Former Acting Secretary of the Army Patrick J. Murphy meets students from Newark Central high School during his recent visit to Picatinny Arsenal. Students were touring labs as part of its Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics outreach pr...
PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. -- Acting Secretary of the Army Patrick J. Murphy spoke to students from the Pre-Engineering Academy at Newark Central High School during their visits to Picatinny Arsenal.
The nine students got a rare opportunity while touring Picatinny labs to meet Murphy during a recent visit.
The students are part of Picatinny's Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) outreach efforts in diversity.
"Our STEM office has been supporting underprivileged minority schools and educational institutions in and around Newark for a number of years," said Shahram Dabiri, STEM Manager.
Students got hands-on demonstrations on the following: gaming and interactive technology, 3-D printing and non-lethal weapons.
Among the students who met Murphy was senior Nijaron Palmer.
"I liked meeting the Acting Secretary of the Army and 3-D printing," said Palmer, who was awarded a college basketball scholarship. Palmer, who has won a number of New Jersey basketball awards, is uncertain if his future lies in accounting or in aerospace engineering. His interest in the planets stemmed from watching the motion picture "The Martian."
"They don't know their full potential and they are taking it to the next level," said the teacher of the students, Charles Muchira.
"These visits encourages them. Maybe these visits will encourage them to do something to save a Soldier," Machira added.
Murphy, who had previously been confirmed as Under Secretary of the Army, was appointed Acting Secretary of the Army by President Barak Obama on Jan. 7.
Eric Fanning, was confirmed as Secretary of the Army later in the day during Murphy's visit.
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The U.S. Army Armament Research, Development and Engineering Center is part of the U.S. Army Research, Development and Engineering Command, which has the mission to ensure decisive overmatch for unified land operations to empower the Army, the joint warfighter and our nation. RDECOM is a major subordinate command of the U.S. Army Materiel Command.
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