How the contracting sector is coming together to prepare today’s youth for tomorrow’s careers in math and science.
Decades after leaving fifth grade, Ed Swallow still remembers the person who had a pivotal role in shaping his future career.
A student who tested ahead in math and was already reading Scientific America at a young age, Swallow, a vice president of business development at Northrop Grumman’s Information Systems Sector, who oversees cyber strategy, capabilities and technologies for the company’s civil programs, credits his teacher — Mr. Russo — with encouraging him to become an engineer.
“Almost everybody who went into a technical career had somebody who influenced that decision,” Swallow said. “For me, it was Mr. Russo.”
DECADES AFTER LEAVING FIFTH GRADE, Ed Swallow still remembers the person who had a pivotal role in shaping his future career.
A student who tested ahead in math and was already reading Scientific America at a young age, Swallow, a vice president of business development at Northrop Grumman’s Information Systems Sector, who oversees cyber strategy, capabilities and technologies for the company’s civil programs, credits his teacher — Mr. Russo — with encouraging him to become an engineer.
“Almost everybody who went into a technical career had somebody who influenced that decision,” Swallow said. “For me, it was Mr. Russo.” Now, there is a nationwide initiative for teachers like Mr. Russo to encourage careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, or STEM. There is a growing trend among the security and technology industries to partner with the education sector to increase the number of students pursuing classes and careers in STEM.
STEM advocates say the key to maintaining an international competitive edge in IT starts at the elementary level by exciting children about science and math so they will develop an interest in these subjects.
A longtime STEM advocate, Norm Augustine knows the importance of the program and its underlying principles. The retired chairman and CEO of Lockheed Martin co-authored two congressional reports that identified both the need for high-quality jobs and the need for clean, affordable and reliable energy. In his 2010 testimony, Augustine said the decline in U.S. competitiveness could be explained by university budget cuts spurred by the recession.
Without stronger efforts to strengthen the education system and double the government’s research budget, the report concluded, the country’s status as an IT leader will continue to be undesirably impacted.
To prepare for a career in the technology and engineering professions, children should be encouraged by their parents and educators at a young age to explore science and develop an interest in numbers. Talented scientists and technologists are a resource critical to the nation’s security and economic future.
Embracing the need to better ready the future generation of engineers and scientists — and to augment their own base of highly qualified professionals — many of the largest government contracting firms in the nation have come together to sponsor education initiatives with the goal to inspire students, teachers and parents in STEM focus areas.
Northrop Grumman is involved in several STEM-related activities in communities throughout the country. One of them is the Air Force Association’s CyberPatriot program, a national high school cyber defense competition of which Northrop Grumman is the presenting sponsor. This year’s competition hosted 680 high schools with teams sponsored by government contractors such as Boeing, BAE Systems, General Dynamics, Lockheed Martin, Raytheon, QinetiQ North America and SAIC.
Raytheon CEO Bill Swanson has been recognized for creating MathMovesU, a STEM engagement program aimed at 10-14-year-olds that shows how math connects with areas such as sports and fashion through interactive games and scholarships. And Walt Havenstein, CEO of SAIC, serves as chairman of the board of directors for FIRST — For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology — a nonprofit that uses events such as robotic competitions and mentor programs to inspire students as young as kindergarten toward STEM careers.
QinetiQ NA’s STEM engagement doesn’t stop with CyberPatriot. The firm plays an active role in educating the future STEM workforce — beginning with elementary school students. Mike Stolarik, president and COO of the company, said he vividly remembers visiting students at Cunningham Park Elementary in Vienna, Va., to “launch” a STEM initiative for his company. Stolarik used a multimedia presentation of a NASA rocket launch to demonstrate the excitement a launch creates. “The enthusiasm generated that day from involving the entire faculty and student body in the countdown was truly memorable, and I am sure this demonstration made a lasting impression on these youngsters,” he said.
The government contracting sector has vowed to finish what Mr. Russo started, offering students the opportunity to realize their potential in STEM-related fields and use what they have learned to the fullest extent.
— Lauren Maffeo
