High school students from across New Jersey converged on Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) Lakehurst on Feb. 7 for the annual New Jersey Southern Junior Science and Humanities Symposium.  

The annual event, held in partnership with Ocean County College (OCC), promotes work in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) fields for the high school students who could someday join Lakehurst’s workforce in support of the warfighter without having to go far from home. The students compete for scholarships and other awards, with the top finalists advancing to the Department of Defense National Junior Science and Humanities Symposium (JSHS) in Virginia later this year.  

In his introductory remarks, NAWCAD Lakehurst Executive Director Sean D. Brennan said it was exciting to have the students at the warfare center to learn about their research, while also giving the future scientists and engineers a chance to learn more about the critical work done not far from where they live.  

“I remember being in high school with a great interest in the STEM fields. That same interest drives my career pursuits today,” Brennan said. "NAWCAD Lakehurst's success in supporting the warfighter and naval aviation, in particular, depends on our people. These students are the future of this country, and I’m proud we can be here to help them take the next steps in their careers.” 

Judges for the event included representatives from NAWCAD Lakehurst, OCC, U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command’s Command, Control, Communication, Computers, Cyber, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Center, Naval Surface Warfare Center: Indian Head Detachment Picatinny, and the NJ Sea Grant Consortium.  

In addition to the ten finalists and six poster presenters, the event included a demonstration from Scuba.Tech, a non-profit promoting work in oceanography and marine biology. Scuba.Tech cofounder and NAWCAD Lakehurst employee Josh Gross, demonstrated the Remotely Operated Vehicle they use in exploring shipwrecks and other coastal underwater environments.  

Maggie Kelleher, a senior at the Marine Academy for Technology and Marine Science high school, won the overall competition for her “Creating a Durable, Low Carbon Emission Concrete Through the Use of Recycled Materials.” Along with several other top performers, Kelleher will advance to the National Competition in Chantilly, Virginia, at the end of April. 

“We absolutely love hosting this regional JSHS competition right here on the Joint Base at our Flight Deck Community Center,” said Gaetan Mangano, Education Outreach Lead at NAWCAD Lakehurst. “We provide unequivocal support to the event with Paper Reviewers, Symposium Judges and a working crew that readies the venue.” 

The symposium is one of several STEM education outreach programs supported by NAWCAD Lakehurst. Other programs include capstone projects at the university level and scholarship programs to increase student interest in STEM fields at the middle school, high school, and college levels. Students of all kinds are invited to learn more about Lakehurst’s support of Naval and Marine Corps Aviation, through hosted tours of its labs, test sites, and manufacturing facilities. 

For more information on STEM Outreach at NAWCAD Lakehurst, contact Gaetan Mangano at [email protected].