Nonprofit Learning Undefeated is honored to be awarded a 10-year contract with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) as part of the Defense Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education Consortium (DSEC) Cooperative Agreement. This agreement provides $190 million to the Research Triangle Institute (RTI) and its network of over 25 regional and national partners, including Learning Undefeated, over the next decade.
A DSEC consortium member since 2020, Learning Undefeated will use its portion of the funding to expand the Emerging Leaders in Biotechnology program nationally, as well as to design and build a new Breakout Box experience which will be aligned to DOD STEM career priority areas.
Emerging Leaders in Biotechnology Program Expansion
Learning Undefeated’s Emerging Leaders in Biotechnology program develops young women into internship- and apprenticeship-ready future employees with advanced biotechnology skills typically learned in college courses. Through this rigorous, hybrid learning experience, students meet STEM luminaries from a diverse set of backgrounds, learn advanced techniques using professional laboratory equipment, build career readiness and networking skills, and develop friendships that will support their journey in STEM.
Emerging Leaders in Biotechnology was purpose-designed in 2020 to encourage young Black and Latina women to explore high-growth military and civilian career areas in biotechnology. Nearly 400 female participants have already completed the program, and many return a second year to serve as mentors to the high school students.
New DOD Breakout Box Immersive Learning Experience
In addition, this new award funding will support the development of a new Breakout Box experience for Learning Undefeated’s mobile laboratories. This custom built learning experience is designed to dazzle and inspire, using augmented reality, special effects, light, and sound to facilitate collaborative gameplay based on the practices of STEM.
Inside the Breakout Box, students solve a nonlinear mix of puzzles and technology experiences that build collaboration, teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills. Awarded the Educators Pick Best of STEM award in both 2022 and 2023, this immersive learning environment provides authentic, real-world learning co-developed with teachers and DoD STEM industry subject matter experts to introduce participants to high-paying, high-demand careers while building teacher capacity in STEM. With a planned launch in the 2025/26 school year, he DoD Breakout Box will motivate participants and generate interest in careers to attract and cultivate exceptional talent from marginalized communities.
DSEC’s mission to promote effective initiatives for pre-K–12 students and educators aligns with Learning Undefeated’s commitment to driving race and gender equity in STEM and providing learning opportunities to students from historically marginalized communities. This agreement highlights the DoD’s ongoing need for skilled STEM professionals to address the complex challenges in national defense. Through data-backed analysis and technical expertise, Learning Undefeated and its fellow members of the RTI consortium offer a diverse array of research and insights focused on advancing STEM education and workforce development.
