Naval Surface Warfare Center Indian Head Explosive
Ordnance Disposal Technology Division (NSWC IHEODTD) signed Educational
Partnership Agreements (EPA) with
University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez Campus, in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, Oct. 29,
and Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Oct. 30.
The renewed, three-year partnerships enable the command
to assist students with academic and career advice; provide research projects
that are relevant to technical applications required by the U. S. Navy; and identify and develop future Department of
Defense employees.
During the last EPA,
some of the projects in which the students participated included
military helmet designs, remote improvised explosive device extraction studies,
cartridge- and propellant-actuated device auto-ignition test and multi-purpose
shock-absorbing container designs. Twenty-four students were hired from
previous partnerships, and 19 remain current employees.
"We enjoyed tremendous success from these
partnerships, so it's exciting to renew our commitment and explore how we can
continue to expand opportunities," said NSWC IHEODTD Commanding Officer,
Capt. Vincent Martinez. "This program
inspires young men and women by allowing them to come here, work with our
experts in unique Navy facilities with highly-specialized equipment, and help
solve real Navy problems. At the same
time, these partnerships allow our command to leverage new views, perspectives
and problem solving approaches to our decision making processes. In the end, these types of educational
outreach benefits the warfighter by developing the next generation of problem
solvers."
NSWC IHEODTD - a field activity of the Naval Sea Systems
Command and part of the Navy's Science and Engineering Enterprise - is the
leader in ordnance, energetics and EOD solutions. The Division focuses on
energetics research, development, testing, evaluation, in-service support and
disposal; and provides warfighters solutions to detect, locate, access,
identify, render safe, recover, exploit and dispose of explosive ordnance
threats.