Secretary Austin also spoke this month at the Black Engineer of the Year STEM Conference, where he encouraged the next generation of Black engineers to dedicate themselves to the same spirit of service that has animated Black engineers’ contributions to science and engineering in years past. That commitment to service, the Secretary said, is “how we'll expand opportunities for all of our people. It's how we'll tackle our biggest challenges. It's how we'll defend our democracy.” Our DoD STEM team is hard at work supporting this vision, building talent pipelines so that the Department is able to tap into the best our nation has to offer, regardless of race.

Black History is American history. This month and every month we honor the contributions of Black Americans and those who have broken down barriers such as Air Force Col. Guion Bluford Jr., the first African American to fly in space, or Sec. Colin Powell, the first African American to serve as Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. We build enduring advantages and sharpen America's technological edge by drawing on the strengths of all people.

R&E continues in this tradition as we work for equitable opportunities and inclusion, which are anchored by our three strategic pillars: mission focus, foundation building and succeeding through teamwork. I believe that tomorrow's technology dominance relies on investments not only in science, but also in people, and investments in people must reflect the diversity of the United States. That diversity is our competitive advantage.