Department of Natural Sciences Mission: The mission of the USMAPS Department of Natural Sciences is to lay the foundation that will enable Cadet Candidates to think scientifically, preparing them to succeed as Cadets at USMA and as future Army leaders. The Department will accomplish this mission by conditioning Cadet Candidates to do the following: Engage in laboratory activities to develop their own understanding of critical physical science concepts. Practice and gain understanding of the process by which the scientific community develops knowledge. Collaborate in teams to build team-oriented problem-solving and communication skills. Build on knowledge gained from laboratory experiments. Critically read for information to form a basis of understanding. Develop scientific literacy.