Eric Schierling of Vencore and Tina Harrington of SIGNT and NRO spoke at the 2016 K-12 STEM Symposium with moderator Ed Swallows of The Aerospace Corporation. Tina explained her interest in STEM throughout her elementary and high school years, how she began working at The Aerospace Corporation as an intern in college, and how she uses math to solve problems at her current job. Eric’s appreciation for engineering began at his grandfather’s machine shop and eventually led him to pursue an engineering degree, which then led him to becoming a naval aviator. This translated him into his career, where he designs and develops some of the most complex systems.
Tina Harrington and Eric Schierling answered questions concerning what kinds of things people with STEM careers do everyday, what the next stage is in STEM, and what they look for in prospective employees. Other topics included STEM intern programs, structured activities outside of school, and opportunities in space.