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
March 11, 2025
By: AEOP Membership Council Member Isabelle Becraft I have always been passionate about preserving our world. There is a delicate balance that sustains our planet. I remember spending time in my grandmother’s garden, watching bees fly from flower to flower, helping the entire garden flourish.
March 11, 2025
By: AEOP Membership Council Member Ahaan Pandey E-bikes are electric bicycles – battery-powered bicycles that come with a range of features. Some e-bikes use a pedal-assist system, which boost the rider’s effort, while others include a throttle for effortless propulsion. There are different classes of e-bikes with different speed limits.
March 11, 2025
Fighting Disease Before It Strikes
By: AEOP Membership Council Member Josh Mirsky Sickness—there’s nothing good about it. Beyond the overall misery it brings, illness often comes with a range of unpleasant symptoms that can leave you drained and unable to carry out daily activities.
March 11, 2025
The Roar of Yellowstone’s Falls
By: AEOP Membership Council Member Emilie Becraft Yellowstone – most people think of geysers erupting, bison roaming free, and colorful landscapes. But for me, it was the falls – the Upper and Lower Yellowstone River Falls – the roar of powerful water rushing down the mountains.
March 6, 2025
3 Benefits of STEM Exploration with Camp Invention and GEMS
As children grow into the next generation of confident and thoughtful creators, the skills and mindset they learn through STEM exploration can be applied throughout life, across any interest or career.
March 4, 2025
AEOP Veterans Appreciation Challenge Announces 2025 Finalists
Today, the 2025 “AEOP Veterans Appreciation Challenge”–a collaboration between the Army Educational Outreach Program (AEOP) and Future Engineers–announced the competition’s 20 finalists, 10 students from grades four through eight and 10 students from grades nine through twelve.