NEW YORK –On Friday February 27, 2017, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, New York District, went to Orchard Collegiate Academy, a public school on the lower East Side, to speak to a physics class of high school juniors about the merits of careers focused on science, engineering, technology and math (STEM). The discussion was attended by 30 students, who learned about about the Corps’ mission and and how it ties into STEM. Suzana Rice, civil engineer and Marc Jurcic, architect, both talked about their work for New York District’s engineering division, including some of the key projects as well as their overall experience in their respective fields.
Overall, it was a very productive day with students engaging in discussions about what type of work New District does as well as questions about careers in engineering. One student even said he wanted to become a mechanical engineer. The school also houses the NYC Center for Space and Science Education. The center is modeled after NASA’s aerospace center and has a Challenger learning center. Every year select students attend after school and week-long summer programs, where they get to experience what it is like to be astronauts. The center is a great influence on children in the community and provides a safe and fun place for them to explore additional opportunities in STEM-related career fields.