ing warfighter needs and deliver future force capabilities. “We seek the best and brightest minds in academia and industry to be aware of and look at the Navy’s priorities and needs and help deliver solutions,” says

Carr. “ONR-sponsored research is tak- ing place in all 50 states, as well as in 70 countries around the world.”

One of the most important metrics that

ONR uses in determining the success of its research investments with academic institutions is the number of students who achieve advanced degrees as a result of those Navy-funded projects. Without smart, well educated scientists and engi- neers in academia, industry and the work force, America will not be able to retain its competitive edge. 40 Maritime Reporter & Engineering News

FEATURE OFFICE OF NAVAL RESEARCH

Researching tomorrow’s navy today

ONR Invests in the Future

Rear Adm. Nevin Carr, center, Chief of Naval Research, addresses attendees during the Naval Aviation Enterprise Day conference sponsored by the Office of

Naval Research. With Carr are Vice Adm. Allen Myers, right, commander of

Naval Air Forces, and Vice Adm. David Architzel, left, commander of Naval Air

Systems Command. (U.S. Navy photo by John F . W illiams/Released)