Michelle Richardson (left) -- a senior food technologist in the Combat Feeding Directorate at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center -- and Sydney Walker (right), a student from Framingham State University, discuss Walker's...
Student employees Ryan Connors, Daniel Harvey and Michelle Schafer shine at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center's 10th Annual Future Workforce Poster Presentation. The event gives students the opportunity to practice their...
Student employees come together at the Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center's 10th Annual Future Workforce Poster Presentation. The event gives students the opportunity to practice their presentation skills while highlighting t...
NATICK, Mass. (Aug. 11, 2016) -- The U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center held its 10th Annual Future Workforce Poster Presentation, showcasing science and technology excellence and giving students the chance to garner invaluable presentation skills.
NSRDEC's Workforce Development Team hosted the event, which featured poster presentations by students from the Pathways program, the Oak Ridge Institute for Science Education program, or ORISE, and the University of Massachusetts Lowell's Harnessing Emerging Research Opportunities to Empower Soldiers, or HEROES, program.
"This is an event that I look forward to every year," said Sharon Menard, workforce development manager at NSRDEC. "It's like the capstone project for our student employees. It provides an opportunity for them to show us what they've learned, to refine their presentation skills in a supportive environment, and to network with the entire workforce.
"It gives us an opportunity to evaluate the students for future employment opportunities. We've made an investment in their future already, so our hope is that they want to come back and work for us once they graduate."
The Poster Presentation Day, in addition to giving students the chance to enhance their professional public speaking skills, is an important part of NSRDEC's Science, Technology, Engineering and Math, or STEM, outreach and NSRDEC's future workforce initiative.
Melissa Tobin, now a financial analyst at NSRDEC and previously a student intern for NSRDEC's Workforce Development Team, coordinated the event.
"The Future Workforce Poster Presentation is a great way for people to see what students learn and accomplish in their time here at Natick," said Tobin. "In addition to being a great way for students to show off the hard work they have carried out over the summer, this Poster Presentation is an excellent networking opportunity for the installation as a whole.
"Every year this event allows students to connect with the entire workforce in order to create learning opportunities as well as employment opportunities for both students and current employees. This professional social environment has continued to be an important piece in the effort to further develop a diverse and talented workforce to support the mission of this organization."
Many members of NSRDEC's workforce serve as mentors and supervisors to the student participants and recognize the importance of the event.
"Participating in the student poster presentation is a great way for students to showcase the work they accomplished over the summer," said Mary Scerra, a student mentor and food technologist in the Combat Feeding Directorate at NSRDEC. "It gives the students an opportunity to learn how to make a poster and then brief a summary of their work -- building confidence and increased knowledge in an area of interest."
"Our NSRDEC Poster Presentation Day represents a very important day where the mentored students come together to share their findings and results on their research progress for projects that they are working on in support of NSRDEC scientists and engineers," said Quoc Truong, a physical scientist at NSRDEC who has served as a mentor to numerous students. "Often times, students receive great suggestions from the S&E attendees as to the direction of their research, test methods, and different ways to assess material performances. Also, it's a chance for presenters to show off their hard work and to network with similar minded researchers."
During their time at NSRDEC, students learn about careers developing products, solutions and technologies for the warfighter and benefit from interaction with NSRDEC's renowned scientists and engineers.
GuoQuan Liang, a student at the UMass Lowell, worked for Gary Thibault of Product Manager Force Sustainment Systems, or PM FSS, and was mentored by Benjamin Rooney. His poster presentation was entitled "Ballistic Airdrop Patterns and Performance."
"This summer I worked with PM FSS on the Cargo Aerial Delivery Team," said Liang. "I worked on data analysis of performance to make sure the parachutes meet the Army requirements. I worked on the Low Velocity Aerial Delivery System. It is a very versatile parachute. The analysis process drives the design of the parachute, which is in the developmental phase. Before I started working here, I didn't know very much about parachutes. I've really enjoyed it. I got to work hands on with the parachutes and see some of the testing."
Alessandra Molinaro, another student at UMass Lowell, presented a poster entitled "Production and Characterization of Activated Carbon-Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) Microcapsules."
Molinaro, a chemical engineering major, worked with NSRDEC scientists Andra Kirsteins, Quoc Truong and Chris Zoto. She found the experience invaluable and was glad to know the work benefits the Soldier.
"It's great to know that the research has the long-term goal of helping people in the real world," said Molinaro.
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The U.S. Army Natick Soldier 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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U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center
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