JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST, N.J. –
Long before working at Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division Lakehurst (NAWCAD LKE), Adam Cyran and Josh Falk developed their passion for the STEM fields as students with their high school robotics teams. Now, through their work with the For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST) Robotics program, they help develop future scientists, engineers and mathematicians while raising awareness about NAWCAD’s mission at competitions across the country.
Cyran's journey with NAWCAD LKE started ten years ago as an intern in the science and technology department when he was a student at Steinert High School. He continued spending his summers working in different departments at Lakehurst before joining the Mark-7 arresting gear group, working his way up to his current role as a test engineer with the Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) test site operations.
Falk, a mechanical engineer with the design and analysis branch, started at NAWCAD LKE as an intern while studying at Lafayette College, but traces his STEM roots to being on the first competitive robotics team from Robbinsville High School.
"I obviously had an impactful experience in the program. And I'm trying to make sure that continues and that the other students now have that same experience to start their STEM careers," Falk said about serving as an advisor at his alma mater. "I'd say one thing that hasn't changed is that all the students on the team are just as driven and motivated as ever. I think it's good to see that we're doing all this technical work. But we've developed enough experience that we can look outwards and do a little bit more community outreach."
Now the two are active with FIRST Robotics from a different perspective. Cyran said the program encourages students from kindergarten through high school to develop a passion for STEM. The program includes competitions where teams build robots that can perform various tasks.
While FIRST Robotics focuses on science and engineering, Cyran said the students also learn presentation skills, how the prototyping process works, the importance of budget management, and how to meet deadlines.
"It's really an interesting program because it tackles so many of these aspects that these kids are working on and shouldn't even be working on until college. And so, when they get to college or out in the world, they're ahead of the curve," Cyran added.
During many competitions on the east coast, Cyran serves as the master of ceremonies, giving back to something that started as a high school extracurricular activity and developed into a career.
"I try to give back and make the events as exciting as they were for me in high school," Cyran said. "And I try to be impressionable to the point where they can understand that their dreams are reachable, and they can achieve their STEM goals."
While the students are the primary beneficiaries of the program, both said it is also a good opportunity for NAWCAD Lakehurst to be part of the community.
"I think the big thing we get from this is we leave an impression on these folks. And we are also helping these students who are really determined and interested in investing themselves in a larger program that is changing the world," Cyran said. "These folks are leaders that are up and coming and taking the initiative to go out and do these hard tasks. They're really problem-solving in a very critical and creative manner. And I think that's something we can really benefit from."
"I guess the most concrete example is that Adam and I are working here because we were involved in programs like this," Falk said. "I think showing young students what Lakehurst, NAVAIR, the Navy, and the government do either by supporting the programs or making it possible for people like Adam and me to volunteer our time is the most direct impact."