Vicksburg, Miss. —The U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) has its eyes on the future. In honor of National Engineer's Week, ERDC leadership and STEM professionals ventured into the community to attract the next wave of scientists and engineers while showcasing all the agency has to offer.
Speaking engagements kicked off with several presentations from ERDC researchers at St. Aloysius High School in Vicksburg, Mississippi. Jenny Laird, a research biologist with ERDC's Environmental Laboratory (EL), gave an overview of possible career opportunities students interested in science, technology, engineering and mathematics careers could pursue at ERDC.
"STEM outreach is needed to help inform the next generation of scientists and engineers about the amazing research being conducted within our laboratories," said Laird. "So many students are interested in engineering and providing them a look into what we do helps influence their career paths. Events like Engineer’s Week help bring insight into the innovative technologies our engineers use at ERDC and will encourage students to join the organization once they graduate."
St. Aloysius alumni were among some of the ERDC presenters. Candice Reeder, who teaches 10-12 grade algebra, was pleased to see her former schoolmates advise students about ERDC and the value of working together.
"It was nice having some of our alumni presenting to our students," said Reeder. "I was most impressed with the speakers' message about teamwork. They told the students that it's not just about the engineers but everyone on the team."
Encouraging women in STEM is also a priority, as members of ERDC's Society of Women Engineers makes it their mission to enlighten girls about the field. Samantha Weist, a research environmental engineer with EL and president of the Society of Women Engineers, spoke to Port City Kiwanis about her roles as president and her path to becoming an engineer.
"Getting involved with this organization has been a great experience," said Weist. "It allows me to visit the local school district to get young women interested in STEM. The girls enjoy participating, making them more open to being in the STEM field. It's always cool to become integrated into the community."
The week’s STEM outreach continued at River City Early College with Lauren Dunkin, chief of the Coastal and Hydraulics Laboratory's (CHL) Coastal Engineering Branch, speaking to tenth-grade students. Dunkin applauds the school's teachers and administration for exposing its students to STEM early in their education.
"I am so excited about the students at River City Early College because they have the opportunity to take science and engineering classes, allowing them to explore those career paths before they decide on careers in the future," said Dunkin. "It's our mission as ERDC employees to ensure they have opportunities and are capable of reaching job requirements for future job opportunities."
Dunkin's speech connected with the students, as they engaged her with questions about ERDC and expressed interest in several labs. Leandrew Drake, a tenth-grader at River City Early College, talked about his interest and how he appreciates listening and learning from ERDC professionals about STEM.
"I would love to pursue a career in data analytics," said Drake. "Having ERDC here in my hometown gives me an advantage because I have access to people willing to talk to me about these opportunities."
ERDC's community outreach is paying off, as the agency has added more young people to its steadily growing team. ERDC Commander Col. Christian Patterson, in his speech at the weekly Rotary meeting, praised the agency's young personnel for their brilliance.
"We're bringing in a lot of young talent to our workforce," said Patterson. "I've seen them in the field, and they are extremely talented. They will make you proud by representing Vicksburg and all of our ERDC communities in a special way. The things they think of — things you wouldn't imagine — and the scope of phenomena they're exploring are amazing and will make our country and warfighter more effective during future challenges."