OFFUTT AIR FORCE BASE, Neb. -- Students from Bellevue University and Omaha North High School participated in the 2020 U.S. Army Corps of Engineers STEM Outreach workshop at Offutt Air Force Base on Jan. 29, 2020.
The workshop was established to recruit, train, and grow interest in the STEM skillsets needed to support the national security.
“The 2020 USACE STEM Outreach Workshop series is an expansion of our successful 2017-2018 partnership with Offutt AFB and Omaha North High School's National Society of Black Engineers Junior Chapter,” said Gregory Etter, USACE Omaha District Petroleum, Oil, and Lubricants Mandatory Center of Expertise program manager.
The workshop provided the students with a summary of the life cycle of a fueling system. Starting at the end user, 55th Wing, the presentations showed all the pieces that come together to keep the system running smoothly.
A second workshop is scheduled for Feb. 27 which will highlight protective design elements of the Zorinsky Federal Building in Omaha and teach students to perform vulnerability assessments of buildings, bridges, and hydroelectric dams.
Congressman Donald Bacon addressed the students via video. He encouraged them to pursue STEM careers because of a predicted 34 percent increase in demand for jobs in those fields over the next three years.
By fostering and developing connections in the community, Offutt and USACE are helping to provide STEM students examples of high-profile projects and future careers.
“The 2020 USACE STEM Outreach Workshop series allows Omaha college students and high school students to interact with their counterparts in industry and government while learning about local projects related to Department of Defense, Information Technology, and civil infrastructure,” said Janelle Shere, USACE Omaha District project manager.
During the workshop, presenters emphasized the way we configure fuel systems to survive and anticipate threats. Additionally, they included information detailing how the systems are designed in a consistent manner which provides the warfighter clean fuel worldwide.
“We are grateful to the Omaha North High School NSBE Jr. Chapter and Bellevue University's Military Veterans Services Center for participating, and we anticipate increased involvement from regional educational institutions in following years as this STEM outreach program grows,” said Eric Bausch, USACE Omaha District engineering support branch chief.