THE SOURCE • February 2014
9
Mentors: Students, Sailors, Scientists From page 7 have seen teams pull a part off their own robot to provide to another team in need of that part in order to compete. That level of teamwork is what we look for in engineers and scientists that support our mission at the Naval Warfare Center - and we see FIRST developing it in future generations. We’re currently trying to find STEM mentors who live in rural counties to volunteer at their local school. We want to put more of our scientists and engineers in the classroom.” Jane Bachman, Human Performance in Simulation Lead Engineer, Virginia STEM Learning Module Coordinator, NSWCDD National Defense Education Program FIRST Site Coordinator “I appreciate our personnel’s enthusiasm, innovation, and mentor participation in STEM-related activities to encourage the next generation in pursuing a Navy-focused STEM career in addition to their mentor participation in accelerating our own knowledge transfer at NSWCDD. One of the Naval Sea Systems Command strategic business plan’s 20132018 mission priorities, Technical Excellence and Judiciousness, states in its focus area (Accelerate Knowledge Transfer) that we must, ‘seek innovative ways to accelerate the transfer of knowledge to those coming into the jobs now and in the future.’ In my eight-year observation of the STEM Navy-focused activities evolving from what is now called the Virginia Demonstration Project at NSWCDD, the following local-area participants have benefited: the current workforce (NSWCDD scientists and engineers); teachers (via professional development); the future workforce (middle-to-high school students) and NSWCDD personnel who provide behind-the-scenes support. It is very exciting to experience an increase in our inter-departmental scientist and engineer STEM mentoring participation and collaboration programs. We also enjoy expanding STEM-related activities such as Sea Perch, one-day summer camps, and FIRST team competitions in addition to increasing female student summer academy and sixth grade class participation.” Sea Perch is an innovative underwater robotics program that equips teachers and students with the resources they need to build an underwater Remotely Operated Vehicle in an in-school or out-of-school setting. Dena Kota, Ph.D; Toxicologist, NSWCDD Asymmetric Systems Department: “When I started working with the National Defense Education Program’s (NDEP) Virginia Demonstration Project (VDP) in 2008, some of my goals were to show that science and engineering can be fun, that it applies to many aspects of our everyday lives, and that it was not just a career field for men. I was able to engage students in middle school classrooms and show them that what they were learning from their textbooks did have a real purpose and would be useful to them later on. By using robotics and other non-traditional teaching methods, students who didn’t think they
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were good at science and math realized that they could complete tasks in engineering that they didn’t think were possible. It turned a disengaged student into a student who wanted to learn more.” Matthew Hornbaker, Chemical, Biological and Radiological Defense Division Operations, NSWCDD Asymmetric Systems Department “Increased focus at the national level for STEM education is good news for the Navy and the nation. I believe that emphasizing an education heavy in science and technology, coupled with programs designed to spark student interest in science, will certainly help steer kids towards careers they might not otherwise have considered. I saw firsthand how NDEP VDP, sponsored by the Office of Naval Research, is helping to ensure the next generation of Navy scientists and engineers. NDEP’s VDP STEM Summer Academy uses Lego robots and balsa wood tower building as a platform to teach the kids basic concepts of math, engineering, and computer science. The program helps give these future scientists and engineers an appreciation for the underlying science behind the technology they often take for granted.” Audrey Lohr, NSWCDD New Employee Development Manager and Mentoring Lead “Mentoring has been a very important piece of our command’s workforce development efforts and senior leaders at Dahlgren have really strived to ensure that it is an inherent part of our culture. In hosting the Flash Mentoring events, it has personally been very inspiring to see senior leaders at Dahlgren so eager to share their experiences and lessons learned in the hopes that they can help that person coming in the door behind them. The benefits of mentoring for the mentee are commonly understood; what has really struck me is the great benefit that the mentors get to enjoy. I would highly encourage employees at any level in their career to take advantage of that opportunity and seek out a mentor. Another recent addition to the mentoring program is the Flash Mentoring series. These are morning-long sessions with various leaders across the organization serving as mentors, facilitating discussions in a small group setting. NSWCDD has had three very successful events since beginning the series, with the upcoming event scheduled for March 5, 2014. The theme is ‘Developing Your Organization, Your People and Yourself ’. The discussion topics will cover communication within and outside the organization, increasing performance, strategic planning and developing yourself.” Top: Navy ocean engineer Toby Ratcliffe (left) and senior engineer John Wright (standing) assist Zeke Miller with construction of his remotely operated underwater vehicle during Sea Perch Teacher Training held at the University of Mary Washington Dahlgren Campus. Ratcliffe and Wright work for the Naval Surface Warfare Centers in Carderock, Md., and Dahlgren, respectively. Miller, a retired Navy Chief Petty Officer, is a technology advisor for the Colonial Beach public schools. (U.S. Navy photo by Andrew Revelos/Released)
Middle: Ted Schindler explains his job at Combat Systems Direction Activity (CDSA) Dam Neck’s Harsh Environment Lab to three Sailors during a Wounded Warrior tour of the command in October 2013. CDSA Dam Neck hosted the tour to provide local transitioning Sailors the opportunity to learn about technical Navy civilian career options. CDSA Dam Neck, part of NSWCDD, plans to host the tour two or three times a year to inspire wounded warriors to seek careers in science, technology, engineering or math, known as STEM. (U.S. Navy Photo by Tammy Van Dame/Released)
Bottom: Lt. Cmdr. Jason Fox - NSWC Dahlgren Division Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense Deputy Weapon Systems Engineering Lead - advises students who are navigating their remotely operated vehicles through SeaPerch underwater obstacles. They were among 20 regional middle and high school students testing their underwater vehicles at a SeaPerch competition held at the University of Mary Washington pool, Fredericksburg. (U.S. Navy photo/Released)