The United States ranks 31st in science and technology education . This shortage of young adults pursuing science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers (STEM) doesn’t just affect companies like Apple and Google, it poses dire consequences for the economy, health care and the government.

This particularly affects The United States Air Force. As one of the most technologically advanced organizations on the planet, The Air Force competes against high-profile tech companies for the smartest students. But the current perception of the Air Force among students was an organization filled with pilots and mechanics. The reality however, is that The Air Force is a STEM student’s dream, with careers in robotics, search and rescue technology, even its own space program.

Our challenge was to inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers, showing them the possibilities of STEM careers and changing the perception of The Air Force as one of the most technologically significant organizations out there.

To accomplish this, we gave students the opportunity that no other tech company could. We pulled back the curtain and let them work on three unclassified STEM projects inside the Air Force. The Air Force Collaboratory was the first collaborative microsite that paired students with Air Force experts to solve some of the countries most challenging science and technology problems.

The Collaboratory launched with three projects and resulted in the development of The Arachnipede—a 3D printed microbot that would be used to locate trapped life after natural disasters like the earthquake in Haiti. Students and Air Force engineers also programmed a robot to think, learn and act on its own with minimal human interaction. The final project saw students and Air Force Space Command Airmen calculate a precise point in space and launch a $200 million GPS satellite that is now used by billions of people around the world.

The Air Force Collaboratory was not the next crowdsourcing effort. This platform reinvented the classroom, allowing students across the country to work digitally side-by-side with Air Force experts to solve real-life problems.

The results speak for themselves. Engaged students spent an average of 47 minutes on The Collaboratory—per visit. More than 500,000 students across the country participated, and the perception of the Air Force saw a significant positive shift with 80% of students. ,

Last year, The Air Force Collaboratory was awarded a Gold and two Silver Cyber Lions at the Cannes Festival.