SEAP Students Present Summer Projects to ECBC Workforce



Photo credit: Jennifer Carroll, U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center
Danielle Nguyen participated in the SEAP program for the second consecutive year. She supported the JPM-BD Team with ‘Business and Communications Support for the Advanced Planning Brief to Industry’ and was mentored by Tom Buonaugurio and Malcolm Goodman this year.

Aberdeen Proving Ground ― The U.S. Army Edgewood Chemical Biological Center (ECBC) selected 15 high school students ― through the Science and Engineering Apprentice Program (SEAP) ―to work with leading scientists and engineers across the Center over the summer.

Before their departure, SEAP students presented their project work to ECBC’s leadership and workforce members August 15. They also used this occasion to thank their mentors for their meaningful support.

Patterson Mill High School graduate Danielle Nguyen, who has been a SEAP student for the second consecutive year, shared some fun facts about the Pentagon and summarized the program impact on her future career at the end of her presentation.

“This experience not only helped me grow as a person, but also taught me that time management and strong communications skills are key [to a successful career],” she said. “It is not about how much you do, but about what you do and what you take away from this program.”

“I was very lucky that that my mentors let me take a huge amount of leadership,” Nguyen continued and expressed a special thanks to her mentors ‘Mac’ and ‘Tom B’, the SEAP Program Lead at ECBC Mark Schlein, as well as Program Coordinator Regina Ryan.

SEAP is an eight-week summer program for high school students and graduates, jointly sponsored George Washington University and the Department of Defense. Designed for students to apprentice in fields of their choice with experienced scientists and engineers, the program offers students the opportunity to make informed career decisions. While contributing to real-world research, they acquire hands-on experience and a broader view of various career pathways in science, technology, engineering and math.

Working in Army research and development laboratories allows students to apprentice in a professional setting and learn how their research can benefit the warfighter and first responders.

“Our goal is to challenge SEAP students at ECBC and engage them in relevant projects that help us achieve our mission,” Schlein said. “And, I am very impressed with the progress they made and the results they revealed during the past few weeks.”