Find your AEOP Pathway
Camp Invention®
A confidence-boosting STEM summer camp where kids build creative inventions and lasting friendships.
- Summer program
- Rising grades K-6
- FREE with AEOP scholarships
- Locations across the country
Junior Solar Sprint (JSS)
A competition where students design, build and race solar-powered cars using hands-on engineering skills and principles of science and math.
- School year competition
- Grades 5-8
- FREE of cost
- Locations across the country
Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science (GEMS)
A summer STEM enrichment program where students experience real-world, hands-on STEM activities at select U.S. Army Research Labs. GEMS also recruits Teachers and Near-Peer Mentors (college students) who receive a stipend for their assistance.
- Summer program
- Rising grades 5-12
- FREE of cost
- Locations across the country
eCYBERMISSION
A virtual STEM competition where students, in teams of 2-4, choose a problem in their community to investigate with science or solve with engineering, competing for Savings Bond prizes.
- School year competition
- Grades 6-9
- FREE of cost
- Virtual program; open to all 50 states, U.S. territories and DoDEA schools worldwide
Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS)
A DoD-sponsored STEM competition where students submit original research to their regional symposium and compete individually to win scholarships and a chance to advance and compete at the National JSHS.
- School year competition
- Grades 9-12
- FREE of cost
- All 50 states, U.S. territories and DoDEA schools in Europe and the Pacific
Unite
A summer STEM enrichment program held on university campuses where students will learn about STEM careers, collaborate and solve problems as a team, and participate in STEM-related, hands-on and project-based activities.
- Summer program
- Rising grades 9-12
- FREE of cost
- Locations across the country
AEOP Internships
A paid, hands-on research opportunity with real-world STEM experiences alongside renowned scientists and engineers in labs throughout the country.
- Summer and year-round opportunities
- High school and undergraduate students
- Stipended opportunity
- Locations across the country
AEOP Fellowships
A paid, professional research opportunity at U.S. Army Research Labs and Centers.
- Year-round opportunities
- Graduate students, PhD candidates, recent master’s graduate, or postdoctoral students
- Locations across the country
Explore Program Types
STEM Enrichment Activities
STEM Enrichment activities spark student interest in STEM from the earliest grades through high school. They also provide experiential learning opportunities for educators. Our programs are great for all students and teachers, and are designed to complement classroom learning and teaching by providing exciting, engaging, hands-on experiences. EXPLORE
Competitions
STEM Competitions are designed to expose students to scientific research methods and engineering principles in an interactive, hands-on way, and enables them to compete for recognition, scholarships and awards. EXPLORE
Internships & Fellowships
AEOP Internships and Fellowships help you gain the skills and experience you need today to prepare for the STEM careers of tomorrow. As an intern or fellow, you will conduct cutting-edge research in a state-of-the-art facility alongside a professional STEM mentor. EXPLORE
Scholarships & Grants
The Department of Defense provides a variety of opportunities that enable students to pursue STEM education through fellowships, grants and tuition-for-service programs. EXPLORE
23,483
Youth participants in 2020
5,066
Adult participants in 2020
90%
Of participants agreed that AEOP contributed to their STEM confidence and interest
Meet Our Students
AEOP alumni are doing amazing things. Hear what our alumni learned and what they’re up to now.
Harrish Ganesh
Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science (GEMS)
Grade: 10th Grade
Obioma Chukwu
Research Experiences for Stem Educators and Teaches, Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS), eCybermission
Nicole Schnabel
Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program (URAP)
Grade: Undergraduate Student
Are you an AEOP alumni?
Latest Blog Posts
May 20, 2025
From the Classroom to the Lab: A Q&A with STEM Educator Kim Alvin De Lara
Kim Alvin De Lara is a seasoned educator based in Chandler, Arizona, where he teaches gifted students and STEM at Hartford Elementary, a Title I school. With 13 years of experience across multiple elementary grade levels, he’s built a classroom culture rooted in hands-on learning, real-world problem solving, and sustainability.
May 5, 2025
Dr. Rose Pesce-Rodriguez’s 20 Years with GEMS
Meet Dr. Rose Pesce-Rodriguez, a research chemist at the DEVCOM Army Research Laboratory in Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland, where she has worked for 35 years.
April 29, 2025
Celebrating the Winners of the 63rd National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium
The 63rd annual National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (NJSHS), held from April 22–26, 2025, in Chantilly, Virginia, celebrated the innovative research of 239 high school students from across the U.S., Puerto Rico, and DoDEA schools worldwide.
April 17, 2025
GEMS Unveils a New Logo Reflecting Its STEM Commitment
GEMS (Gains in the Education of Mathematics and Science) is excited to unveil a new logo that reflects the program’s continued dedication to inspiring young innovators through hands-on STEM experiences.
April 15, 2025
Victoria Cinnater’s STEM Journey and Career Path: From the Lab to Leadership
Victoria Cinnater, originally from south of New Orleans, has always had a passion for chemistry. She pursued her undergraduate degree in the subject at Loyola University New Orleans before stepping into the workforce for two years.
April 10, 2025
Building Leaders Through Science: Syriana Peek’s Path
For Syriana Peek, a senior at Madison High School in San Antonio, Texas, the future is about leadership and service. With a passion for both STEM and the military, she has set her sights on Texas A&M University, where she plans to work toward becoming a U.S. Army officer.