AMC engineers recognized at national conference

By AMC Public AffairsFebruary 13, 2015

AMC engineers recognized at national conference
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AMC engineers recognized at national conference
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AMC engineers recognized at national conference
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AMC engineers recognized at national conference
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REDSTONE ARSENAL, Ala. -- Eight U.S. Army Materiel Command employees were recognized as some of the top black engineers in the country Feb. 6-7, in Washington, D.C.

The Annual Black Engineer of the Year Awards Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (BEYA STEM) Global Competitiveness Conference is the largest gathering of STEM professionals and leaders committed to increasing the percentage of people from historically underrepresented communities in the technology workforce.

The award recipients represented two of AMC's major subordinate commands; seven awardees work with the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command and one with the Joint Munitions Command. They were honored in a range of categories that included technical accomplishments and commitment to community educational outreach.

The following AMC scientists and engineers (in alphabetical order) received awards:

-- Cindy Brock, safety engineer at U.S. Army Joint Munitions Command

Brock has been with JMC for five years and received the Professional Achievement-Government award.

As a safety engineer, Brock serves on the Assistant Secretary of the Army installations' working group to refine and develop methods, policies and guidance for comprehensive Army Safety and Health Management Systems.

Brock was the team lead for developing Process Safety Management guidance for JMC explosives manufacturing processes, a complex area lacking safety guidance within the Army and DOD. She also served as the JMC safety technical advisor on the Army Fuze Safety Review Board providing input on safety analysis of Army safety certification of FUZE systems.

"Being selected as an awardee encourages me to continue to strive for technical excellence, inspire others and set high expectations," said Brock.

-- Jean Christian Brutus, mechanical engineer at U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center

Brutus has seven years of government service and started at CERDEC in 2010. He received Most Promising Engineer award. He has worked with Home for our Troops to build a specially adapted house for a disabled veteran, served as a virtual judge for the 2014 eCYBERMISSION competition and spoke at the World Language Honor Society induction ceremony to explain how speaking multiple languages has impacted his career.

"Modern-Day Technology Leader awardees are bright women and men who are shaping the future of engineering, science and technology," Brutus said. "I am honored to know that the U.S. Army leadership thinks of me that way.

"Science, technology, engineering and math education has allowed me to work in research and development, manufacturing, test and evaluation, and lifecycle sustainment. Most importantly, it has allowed me to support the front line of defense, our warfighters. I would recommend a STEM-related field to anyone I mentor."

-- Doretha Green, industrial engineer at U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center

Green has 20 years of government service and 10 years at ECBC. She received the Outstanding Technical Contribution-Government award. She managed the first integration of a new Raman-based detection system onto a military platform to demonstrate the utility of this technology for chemical reconnaissance operations.

As a result of her leadership and program execution, the Rapid Area Sensitive-Site Reconnaissance system received a Joint Military Utility Assessment in 2012 from the U.S. Marine Corps Forces Pacific Experimentation Center.

"It is a great honor made possible by my team of scientists, technology developers and integrators, engineers, the test and evaluation community, and the Soldiers and Marines who told us what they did and did not like about the technology," Green said.

-- Dr. Reginald Hobbs, associate director for experimentation at U.S. Army Research Laboratory

Hobbs has more than 30 years of computer industry experience and has worked at ARL since 2013.

He established the Network Science Research Laboratory to broaden network science research work by incorporating information, social and telecommunications network capabilities into an experimentation environment.

Hobbs received Professional Achievement-Government award.

"It is both humbling and gratifying to have been selected for special recognition by the BEYA STEM Conference committee. It means that they felt that my accomplishments as a researcher and STEM educator have had an impact in influencing young people into science and engineering," Hobbs said.

-- Ifeanyi Igwulu, electronics engineer at U.S. Army Communications-Electronics Research, Development and Engineering Center

Igwulu has been with CERDEC for five years and was recognized with a Most Promising Engineer award. He has volunteered for several deployments to Afghanistan in support of Operation Enduring Freedom.

Igwulu's technical expertise helped to ensure that Soldiers could perform tactical radio configuration/initialization and network management functions in support of Capability Set 2013 fielded units.

"It was an honor and a privilege to be recognized by the BEYA organization and the STEM community," he said. "I worked with prior BEYA award recipients and leaders in the past, and to be selected to now be amongst their ranks is humbling and equally amazing."

-- Gayla McMichael, outreach and diversity program manager at U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center

McMichael, an AMRDEC employee since 1989, has led outreach events and activities that have engaged more than 13,000 students in the past year. She has established Army ties through seven education partnership agreements with minority higher educational institutions.

McMichael was recognized with the Corporate Promotion of Education and Educational Leadership award.

"I love working with our nation's youth," she said. "They are our future leaders and STEM professionals. I take seriously my efforts toward inspiring the minds of tomorrow. Outreach and diversity is not just a job for me; it is my passion. I truly have the best job in the world, and God has been good to me."

-- Fernando (Rios) Merritt, logistics engineering team lead at U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development and Engineering Center

In addition to his recognition at BEYA, Merritt recently won a Defense Manufacturing Technology Achievement Award for his work to integrate cold spray technologies into Army systems. He has more than 30 years of service with the Army and Air Force.

Merritt was recognized in the categories of Professional Achievement, Community Service, Outstanding Technical Contribution and Career Achievement-Government.

"I was very honored and yet humbled to have been nominated and selected for one of the BEYA STEM awards this year," Merritt said. "It was quite a surprise.

"I realize the awards are competitive and only go to those that have excelled and made major contributions in the areas of science and technology."

-- Dr. Cyril Williams, mechanical engineer at U.S. Army Research Laboratory

Williams pioneered, developed and submitted a patent for a new experimental method for studying the response of materials under extreme dynamic conditions at the continuum, micro/meso and atomic levels simultaneously. He has worked at ARL since 2005 received a Professional Achievement award.

"Conferences such as the BEYA Conference are so important as they recognize excellence in science and engineering. I am very honored as an engineer with the U.S. Army Research Laboratory to be selected for such recognition and this is a testament of the quality research conducted at ARL," he said.