Making the Connection: Federal Government Agencies & Cooperative Education Programs ASEE Conference for Industry & Education Collaboration January 25,

Making the Connection: Federal Government Agencies & Cooperative Education Programs

ASEE Conference for Industry & Education Collaboration January 25, 2006San Antonio, Tx

Bryan Dansberry, Assistant ProfessorLou Trent, Assistant Director & Associate ProfessorDivision of Professional PracticeUniversity of Cincinnati

University of CincinnatiP.O. Box 210115Cincinnati, OH 45221-0115E-mail: [email protected] or [email protected]

Outline

• Background of Speakers• An abridged tour of Gov’t Co-

op• Do’s and Don’ts of making the

connection• Security Clearances• Debate, discussion, and

monologues…..

Dustin Ochoa, AsE ’05

NASA-Johnson Space Center

Background: Bryan

•Co-op Student (AsE Class of ’87)

•Co-op Supervisor

•Co-op Faculty (2002 - ????)

Transonic Dynamics Tunnel NASA-Langley

Background: Lou

Defense Contract Management Agency

• Intern in Counseling Psychology.

• Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology.

• Professional Practice Advisor, 1978.

• Mainly work with Mechanical Engineers.

• Worked with federal agencies for 27+ years.

Gov’t Co-op Programs: The Grand Tour

• NASA - Johnson• Redstone Arsenal• Naval Research Labs• Website Tour

– DOE

Kyle Blakley, CE ’08

Butler County Engineer’s Office

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Johnson Space Center

• JSC’s largest student employment program

• Average about 160 students/year

• Cover a wide range of majors

• #1 Source of New Hires

JSC Fall ’05 Co-op Group Photo

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Johnson Space Center

• Centrally Operated Program

• Very Organized• Social Activities• Students rotate

departments

Co-op students acquiring experimental data to

determine maximum rate of hotdog consumption

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Johnson Space Center

“During his first work term at NASA, Joshua Hunter from Georgia Tech, modified and prepared for use a device known as the Multiple User Cooling Unit (MUCU) for astronauts’ space suits. Hunter’s design was based on an initial prototype created by another student employee—Garret Fitzpatrick from the University of Wisconsin. The MUCU, now in use, keeps astronauts comfortable when they are outside the shuttle simulator at Johnson Space Center. “ - Debbie Pierson, GA. Tech.

“Thilini Rangedera, an aerospace engineering co-op from Georgia Tech, has made great contributions to the International Space Station Training Group. She is the first co-op student to become certified to teach two electrical power systems lessons to flight controllers as part of their preparation for an upcoming Space Station mission. She accomplished this goal during a four-month co-op tour.” - Robert P. Musgrove, NASA JSC

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Other NASA Centers

At many NASA centers co-op students rotate thru wind-tunnel facilities where they learn classic mime techniques such

as “Walking against the wind.”

Ames Research Center Dryden Flight Research Center Glenn Research Center Goddard Space Flight Center Jet Propulsion Laboratory Kennedy Space Center Langley Research Center Marshall Space Flight Center Stennis Space Center

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Other NASA Centers

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Other NASA Centers

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Redstone Arsenal

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Redstone Arsenal

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Redstone Arsenal

Gov’t Co-op Programs: U.S. Army

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Don’t expect to get rich!

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Naval Research Labs

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Naval Research Labs

Naval Research Lab’s

Spacecraft Engineering Department

Overview for Co-Ops & Expecting Graduates

NAVAL RESEARCH LAB

Outline• Organization

• History

• Mission Statement and Implications

• Environment & Culture

• Types of Work

• Facilities

• Hiring Facts

• Interviews

Organization

Naval Research Lab - NRL

Spacecraft Engineering Department(Code 8200)

You Would Work Here

Space Systems DevelopmentDepartment(Code 8100)

Naval Center for Space Technology(Code 8000: 1 of 8 Divisions in NRL)

History: Timeline & Firsts

Great Space History and Experience at NRL

84 Satellites Launched

Mission Statement & Implications

Mission Driven…NOT Profit Driven

Environment & Culture• Relatively Close Knit Group : SED (8200) about 125 People

– Will Not Get Lost in a Large Organization

– Management is On a First Name Basis

• Low Structure…“Nuts Running Loose”– Management & Admin Support per Employee is Relatively Low

– Fosters Creativity & Flexibility

– Provides Tremendous Opportunities to Succeed

– Judged on Capability Not Rank - Often Receive Jobs and Responsibilities Well Above Your Rank

– However Requires Additional, Pro-Active Effort to Not be Left Behind

• Matrix Organization so Inherent Conflict: 2 Bosses- Formal & Project Boss

• Value “Showing Not Telling”– Emphasis on Technical Understanding & Ability to Get the Job Done

– We are “Engineers of Research”, not the “Ponderers of Research”

Personality is Important,

Some Thrive in This Environment, Others Do Not

Types of Work• Mission Design• Spacecraft Design, Integration, & Test

– Structures– Mechanisms– Cmd Tlm & Data Handling– Thermal– Guidance, Nav, and Control– Power– RF Comms– Flight & Ground Software– Propulsion– Integration & Test– Payloads: Imaging, RF, Comms, etc.

• Launch Vehicle Interfacing & Ops• Ground Station & Flight Operations• Orbitology & Mission Planning• Technology Development

Facilities

• State-of-the-Art Design & Testing Facilities

• Mediocre Personal Facilities: Emphasis is on Functional, Not Nice

• No Nice Lobby Entrance, Furniture is Hit or Miss, etc.

Hiring Facts• Co-oping is a Great Benefit to Both NRL & the Student

– NRL can Train and Evaluate Student– Student can Learn, Evaluate NRL, and Sort Out Personal Job

Preferences and Expectations– Procedurally, Allows an Immediate Hiring Decision Upon Graduation

• Summer Internships– Will Consider but Generally Not Worth the Time from an NRL

Administrative Point-of View

• Non-Coop Graduates– Must Openly Advertise & Compete for Job

• Personnel Division Selects Applicants, Not SED (8200)• Usually Hard to have a Stand-Out Resume Straight Out of School

– Generally (NOT Always) Hire Through Another Company Until You Gain Enough Experience to “Stand-Out” in an Open Competition

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Dept. of Energy

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Dept. of Energy

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Dept. of Energy

• Department of Commerce Internship for Postsecondary Students• Department of Energy Special Emphasis Program• DOE Community College Institute at Oak Ridge National Laboratory-• DOE Faculty and Student Teams Program at Oak Ridge National Laboratory-• DOE Pre-Service Teacher Internships at Oak Ridge National Laboratory-• DOE Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships at Oak Ridge National Laboratory-• Energy Student Achievement Program-• Environmental Management Participation for the U.S. Army Environmental Center-•

Federal Aviation Administration Asian American/Pacific Islander and Native American/Alaskan Native Internship Program-

• Fusion Energy Sciences Fellowship Program-• Global Change Education Program-• Great Lakes Colleges Association/Associated Colleges of the Midwest Oak Ridge Science

Semester-

• Higher Education Research Experiences at Oak Ridge National Laboratory for Students-

• Internship at the Office of Water-• Laboratory Technology Program- • National Energy Technology Laboratory Professional Internship Program-

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Student Research Participation-•

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Educational Partnership Program with Minority Serving Institutions

• Nuclear Regulatory Commission Historically Black Colleges and Universities Student Research Participation-

• Oak Ridge National Laboratory Undergraduate Student Cooperative Education Program-• Office of Civilian Radioactive Waste Management Historically Black Colleges and

Universities Undergraduate Scholarship Program-• Research Participation at the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Counterterrorism/Forensic

Science Research Unit-• Research Participation at the U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center-• Research Participation at the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Chemical Defense-• Research Participation at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory-• Research Participation Program at the U.S. Army Center for Health Promotion and

Preventive Medicine- Savannah River Site Professional Internship Program-

• Student Research Participation at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention-• Student Research Participation at the National Center for Toxicological Research-• U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command (USAMRMC)-• U.S. Department of Homeland Security Scholarship and Fellowship Program-

• Oak Ridge National Laboratory Undergraduate Student Cooperative Education Program-

• Oak Ridge National Laboratory Undergraduate Student Cooperative Education Program-

Gov’t Co-op Programs: Dept. of Energy

Gov’t Co-op Programs: science.gov

Working Effectively With Federal Agencies

Christopher Hummer, AsE ’08Received Engineer of the Quarter Award

Aeronautical Systems Center

Do’s & Don’ts: Basic Understanding

• U.S. Citizenship• No Felonies (may vary)

Zack Norman, Graphic Des. ‘06

National Park Service

Do’s & Don’ts: Good Practices

• Timing• Web applications• Tailor resume/experience• Know your employer

Andrew Sampson EE ’06

Kennedy Space Center

Do’s & Don’ts: Timing

The Simple Hiring Process• Refer credentials 2.5 months

before hiring date• Credentials screened• Offers extended• Student responds

Robin Ventura AsE ‘06

NASA Langley Research Center

Do’s & Don’ts: Timing

More Complex Hiring Process• Students apply on-line• Student notifies university to send transcript & letter of eligibility• University sends transcript & letter• Student gets letter from agency• Student responds• Panel of managers review applications• Hiring decisions made – phone interviews• Unofficial co-op offer extended• Student responds• Background information gathered• Official offer extended• Student responds

Do’s & Don’ts: Security Clearance

• Vary from agency to agency• Types• Timing

Ryan Stobbs ME ’07

Nevada Automotive Test Center

Do’s & Don’ts: Good Practices

• Timing• Web applications• Tailor resume/experience• Know your employer

Robin Ventura AsE ‘06

NASA Langley Research Center

Do’s & Don’ts: Not So Good Practices

• No citizenship/criminal record• Bad timing• Forget Follow-up• Students applying who have money issues• Stop sending referrals

Do’s & Don’ts: Knowing Your Employer

Things to Consider• Requirements for employment• Program resources• Employment structure/process• Institutional purpose – benefits

to supervisor• Employer “quirks”

Boyu Wang BME ‘07

Biomedical Ultrasound Lab

Do’s & Don’ts: Secret’s of My Success

General Comments• Contact as close to the hiring manager level as possible• Make use of alumni contacts• Cruise the internet• Talk to Professors• Attend technical conferences• Site visits (student tours?)

Lou Trent, Assistant Director & Associate [email protected]

Bryan Dansberry, Assistant [email protected]

University of Cincinnati Division of Professional Practice P.O. Box 210115Cincinnati, OH 45221-0115

Debate and Discussion

“For my work, I was nominated for Engineer of the Quarter at Wright-Patterson, and I will be

competing against career engineers for this

award.”

Christopher HummerAerospace Engineering, 2008

“I have the ability to predict the behavior of fluids using supercomputers.”

Wright Patterson Air Force Base

“you get to see your work launch into outer space, with a 1000 foot fireball

trailing behind”

Andrew SampsonElectrical Engineering, 2006

NASA Kennedy Space Center

Kyle BlakleyCivil and Environmental Engineering, 2008

“One of the many bridge projects completed by our office.”

“Topics range from storm water

management, roadway layout and design, traffic signal and speed warrants,

environmental studies…”

Ryan StobbsMechanical Engineering, 2007

Nevada Automotive Test Center

“The military came to the company wanting to test the durability of a new turret design”

“You fire several hundred 50 caliber machine gun bullets and drive it through the desert for several hundred miles”

Robin VenturaAerospace Engineering, 2006

NASA Langley

Research Center

“to enhance an aerodynamic model for a simulation of a twin-engine transport aircraft”

“This simulation is now used in to train NASA research pilots to fly a highly advanced remote control model of the aircraft and obtain real aerodynamic data”

Zach NormanGraphic Design 2006

Harpers Ferry Design Center

“ I had the opportunity to design an award that was presented to First Lady Laura

Bush”

“I can’t go into any details because of

government restrictions;

General Electric and Rolls Royce

proprietary rights.”

“First Engine to test with 3,000+ sensors installed.”

Brian KodrichAerospace Engineering, 2007

Defense Contract

Management Agency