04.18.2023 –
The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) Women’s Employee Resource Group (WERG) and Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Diversity and Inclusion Office (ED&I) presented a hybrid panel discussion on March 30, 2023, in celebration of Women’s History Month.
NSWCPD EEO Program Complaints Manager Crystal Roach highlighted some of the many important women in American naval history during the event’s opening remarks.
“Navy Secretary Josephus Daniels issued an order allowing women to enlist in the U.S. Naval Reserve Force on March 19, 1917 … Loretta Walsh became the first woman to officially enlist in the U.S. Navy only two days after that historic decision,” Roach said. “Geologist and oceanographic cartographer Marie Tharp created the first scientific maps of the Atlantic Ocean floor and shaped our understanding of plate tectonics and continental drift. During this year’s International Women’s Day on March 8, 2023, the USNS Maury was renamed the USNS Marie Tharp in her honor.”
NSWCPD In-Service Fuel Oil Lead and WERG Acting Chair Michelle Klem served as moderator for the panel.
“What I want to do in today’s discussion is highlight all the success of all the women of the command, and give those tips and tricks to everyone else,” Klem said as she helped kick off the panel’s discussion.
A variety of NSWCPD career fields were represented as the panel consisted of Mechanical Engineer Taylor Barnett, Logistics Management Specialist Marie Ramos-Santana, Program Manager Monica Schrank, and Mechanical Engineer Ashley Ferguson.
The first poignant topic brought up by the panelists was how they had often been the only woman in a large government meeting.
“I worked on a main propulsion shafting and I had to present my work at an event called the Propulsion Executives Hearing Committee … I started presenting and I began looking around the room and counting. I realized I was the only woman in the room with 100 people there. That’s when I realized ‘Wow, I am one percent of people in this room right now that are women,’” Ferguson said.
She added, “Fortunately, over the years it went up to about five percent about the time I left, and I would like to think now that the number of women at the event keeps growing.”
The panel also brought awareness to the challenges that being a woman in the workforce presents.
“When women show emotion of any sort when you’re angry or you get upset, emotion is usually used as a weakness against us, whereas you don’t see that with a male counterpart. It is shown as a sign of authority when a man does it, but if I was to get loud with someone else it’s because I’m ‘being difficult’ or if I get frustrated and tear up it’s because I’m being ‘too emotional,’” Schrank said.
While women have many obstacles to overcome in the workplace, many mentors at NSWCPD can help. The panel made sure to credit the people who aided them in their careers.
“When I first joined Code 414 [Combat Support Systems], I was introduced to Tania Teissonniere-Almodovar … She has challenged me and not in a way that would diminish me, but she has encouraged me in challenging me to stand in my knowledge and to trust my gut …What I appreciate about her, too, is that we have conversations about our personal lives. She understands that personal lives could affect our professional lives,” Barnett said.
During the audience question and answer portion of the event, the panel was asked how they push back against sexist comments from men questioning if a woman was hired or promoted “only because she is a girl.”
“Just be yourself. Participate in work and discussions that you see these men participate in so that they can see your value. Show them that women are just as capable in doing things that men are doing.” Ramos-Santana said.
NSWCPD Business Director Theresa Steck provided the closing remarks as the panel discussion came to an end and reflected on the progress that she has observed over her career.
“I’m quite pleased to see how women have progressed in the past 40 years well beyond when I first came here when women needed permission granted via naval message to ride a ship for Naval Ship Systems Engineering Station (NAVSSES), a pre-curser to NSWCPD. Believe it or not, sometimes those requests were denied because of lack of accommodations, sending a male engineer to support the work effort. Women now not only serve onboard submarines, but also as Commanding Officer (CO) and Executive Officer (XO) in our active Fleet, shipyards, and waterfront organizations,” Steck said.
She continued, “Finally, I am pleased to see greater numbers of women in STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics] fields of study and employment. I am very proud to be a part of NSWCPD leadership and the Division’s continued diversity and inclusion efforts, which is making great strides towards equal representation.”
NSWCPD employs approximately 2,800 civilian engineers, scientists, technicians, and support personnel. The NSWCPD team does the research and development, test and evaluation, acquisition support, and in-service and logistics engineering for the non-nuclear machinery, ship machinery systems, and related equipment and material for Navy surface ships and submarines. NSWCPD is also the lead organization providing cybersecurity for all ship systems.