WATERVLIET ARSENAL, N.Y. (Nov. 10, 2014) -- A sense of discovery delights the scientists and engineers who design the U.S. military's large caliber weapon systems, but this effort may be for naught if they cannot explain their achievements in simple, clear language to those who do not have a Ph.D. in science and engineering.
The team at the Army's Benét Laboratories fully understands this challenge, especially in an era of declining defense budgets where the level of competition for new contracts has not declined in step with the significant decline in requirements over the past few years.
And so, they view every engagement, every visitor to their laboratories as an investment in time to educate and to transmit their vision of what the future can be.
What was special about the visitors last Friday is that they were not weapon program managers or defense contractors wanting to learn about the latest in weapon technology. No, there would be no potential funding for work requirements coming out of this visit.
Nevertheless, this engagement was still viewed by Benét as an investment, albeit an investment that will take years to pay off. After all, Fridays's visitors are still in high school.
About 25 students from Cambridge High School spent four hours weaving their way through such scientific areas as metallurgy, lasers, nanotechnology, and stereolithography, said Stephen Robertson, a Benét Labs mechanical engineering technician who coordinated the visit with Cambridge. The students are part of two classes, physics and principles of engineering, that have seen a resurgence of interest of late.
"Cambridge visited because the timing was right in that these students are currently learning the principles of engineering," Robertson said. "And so, what better place to learn about science and engineering than from the Army's research center where we daily act on someone's good idea by taking that idea from conception to building a prototype to the final production of a product."
But Robertson would be one of the first to acknowledge that, just like in product design and development, Benét was planting a seed that may take years to grow.
"To continue our success in research and design, Benét is constantly planning for the future by bringing in young minds with fresh ideas," Robertson said. "By hosting student tours, such as with Cambridge High School, we hope to inspire and excite students toward a career in science and engineering at Benét Labs."
While Robertson was thinking about the future of Benét Labs, Mike White, a Cambridge High School Technology and Engineering instructor, had other thoughts.
"Every year, we like to take students out of the classroom to see firsthand the application of what they have learned in the classrooms," White said. "What we saw was a phenomenal experience for the students because at one location the students could see how a concept is turned into a design and then into a manufactured product."
White also addressed the importance the Watervliet Arsenal has on the community and the nation.
"For many years, I had thought the arsenal had closed because I didn't see any vehicle traffic going in and out of the front gate," White said. "And so, it was a pleasant surprise to see that the arsenal remains a vibrant manufacturing center with a unique scope and specialized capabilities that support our community, as well as our nation."
For more than a century, the arsenal's main entrance was along what is now today I-787. But after 9/11, the arsenal moved its main gate off of the Watervliet thoroughfare to a side gate to accommodate extra force protection. To many, when they no longer saw a hub of activity at the arsenal's main gate they assumed the arsenal must have closed.
It is one thing to get positive feedback from the instructors, the arsenal kind of expects that, but at the end of the day it is all about the students. So, what did they get out of Friday's visit?
"It was astonishing to see the science and intellect that goes into the work carried out by the arsenal," said Andy Romack, who is part of class of 2016. "This was definitely an amazing opportunity to not only see the engineering process, but also the arsenal's great history. As we move ever so further into this millennium, improved material and technologies developed at the arsenal will redefine how our men and women are supported in conflicts about the world."
Before the students departed, White said that he would like to bring the class back in the spring to see the rest of the manufacturing center. The students' visit concentrated on Benét Labs and not on the manufacturing side of the arsenal.
Benét Labs has a rich history of designing and fielding new weapon systems. Although Benét officially opened its doors as the Army's large caliber research and design facility in 1962, its weapons research at the Watervliet Arsenal dates back to the 1840s.
----------------------------------
Watervliet Arsenal:
-Benét Labs is colocated on the Watervliet Arsenal, within a five-minute walk from those who will manufacture the products that they design.
-The Watervliet Arsenal is an Army-owned-and-operated manufacturing facility and is the oldest, continuously operating arsenal in the United States, having begun operations during the War of 1812. It celebrated its 200th anniversary in July 2013.
-Today's arsenal is relied upon by U.S. and foreign militaries to produce the most advanced, high-tech, high-powered weaponry for cannon, howitzer, and mortar systems. This National Historic Registered Landmark has an annual economic benefit to the local community in excess of $90 million.
Related Links:
Story: From being on life support to providing support
Watervliet Arsenal Flickr Page
Watervliet Arsenal Slideshare Page
Watervliet Arsenal YouTube Page
Social Sharing