Mentoring a New Generation of Creative Engineers
February 23, 2005
The Dallas Morning News

By Pat Ward
Advertising Writer

THIS IS ENGINEERS WEEK, a time to celebrate the vast variety of positive contributions engineers make each day.  It's also a time for engineers to promote the importance of a technical education.

But efforts to nurture a new generation of engineers aren't limited to EWeek.  Throughout the year, engineers participate in programs that provide young people with a glimpse into their world, perhaps sparking an interest in a career in engineering.

With the support of their employers, many engineers take their message to the classroom with hands-on, application-based learning activities.  For example, engineers with L-3 Communications Integrated Systems, a defense contractor with Texas locations in Greenville and Waco, introduce primarily middle school students to the world of technology through the Discover "E" program.

"As one of the largest engineering outreach programs in the country, Discover "E" annual reaches more than 5 million students and teachers through classroom visits and extracurricular programs," says Dr. Val Gavito, vice president of Engineers & Strategic Initiatives for L-3/IS.  "This year, our engineers plan to visit 22 schools in North and Central Texas and enlighten more than 2,200 students about the practical applications of math, science and technology."

Maintaining a diverse and vigorous workforce is important to companies that employ large numbers of engineers.

Programs that engage students before they enter college are an investment in the future.  In addition to conducting Discover "E" programs, L-3/IS engineers also act as teachers, mentors and cheerleaders for a team of Greenville High School students, the RoboWranglers, who participate in the FIRST Robotics competition.  Participating teams are challenged to solve a common problem within a specific timeframe using a standard "kit of parts" and a set up rules.  Teams build robots and enter them in a series of competitions.  More than 900 teams compete in 26 regional events nation-wide, with over 7,000 students participating in the championship.

James Collier, a senior engineering manager in the aeronautical engineering department of L-3/IS, worked with the program for a number of years, both as a mentor and a parent.  One of his sons, Darby, now studying mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington, participated as a high school student in Greenville.

"It gives the students a real sense of the brainstorming that's involved in a project," says Mr. Collier.  "It also shows them the many phases a project goes through, such as layout and design, fabrication and problem-solving."

The project also supplies students with hands-on experience in the real-world application of technology, says Casey Welch, who has participated, first as a student and now as a systems engineer from the infrastructure systems group, in the FIRST Robotics competition for eight years.

"As a high school student, it gives you a good sense of how you apply the knowledge you learn in the classroom," he says.  "So much of it was directly related to what we were learning in physics."

The engineers' support was invaluable, he says.  "They let us be creative and were very encouraging."

Now as a mentor, Mr. Welch considers the project to be a rewarding experience for everyone involved.  "It's a really good team experience."

Mr. Collier concurs.  "There is so much of a team commitment between the students and engineers.  When you finish, there is a great sense of accomplishment, of team accomplishment."