The Pentagon’s director for equal opportunity, Clarence Johnson, has been getting the word out that DOD wants to beef up its diversity—particularly with scientists and engineers. Speaking at the Minority Serving Institutions Research Partnerships Conference in Chicago, Johnson noted that backgrounds in engineering, math, and science open windows for students to military academies or employment as a DOD civilian and offer greater potential to reach senior leadership positions. Knowing the number of new engineers and scientists produced in the US is declining, Johnson says he wants to ensure parents and other “influencers” know DOD is hiring.
The White House announced its United States Space Priorities Framework in a document released concurrently with Vice President Kamala Harris' first National Space Council meeting. Listed among five U.S. priorities is to “defend its national security interests from the growing scope and scale of space and counterspace threats.”