CRANE, Ind. –
Growing up near the Navy laboratory, Alexandria Kilzer didn’t expect her career would lead her to Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division (NSWC Crane). However, when she was studying chemistry as an undergraduate at Indiana University, she began interning at NSWC Crane in the summer of 2019.
“I was very fortunate,” Kilzer said. “I was part of a group of five interns—all five of us were placed together in a central office and developed good camaraderie. When we were facing a challenge, we supported each other and learned from it. We ‘team worked’ our way through it. It’s important to have a comfortable place to learn together. We bonded, which added to the experience, and all of us stayed on as full-time employees.”
Kilzer, a Scientist and Task Manager at NSWC Crane, graduated in 2021 and started her career working in aircraft systems and technology. Not long after, she began working with the space portfolio at NSWC Crane, which includes work for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). She now ensures rigorous test and evaluation for space program energy systems. In addition to working with space portfolio, she is also working on the development of a novel universal charger for Navy aircraft, supporting the "rebuild our military" initiative outlined by Secretary of Defense.
She attributes her success to a great team and mentorship.
“I’ve had really great mentors,” Kilzer said. “My Chief Engineer—he’s amazing and I’m able to ask him any technical question. I’ve been able to grow as a scientist with his mentorship. Even now with my space team, if we’re having a challenge or difficult time, or we have some kind of roadblock in the way we are able to effectively work through it. I am very fortunate that I have a team that I feel comfortable discussing challenges with. They support me and I support them, and we learn from each other.”
NSWC Crane has state-of-the-art battery and energy storage testing laboratories as well as scientists and engineers dedicated to ensuring technology reliability. NSWC Crane supports NASA in several programs, and future support could expand to other sectors. The lithium-ion cells for the International Space Station (ISS) are tested at NSWC Crane, and Kilzer leads the testing life-cycle effort and is the project representative for all ISS cell testing onsite. She tracks deliverables, accepts funding, coordinates agreements, and reports the project risks.
“People may not think NASA when they think about NSWC Crane, but we have supported NASA for decades. NSWC Crane has a wonderful test bed of capabilities for customers to turn to.” said Kilzer. “There may be opportunities to grow space support on the commercial side with more companies now entering space, which could allow us to grow that portfolio.”
The universal charger is for the power storage systems for military aircraft, including platforms such as Navy jets and helicopters. The universal charger is a newer program to provide charging power to previous and future aircraft, with the ability to adapt to future technological power needs. Batteries are used in aircraft power technologies and systems like sensors, tools, backups, and drones. For the aviation universal charger, Kilzer recently presented a poster on the program in Washington DC.
“We are working to replace the current aging aircraft chargers used in the fleet [to make energy storage support more efficient],” said Kilzer. “[We are] developing an aviation universal charger that can be used on previous platform energy systems like lead acid and NiCd batteries, while also supporting the fleet transition to Lithium-ion batteries. Our team went out and saw some of the [energy] storage containers, making sure that the charging, discharging, and maintaining of the energy systems used in aircraft applications is done in a safe way. I’ve enjoyed the universal charger program—I got the opportunity to meet the end user and I was able to have the boots on the ground feeling at the end of the day. This is who I’m supporting, and this is where my work is going; this is who I’m helping. Through all the reports, phone calls, and meetings, the human aspect really shows you make a difference.”
This focus on cutting-edge technology and efficient resource allocation directly aligns with SECDEF Hegseth's commitment to "rapidly field[ing] new technologies" and ensuring that every dollar spent translates to battlefield success. By investing in projects like the universal charger, the Department of Defense demonstrates its dedication to equipping warfighters with the best tools and streamlining operations for maximum efficiency.
Kilzer said she is most proud of the progress she has made.
“In my role at NSWC Crane I have been challenged and had to adapt fast. Being able to adjust and having really great mentors has really allowed me to be successful. A mentor told me it’s important to be comfortable with being uncomfortable. That has been key. It’s ok not to know something as long as you have the resources to go learn it and you have the open environment that can foster that learning.”
She said an aspect of working at NSWC Crane is the wide variety of technology areas supported.
“You never know what’s going to happen with your career—Crane is really big. Any domain from undersea to space, is supported at NSWC Crane. I think because I had to learn and grow fast, I’m still actively developing my professional career skills. To any young scientist or young person entering science, be open to opportunities. When I went to school for chemistry, I didn’t know what that would look like on the other end. If I had a structured idea of what I thought a scientist or chemist would look like, that might have hindered me and my ability to become what I am today.”
About NSWC Crane | NSWC Crane is a naval laboratory and a field activity of Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) with mission areas in Expeditionary Warfare, Strategic Missions and Electromagnetic Warfare. The warfare center is responsible for multi-domain, multi-spectral, full life cycle support of technologies and systems enhancing capability to today's Warfighter.