Class of 2022
Carter Huggins
Title: College Student at University of Pittsburgh
School(s)/Degree(s): University of Pittsburgh, B.S. Computer Science, B.S.B.A Finance, Digital Media Certificate (all in progress)
Relevant Science Courses: CS courses (CS 0007, CMPINF 401, CS 445)
Important Mathematics Courses: Calc 1 + 2, Statistics
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Laser Angle vs Reflection Diameter, Golf Stance vs. Swing Distance, Finding Patterns in Footsteps
Advice for Science Students: Take leadership roles in the classroom and in extracurricular activities.
Class of 2021
Josiah Dubovi
Title: Physics Undergraduate Student
School: Clarion University of Pennsylvania
Relevant Science Courses: Physics, Computer Science
Relevant Math Courses: Linear Algebra, Calculus, and pretty much everything else.
FAHS Long-terms: Verifying Identities using Taylor Series, Statistical Analysis of Sentence Structure and Frequency of Conjunctions, How Xylophone Mallet Hardness Influences the Sound Produced, Rate at Which Varying Temperature Affects the Pitch of a Guitar String
Advice for Science Students: Take as many science classes as you can, even if it's not in the field you want to study. You may find yourself interested in something you never expected.
Class of 2020
Max Ujhazy
Title: Biomedical Engineering Undergraduate Student
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Biomedical Engineering, Minor: Physics and Mathematics - Duquesne University
Relevant Science Courses: Physics I/II/III/Modern, General Relativity, Chemistry I/II, Biology I/II, Genetics
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus I/II/III, Differential Equations, Probability and Statistics I/II
Research Projects: Hydrodynamic Particle Trapping
FAHS Long-term Project(s): 1) Cricket Sociobiology 2) Efficacy of Lotion on Skin Over Time 3)Variables Affecting the Throw of a Football
Advice for Science Students: You are your own guide through life. Follow a path of passion, interest, and desires.
Logan Richards
Title: Undergraduate Student at Ohio University HTC
School(s)/Degree(s): Pursuing B.S. Physics, B.S. Advanced Computing - Ohio University HTC
Relevant Science Courses: Newtonian Physics, Fluid Mechanics, Energy, Electromagnetism & Optics, Data Structures, Cryptology/Cybersecurity, Object-Oriented Programming
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus I - III, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, Probability & Statistics, Boolean Algebra, Discrete Structures, Numerical Methods Research
FAHS Long-term Project(s): 1) How Changes in a Neural Network’s Layering and Parameters Affects its Accuracy, 2) Backtracking Optimizations for Sudoku Puzzles
Advice for Science Students: Never stop learning. Pick a field that interests you enough to keep you engaged outside of the classroom.
Cole Skuse
Title: Physics Undergraduate Student
School(s)/Degree(s): Pursuing B.S. Physics, Minor in Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University
Relevant Science Courses: Physics I/II/III, Experimental Physics, Fundamentals of Programming
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus I - III, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra
FAHS Long-term Project(s): 1) Analyzing Frequency Patterns in Musical Scales and Chords 2) How Loft of Golf Clubs Affects Distance and Air Time 3) How Different Frequencies and Intensities of Light Affect Eye Dilation
Advice for Science Students: Utilize all of the resources around you and don't be afraid to ask for help when you need it. The earlier you learn to ask for help, the better off you will be in the future. Also, don't be afraid to chase opportunities when you have them, even if you feel like you aren't good enough for them!
Ella Walden
Title: PA Game Commission Internship
School: Conservation Biology Major - Kent State University
Current Occupation: I'm currently in the process of obtaining a summer internship similar to the one I'm presenting.
Relevant Science Courses: AP Biology, Chemistry, & Wargo's clubs
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra & Pre-Calculus
FAHS Long-term Project: Water Turbidity (2019)
Advice for Science Students: Keep as many options for yourself open for as long as possible.
Thomas R. Supe, V
Title: Aerospace Propulsion Mechanic
Current Employer: United States Air Force
School(s)/Degree(s): USAF Propulsion Technical Training AETC
Current Occupation: I maintain the Prat And Whitney F-100 Turbo Fan engine. The primary engine in the F-15 Strike Eagle Fighter Jet.
Relevant Science Courses: Mostly physics but there is actually some chemistry that goes into the engine such as fuel and oil.
Important Mathematics Courses: Basic math. We use micrometers and depth gauges to measure certain components.
Research Projects: F-117 Nighthawk (first stealth fighter jet)
FAHS Long-term Project(s): How temperature effects the velocity and splatter of a paintball.
Advice for Science Students: Learn a lot, don’t take criticism personal, and take your career into your own hands! Don’t expect things from anyone. People will constantly try to tell you that you won’t go anywhere. I can personally guarantee you, if you work hard and don’t give up, you can do anything you want, and you will do great things.
Cade Skuse
Title: Student at Robert Morris University
Current Employer: UPMC
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Actuarial Science - Robert Morris University, Graduating Spring 2024
Current Occupation: Working as intern with UPMC in their Health Actuarial Department this Summer
Relevant Science Courses: Computational skills and critical thinking from Physics
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus and TONS of Statistics and Financial Math
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Effects of Temperature and Time on Dehydration
Advice for Science Students: If you are interested in something, pursue it! There are tons of resources out there for pretty much anything you want to learn!
Baylee Stewart
Title: Aerospace Engineer
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Aerospace Engineering, Kent State University, 2024
Internships: Interned at the University of Texas at El Paso (Research facility in Youngstown, Ohio). Involved working with small satellites and was part of the Attitude Determination and Control System Team that controls the position of a satellite while in orbit.
Relevant Science Courses: Physics
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus
FAHS Long-term Project(s):
Advice for Science Students:
Class of 2019
Robin Kaufman
Title: Environmental Engineering Student
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Civil Engineering - University of Pittsburgh (in progress)
Relevant Science Courses: Chemistry (lots of it), Physics, Biology
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus I-III, Differential Equations, Linear Algebra, Statistics
FAHS Long-term Project(s): 1) How does hand sanitizer affect blood sugar readings? 2) How does the size of a salt bridge affect the transfer of ions? 3) How does blood oxygenation affect surgical gloves?
Advice for Science Students: Remember that your hard work will pay off. Actually learning (not just memorizing) the material in high school science courses will prevent a lot of struggling in college!
Jenna Engel
Name: Jenna Engel
Class: 2019
Title: Undergraduate Industrial Engineering Student
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Industrial Engineering – The Pennsylvania State University (in progress); A.S. Applied Science- Community College of Beaver County
Relevant Science Courses: General Chemistry 1 and 2, Lots and Lots of Physics, Computer Science, Computer Aided Drafting, Mechanics, Statics, Strengths and Materials, Electricity and Magnetism, Product Design, Specification and Measurement, (Italics indicates courses I still need to take)
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra, Calculus 1-3, Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations, Matrices
FAHS Long-term Project(s): 1.) How does the amount of oil effect the viscosity of paint? 2.) How does fracking effect plant life?
Advice for Science Students: The stereotype about science being a male-dominated field may seem daunting, but as a woman going into STEM, I’m realizing how important it is to have a different perspective than the norm. Ladies, don’t be afraid! While high school may seem terrible, I promise that your teachers have your best interest at heart. College is a different world, and they want nothing more than for you to adapt and succeed. So take their advice, listen to what they have to say, and show them what you’re made of. Learn what works for you and what doesn’t, and for the love of all things science, please be gentle with yourself - prioritize your mental health. STEM is hard, but it’s okay to take a break for a little and ask for help when you need it. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Class of 2018
Haley Velemirovich
Title: Associate Scientist II, Product Development
Current Employer: Mondelez International
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. in Food Science, minor in microbiology – Penn State University
Current Occupation: I am working as a product developer at Mondelez International with a focus on business continuity planning (BCP) for North American Biscuit raw materials.
Relevant Science Courses: Biology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, physics, nutrition (Lots of science involved in food science!)
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus 1, statistics
Research Projects: Genomic analysis of Ramps (Allium tricoccum) via polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and gel electrophoresis
FAHS Long-term Project(s): 1) How the amount of baking powder added to a cake affects its overall rise in height. 2) How the gluten content of flour affects the elasticity/stretch of the resulting dough. 3) how the placement of a light source affects the angle at which shadows are cast.
Advice for Science Students: Take advantage of fully learning and understanding basic, but important, scientific concepts while you are still in high school! Build a solid foundation in STEM while you are surrounded by educators that care about you and want nothing more than for you to succeed. Also, don't be afraid to take AP and dual-enrollment classes while in high school; they can help you lower your course load later on in college, and even put you ahead of schedule!
Michael Keith
Title: Slurry Phase Reaction Operator
Current Employer: Shell Chemicals
School(s)/Degree(s): Associates of Process Technology
Community College of Beaver County
Current Occupation: Ensure safe and efficient operations of the Shell plant once we start up but until then I am drafting procedures to operate the technology
Relevant Science Courses: Lots of Physics
In my field everything has to to with pressures and flows, chemistry background is also very important to help with our chemical/hydrocarbons in the plant.
Research Projects: Degassing of Resin
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Material Strength: Concrete in Relation to Water Content
Advice for Science students: Take it more seriously than I did! It will make your life so much easier. Never stop asking questions. Learn, learn, learn!
Alexis Halvin
Title: Undergraduate Biological Science Student - Pre-Dental
Current Employer: Clarion University
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Biological Science with minor in psychology-Clarion University (in progress); A.S. Biological Science-Community College of Beaver County
Relevant Science Courses: Biology I and II, Chemistry I and II, Organic Chemistry I and II
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus I
Research Projects: New assay using PCR and SEA Phage voyage research (on-hold due to COVID)
FAHS Long-term Project(s): 1) Waves vs Drainage 2) Does acidity affect tooth decay and if so, how? 3) Does Surface Area Affect Velocity?
Advice for Science Students: Pay close attention in your first year science courses. They build the foundation for upper level courses and only made it easier to progress
Ava Colorito
Title: Surgical Pathology Technician
Current Employer: UPMC
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Biology with a minor in Administration of Justice. Hoping to go back for my masters!
Current Occupation: I work as a Surgical Pathology Technician at both UPMC Presbyterian and Shadyside. I examine surgical specimens as a whole (grossly) and submit portions or entire specimens to histology to be made into microscopes slides so the pathologist to read and render a diagnosis.
Relevant Science Courses: Many! But for my occupation Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Microbiology, Criminalistics, etc.
Advice for Science Students: Explore niche occupations! There's a world of careers out there than can fit any or all of your interests!
Class of 2017
Joseph Pail
Title: Electrical Engineer for General Electric (G.E.)
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Electrical Engineering – Specialization in Power System Analysis and Power System Protection – The Pennsylvania State University
Relevant Science Courses: Electricity and Magnetism, Wave Motion and Quantum Mechanics, Fluids and Thermodynamics, Optics, Computer Science, Nano Electronics and Electrical Device Characteristics… Understanding the Concepts.
Relevant Math Courses: Calculus 1-3, Ordinary and Partial Differential Equations, Matrices, Phasor Representation, Algebra… Putting the Concepts into Practice.
Support Classes: Any computer engineering, computer science, or coding and programming class.
Finished Projects:
1.) Karaoke/Tone Control 2.) Amplification Circuit and Power Supply for a Stereo Speaker System 3.) Spectrum Analyzer and Multifunction Filter (On Going)
FAHS Long-term Project(s):
1.) Testing increases of force based on how far out a weight is held. 2.) Testing how much soap exists in Freedoms drinking water using dielectrics in a makeshift capacitor.
Advice for Science Students: Don’t burn yourself out too early, there is still lots of school and learning to go. Your future is based more on your interest than it is on your GPA, so find what you enjoy and the grades will work themselves out. Also don’t feel stressed about your future, finding something you like may take time so just take lots of different types of classes. Finally learn to love math, because even if your career doesn’t extensively use it, math will always lead to an increase in productivity… Something my Econ professor told me.
Breanna Leasure
Title: Undergraduate Student/Researcher
Current Employer: SUNY Oswego
School(s)/Degree(s): Attended CCBC & SUNY Old Westbury. Currently Obtaining a B.S. in the Biological Sciences at SUNY Oswego.
Current Occupation: Student/Botanical Researcher/Greenhouse worker
Relevant Science Courses: Physics, Biology, Chemistry
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus, Statistics
Research Projects: Botanical research regarding if Species Lycopodium, Selaginella, and Isoetes have an endodermis, or if a precursor to endodermis is present in these primitive plants.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): 1) How does mass affect the curvature of space-time. 2) Designs of wind-turbines that could prevent unnecessary raptor death. 3) Information on different avian species at The Biggest Week in North American Birding and how they have evolved.
Alumni Presentation: Plastic Pollution and the Environment
Advice for Science Students: It's difficult, but reach out to professors about research and advice! It can be anxiety-inducing, but contacting and communicating with them will make you stand out. Go into a field that you will enjoy - money can't create happiness, but doing something that is purposeful and fulfilling will.
Peyton Zankel
Current Employer: Moravian College
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Physics - Moravian College
Current Occupation: Undergraduate Student & Astronomy Teaching Assistant
Relevant Science Courses: Physics, physics, and more physics
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus, Differential Equations, and Statistics
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Migratory Patterns of Raptors From the Allegheny Front Hawk Watch
Advice for Science Students: Learning to ask for help is a big one certainly, but also don't be afraid to reach out beyond the sciences. Learn how the sciences and humanities can blend, learn the history of what you are being taught, learn whatever you want to learn because you never know where it will take you. You can learn about so many fascinating people, places, and things if you just reach out a little bit. Learn the physics of dancing, learn how birds fly, learn how people once charted the sun, moon, and stars. Just go out and learn.
Sean Freed
Title: Currently a full-time undergraduate student pursuing architectural drafting.
School(s)/Degree(s): Community College of Allegheny
Relevant Science Courses: Physics and computer science
Important Mathematics Courses: Trigonometry and algebra
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Determining what sound frequencies travel fastest through water.
Advice for Science Students: Don't be afraid to take time off school and figure things out. Eighteen is a very young age to decide what you want to do with you life, as well as make such a large financial decision.
Chance Jerry
Title: Nuclear Engineer
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Nuclear Engineering - The Pennsylvania State University
Relevant Science Courses: The fundamental courses like physics 1 and gen chem are crucial to succeeding in upper-level science courses.
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra and calculus. Every other math class builds on these.
Research Projects: Pressurized-Water Reactor core design, long-term viability of DOE LM UMTRCA Title I site plans
Advice for Science Students: Like what you do and know how to manage your time. The most successful students I've met aren't physics savants or wizards at math. They're the people who genuinely enjoy learning about a topic and are willing to put in the time to succeed. Don't go into a STEM field unless it's something you truly want to do. (Even if Wargo tries to convince you otherwise.)
Michael Fricke
Title: Registered Nurse (not yet...) currently a patient care technician
Current Employer: Heritage Valley Hospital- Beaver Campus, Also own and operate a small business specializing in portrait and wedding photography/videography (Post-focus.com).
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. in Exercise Physiology- University of Pittsburgh, Currently working toward B.S. in Nursing
Current Occupation: Patient Care Technician
Relevant Science Courses: Biology, Physics, Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology
Important Mathematics Courses: Basic Algebra, tons of Factor Label
Research Projects: Neuromuscular research Lab of Pittsburgh- Human resilience experimentation involving calorie restriction, physical performance, relevant biomarkers, and reaction time.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): 1) How gear ratios affect torque production 2) Photoelectric effect with UV and static electricity.
Advice for Science Students: Ask questions! In class to enhance your understanding, to employers and supervisors to show interest and initiative, and to other professions to get an idea of what you want to do with your life. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Jarrett Boyd
Title: Biomedical Engineer
Current Employer: Carnegie Mellon University
Schools/Degrees: B.S Biomedical Engineering Duquesne University 2021
M.S in Biomedical Engineering Carnegie Mellon University Expected May 2023
Current Occupation: Graduate Student
Relevant Science Courses: Any standard engineering courses (i.e. thermodynamics, physics, chemistry)
Electrical Engineering Courses: bioinstrumentation
Chemical Engineering Courses: immunoengineering and immunology, biological transport and drug delivery
Neural Engineering Courses: Advanced Cellular Neuroscience, Computational Models of Neural Systems
Medical Device Classes: Too many to count (mostly classes about device design and premarket approval.
Note: If there is a field of biomedical engineering chances are I have taken a class in it and have some experience in it
Relevant Mathematics Courses: All math up through differential equations, and calculus based statistics
Research Projects: Old: Nanoparticle Isolation Using Hydrodynamic Fluid Flow (microdevices)
Current: DNA Characterization of Homogeneous DNA using Nanopores (eventual machine learning implications)
Long-Term Projects: Reaction Rates based off Currents
Advice for Students: Put the work in! A lot of people will have the ambition to chase after their dreams. What separates a good student, and a mediocre student is how willing they are to go after and learn more about what they are interested in. Do not settle for just what is taught in class. Try to apply it or learn more about it. Apply what you learn to real world examples.
Class of 2016
Courtney Susan
Current Employer: Recent Graduate
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Civil Engineering with Certificate in Construction Management - Ohio University
Relevant Science Courses: Chemistry, Physics
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus 1 & 2, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations
Research Projects: Volunteer Bridge Design and Construction, Senior Design Project: Low-head Dam Removal/Reconstruction
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Comparing flow rates of liquids from funnels of different diameters
Advice for Science Students: Pay attention to what specifically interests you in your science courses, it'll make it easier to narrow down and choose a degree in college
Vince Rose
Title: Electrical Engineer
Current Employer: University of Pittsburgh
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Major: Electrical Engineering - University of Pittsburgh; B.A. Major: Physics Minor: Mathematics – Washington & Jefferson College; General credits during high school: Community College of Beaver County
Current Occupation: I am currently a student in my final semester at Pitt.
Relevant Science Courses: LOTS of Physics….and some chemistry
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra and Calculus
Useful Support Classes: Any type of programming
Design Projects:
Solar Energy Harvesting Deep Neural Network:
This is my capstone design project where I am working with a team of computer engineers to design a device capable of capturing images of surroundings and quickly recognizing signs such as stop and yield signs. This device will use sunlight to power a second microcontroller that accelerates the performance of recognition software and charge the battery that powers the main microcontroller. Overall, this device will be able to assist bikers with recognizing important traffic indicators in a power efficient and cost-effective way.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): How the thickness of insulation affects the temperature of a box over time.
Advice for Science Students:
1) Learn as much as you can now.
2) Find/follow your passions (passion and hard work are most important to achieving any goal).
3) Don’t be afraid to make mistakes.
4) Ask questions.
5) Use all your resources (professors, friends, internet, etc.).
6) Find a study group.
7) Organization will take you to a new level.
8) Don’t underestimate the importance of sleep.
Levi Bonzo
Title: Registered Nurse
Current Employer: UPMC
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S.N. Bachelors of Science in Nursing - University of Pittsburgh
Current Occupation: I currently work in critical care at UPMC Passavant as an RN.
Relevant Science Courses: Anatomy & Physiology, Chemistry, Biology
Important Mathematics Courses: Statistics
Research Projects: I am part of the Evidence Based Quality Research Committee where we ensure the most up to date, proven, research is being utilized in the hospital.
Advice for Science Students: Always be willing to learn and grow as an individual!
Lara Pavlick
Current Employer: Lincoln Park Performing Arts Charter School - Science Teacher
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Biology - Robert Morris University, PDE Teaching Certificates in Biology grades 7-12 and Chemistry grades 7-12
Current Occupation: I currently teach 8th grade science at LPPACS. I also oversee the Future City engineering design competition team for middle school in the fall semester and teach an elective course in forensic science during the spring semester.
Relevant Science Courses: Depending on grade level, courses like Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Environmental Science could all be relevant. Our 8th grade science curriculum runs the scope of most introductory science courses (life science, physical science, and earth and space science), but it's important to know more because middle schoolers always have lots of questions!
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra 1 and beyond (depending on grade level taught) with a good understanding of slope as graph/table creation and data analysis are essential skills!
Research Projects: N/A for myself, but our 2022-2023 Future City team designed a sustainable city model based on the theme "Climate Change Mitigation" focusing on new forms of transportation utilizing nuclear fusion technology and green city planning strategies. The students received awards for Best Transportation and Best Integrated City at this year's past competition. This was something they did lots of research on to perfect for the category judges.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Cannot remember, but I believe it was How Height of a Book Dropped Affects the Trajectory of a Pencil
Advice for Science Students: Speaking for myself as a science teacher, I love to see students ask lots of questions. Science teachers truly do appreciate your efforts to expand your knowledge and learn all you can about a field of interest. Those are my favorite discussions to have with students. Take advantage of higher level science courses (for example, Anatomy and Physiology). These courses really do prepare you for taking the same courses in college! Finally, pursue your interest through the lens of STEM. Many students who were not huge fans of general science class would take Forensic Science and grow their interest in a number of different categories like forensic anthropology, pathology, toxicology, etc. You never know what might interest you until you try it out!
Class of 2015
Jacob L. Beckey
Title: Physics PhD Student
Current Employer: University of Colorado, Boulder
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Physics and Math - Clarion University, MRes Translational Quantum Technology - University of Birmingham, England
Current Occupation: I am a graduate student researcher at Los Alamos National Laboratory this semester. I have 2.5 years remaining in my PhD at University of Colorado, Boulder.
Relevant Science Courses: All physics, especially quantum mechanics.
Important Mathematics Courses: All math, but especially: proof writing, abstract linear algebra, group theory, complex analysis, functional analysis, and all of calculus.
Research Projects: I currently work in two separate subfields of quantum information science. I work on algorithms for near term quantum computers as well as in a field called quantum metrology (the science of precision measurement). My research projects currently include aspects of pure math, computer programming, machine learning, and coding real quantum computers.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Planar coupled pendula. Set-up: two masses hanging from a tight horizontal string which allows energy to be transferred between them.
Advice for Science Students: Plan ahead; think about summer internships as soon as you start undergrad. Learn deeply; I have never once regretted spending a lot of time digging into a subject, no matter how obscure it seemed at the time.
Josh Kugel
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Biomedical Engineering – The Pennsylvania State University, B.S. Mechanical Engineering – The Pennsylvania State University. Currently a 2021 Pennsylvania Woodrow Wilson (WW) Teaching Fellow.
Relevant Science Courses: If you take AP Chem and at least Physics 2, you won’t be behind your freshman year.
Important Mathematics Courses: AP Calc mirrors Math 140 (Calc I) at Penn State
Research Projects: I was a part of the Artificial Heart & Cardiovascular Fluid Dynamics Lab at Penn State where I researched the efficacy of cyclic aspiration on clot displacement as well as the accelerated wear testing of bioprosthetic heart valves. Joining a research group as an undergraduate is a great way to gain experience and play with expensive lab equipment.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): How voltage affects the velocity of a rail gun projectile.
Advice for Science Students: Adopting a pet with your roommates does wonders for your mental health. Make sure to have fun while learning, making friends and tailgating is the best part of college!
Sam Deane
Title: Electrical Engineer
Current Employer: Powercast
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Electrical Engineering - University of Pittsburgh
Community College of Beaver County – Money saver for prerequisite courses
Current Occupation: I currently design antenna for small RF applications at a small engineering firm.
Relevant Science Courses: Lots of Physics
Important Mathematics Courses: Lots of Mathematics
Research Projects: Radio Frequency (RF) Antenna Designer
Long-term Projects: How arm length affects the rotation of a hero engine
Advice for Science Students: Learn as much as you can in high school…you will need it!
Andrew Baker
Title: PhD student
Current Employer: University of Pittsburgh Materials Science and Engineering
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Physics – Clarion University
Current Occupation: Graduate Student
Relevant Science Courses: Undergraduate physics coursework with focus on experimental and condensed matter physics and graduate materials science coursework with focus on metals and nanocontacts
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus 1-3, Differential Equations, Numerical Methods, Probability and Statistics, and Linear Algebra
Research Projects: Nanoparticle adhesion and deformation for catalytic systems
FAHS Long-term Project(s): How arm length affects the rotation of a hero engine.
Advice for Science Students: 1) Look ahead to find as many upcoming opportunities as possible, and then cast a big net. This increases your chances of landing internships, getting into schools, and other career opportunities. 2) Grades are important and a necessary evil, but pursue whatever subjects interest you, not the subjects that just produce good grades.
Amanda Herzog
Title: Environmental Sciences
Current Employer: USPS
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Environmental Sciences
Current Occupation: I currently work for the USPS, but have previously taught Ecology and Outdoor Education, as well as studying Marine Biology in Panama.
Relevant Science Courses: Biology, Ecology, Physics
Important Mathematics Courses: Statistics
Research Projects: The Effects of Environmental Pollutants on Invasive Crayfish Distribution.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): The Realism of Videogame Physics
Advice for Science Students: Take every class you can. You will never know which ones will be important later on.
Kristy Sturgess
Title: Multi Disciplined Engineer
Current Employer: Naval Nuclear Laboratory
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Chemical Engineering from the University of Pittsburgh
Current Occupation: My group is a part of Core Manufacturing; we are responsible for providing manufacturing over sight for nuclear core components for the Navy.
Relevant Science Courses: Chemistry, Physics, Thermodynamics
Important Mathematics Courses: All of them!
Research Projects: Working with another group to optimize an ultrasonic testing probe that will make an inspection more efficient.
Advice for Science Students: Take as many courses as you can! Having a well rounded knowledge can take you so far. Try to get involved with science clubs; they are so useful!
Ryan Kaufman
Title: Ph.D. Candidate in Physics
Current Employer: University of Pittsburgh
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Engineering Physics from the Swanson School of Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh.
Current Occupation: After graduating, I decided to stay at Pitt and pursue a PhD in condensed matter physics and specialize in quantum information processing via superconducting circuits.
Relevant Science Courses: Every Physics and Engineering Class
Important Mathematics Courses: Every mathematics course is important.
Collin Gilarno
Title: Process Engineer
Current Employer: Impact Guard LLC
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Plastics Engineering Technology – The Pennsylvania State University, the Behrend College
Current Occupation: I work to develop, optimize, and standardize industrial systems within the manufacturing facility. These systems include various plastic processing methods such as plastic profile extrusion and plastic tape extrusion.
Relevant Science Courses: Many, but in particular for my occupation: Plastic Material Properties, Rheology, Strength of Materials, Mechanics, Failure Analysis, Physics, Chemistry, Heat Transfer.
Important Mathematic Courses: Statistics, Algebra, Calculus, Geometry.
Research Projects: Weld and Meld Line Study of Thermoplastic Polyolefin.
The goal of the project was to reduce/eliminate the surface appearance of weld and meld lines, while maintaining or increasing the tensile strength across the weld and meld line for an automotive manufacturer. The weld and meld lines were visible product defects in the vehicles fascia front bumper application, predominantly in the finished painted product. In this project, processing parameters of plastic injection molding were studied though many variations utilizing a method known as design of experiments (DOE). The processing parameters that were included into the DOE matrix were melt temperature, mold temperature, packing pressure, and injection velocity. The visual and mechanical properties of the parts produced under the DOE matrix were studied utilizing methods such as optical profilometry and tensile testing.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): If I remember correctly (really testing my knowledge), I was trying to study the effect that mass had on the magnetic repulsive force/ distance between vertically oriented magnets.
Advice for Science Students: There will be ups and there will be downs in your STEM educational journey to your desired occupation… Set high standards and goals! Continue to work towards those goals that you set and strive to achieve them even if they feel years away! Reaching educational milestone goals is one of the greatest feelings of achievement! Always remember, giving up may be the simple solution, but it usually never is the best solution. “You miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. –Wayne Gretzky” – Michael Scott
Class of 2014
Gigi DeWeese
Title: Molecular Genomic Specialist
Current Employer: UPMC
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Biological Sciences and Philosophy at the University of Pittsburgh, currently obtaining Master's degree at RMU for Cyber Security
Current Occupation: I am currently a molecular genomic specialist at UPMC working in clinical genetics and oncology.
Relevant Science Courses: Chemistry, biology, genetics, scientific/philosophy writing courses
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra, some calculus for data analysis
Research Projects: HIV/STD county wide data tracking at former position at Health Department. At UPMC multiple research projects when designing new assays or getting new equipment.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Parachute shape and drop time.
Advice for Science Students: Do not be afraid to try something new-it is okay to not know what you want to do with the rest of your life, so just try as many different things as possible and hopefully that will help you narrow down some of your passions! And try to take a philosophy class in college as it will help you to be a better thinker and writer no matter what you are studying.
Dr. Jordan Kester
Current Employer: Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania
School(s)/Degree(s): University of Pittsburgh Doctor of Pharmacy Bachelor of Science in Pharmaceutical Science Minor in Chemistry
Current Occupation: PGY1 Pharmacy Resident
Relevant Science Courses: Chemistry 1 & 2, Biology 1& 2Organic Chemistry 1 & 2, Physics 1 (non-calc based), Anatomy and Physiology 1 & 2, Biochemistry 1 & 2
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus, Statistics, Biostatistics
Research Projects: 1) Kester J, Augustino M, Brinley S, Krause T. Assessment of delays in steroid refractory-graft vs. host disease (GVHD) therapy initiation for patients receiving ruxolitinib inpatient. Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Expected 2021 2) Kester J, et al., DIScontinuation causes and timing in patients receiving bRUton tyrosine kinase inhibitors (BTKi’s) at a health-system specialty pharmacy: medication PersisTence of BTKi’s (DISRUPT BTK). Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Expected 2021 3) Hu J, Conrad T, Kester J, Patel M, Saul M, Iasella C, Coons J. Comparing effectiveness of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) and warfarin use in atrial fibrillation and atrial flutter. UPMC Presbyterian-Shadyside Hospital. 2020 4) Jachim L, Linsenmayer C, Kester J, Montepara C, Stanton B. Evaluation of sacubitril/valsartan initiation in outpatient heart failure patients. Allegheny General Hospital. 2019
FAHS Long-term Project(s): 1) Identifying and trending time to candle flame extinguish in different enclosed volumes (2014) 2) Identifying and trending bullet drop of a .22 rifle at varying ranges (2013)
Advice for Science Students: 1)Try to focus on personal growth in all aspects of life Make daily goals to improve on skills within and outside of STEM, it's easy to just focus on work skills but ensure adequate time to learn how to build and maintain relationships, practice self-care, etc. Try not to measure your progress in days but rather in months or years; you'll be surprised when you make small changes day to day and see how different you'll be in a few years See above from high school long terms to research projects.
2) Learn how to be nice and enjoyable to work with Many doors were opened for me by being nice and enjoyable to talk to even though I didn't have a 4.0, and many doors were closed for people who were smarter than me because they weren't nice You may be overqualified for a position/scholarship/program but if the people in charge don't like you, you will almost never move forward. Learn how to play the game.
3) Start working on financial literacy today STEM degrees are very expensive and starting this process now will help you to reduce loan amounts, pay back your loans, and get to a comfortable financial place sooner; we still very much live in a capitalist society that will take advantage of you if you let it It's boring and hard to get into when you are still in school but you will thank your past self later.
4) Talk to people who have undergone similar experiences in which you plan to pursue I made a lot of mistakes in my journey towards a STEM/healthcare profession that could have been mitigated by talking to and learning from others “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants.”-Isaac Newton I often think about this quote when I read about the history of healthcare and get to train with professionals who are leaders in their fields with many cited publications.
5) Imposter syndrome is real Just because you don't feel qualified doesn't mean you shouldn't push yourself to do something The more you advance in your field, the more you realize that the people above you don't have all the answers Just keep going and always learn from everything that you take part in.
Lane Crawford Ward
Title: I am a full-time substitute teacher at Pittsburgh Public Schools’ Classical Academy middle school.
In the past I have cared for undocumented migrant children, served refugees, taught preschool, assisted at a nursing home, labored on semi-truck trailers, worked on farms, and a lot of other stuff
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. in Neuroscience and History, minor in Chemistry; Master of Arts in Teaching – University of Pittsburgh
Current Occupation: I am a certified secondary social studies teacher. Right now I teach multiple subjects to middle school students, and I plan to become dual certified in the future. I try to help tweens and teens make sense of the world.
Relevant Science Courses: Biology, physics, and chemistry at Freedom. My neuroscience classes at Pitt
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra is key to it all
Research Projects: I worked in two research labs while at Pitt – a molecular biology lab and a neuroscience lab – but I mostly just chopped up the brains and prepared the gels
I have also done a lot of writing about civil wars and revolutions, prepared training lectures for my AmeriCorps civil service colleagues, kept data on my students’ learning, and obsessed over maps and geography
Research can take many forms. Try to slow down and bring rigor and patience to all aspects of your life.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): I wanted to make a mechanical arm to throw playing cards. I was successful at this. I was less successful at gathering meaningful data.
Advice for Science Students: Find your niche and be who you want to be; don’t just try to be what you think you should be.
Class of 2013
Noah Marks
Title: Physics Teacher
Currently Employer: Highland Park High School
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Physics - University of Pittsburgh; Master of Arts in Teaching - The College of New Jersey
Current Occupation: I try to teach students science via physics and environmental science.
Relevant Science Courses: Many - in particular I found that Electricity & Magnetism clicked a lot of things into place.
Relevant Math Courses: Also many, but I think pre-calc in high school was where a lot of math began to make more sense to me and become less rote.
Research Projects: I once was a part of a research group in college where I transcribed and listened to DOZENS of teacher interviews in Pittsburgh Public Schools about equity in mathematics education; it changed how I thought about a lot of issues in education.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Look, not my strong-suit, honestly! I’m going to cheat and plug the book “The Ascent of Science” by Brian L. Silver. (Also I burned a table due to carelessness).
Advice for Science Students: Figure out the right way to be skeptical without being a troll or conspiracy theorist.
Nate Fleming
Title: Manufacturing Engineer
Current Employer: ZOLL LifeVest
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Biomedical Engineering - University of Pittsburgh- Medical Device Concentration; Minor Industrial Engineering
Current Occupation: Process Design and FDA Validation of assembly, rework, and servicing operations required to maintain a rental pool of cardiac monitors and wearable defibrillators for patients with cardiac conditions.
Relevant Science Courses: Physics (E&M), Biology, Anatomy and Physiology
Important Mathematics Courses: Statistics, Algebra, Calc 1
Research Projects at University: Spatial Memory Maintenance in Dorsal Premotor Cortex- Evaluating, using neural vector theory, how predictive neural firing in the prefrontal cortex is toward eventual movement.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): 1) The effect of pull length on an air cannon's firing distance 2) Creation of a home-made cardiac ECG
Advice for Science Students: Focus as much on what you are learning as to how you are learning it. Learning to learn is as important as learning.
Jake DeWeese
Title: Research Programmer
Current Employer: RAND Corporation
School/Degree: Pennsylvania State University, B.S. Energy Engineering
Current Occupation: I conduct research in the realms of energy, the environment, and defense. My roles on research projects are usually tied with quantitative analysis, with a focus on developing models to simulate performance of various systems. These modeled systems include renewable energy deployments, building thermal performance, as well as military defensive postures.
Relevant Science Courses: Physics, Chemistry, Thermodynamics, Electrochemistry, Fluid Mechanics, Heat and Mass Transfer, Materials Science, Programming, Circuits and Power Distribution
Relevant Math Courses: Calculus, Differential Equations
Research Projects: Ecological assessment of ground-mounted solar photovoltaics, energy storage system operation, financial feasibility of large-scale solar PV deployment, building thermal performance evaluation, sensor system performance in maritime environments, cost validation for infrastructure repair and rebuilds in Puerto Rico, countering nefarious use of unmanned aircraft systems (drones), modeling and simulation of ship defense against adversary ballistics
Advice for Science Students: Take confidence in your science education to this point. Despite Freedom being a relatively small school that may provide less AP or college-level science courses than larger institutions, you will be very well prepared as the quality of STEM teachers at Freedom is exceptional. Also, try to pursue opportunities as early as possible to work/intern in your field of interest. It's important to know whether or not you actually like what you are doing before investing in graduate-level degrees. You still have time in your undergraduate career to make adjustments and don't necessarily need to know exactly what you want to do.
Megan Szatkiewicz
Title: Occupational Therapist
Current Employer: 1) FOX Rehabilitation; 2) Liberty Therapy Solutions
School(s)/Degree(s): University of Pittsburgh - B.S. in Psychology, B.A. in Sociology, Doctor of Occupational Therapy
Current Occupation: I am an occupational therapist, and I work with individuals across the lifespan to improve their independence, safety, and confidence throughout their daily activities. As an occupational therapist at FOX Rehabilitation, I serve older adults in their homes and communities by helping to treat their injury, illness, or disability. I communicate with interdisciplinary team members (doctors, nurses, therapists, etc.) to provide evidence-based, high-quality healthcare. As an occupational therapist for Liberty Therapy Solutions, I interact with school-aged children via teletherapy to help enhance their abilities in the following areas: fine motor skills, visual perceptual skills, handwriting legibility, sensory processing needs, or adaptive functioning. I collaborate with interdisciplinary team members (teachers, case managers, parents, etc.) to determine appropriate interventions, recommendations, and/or modifications to help each child succeed in their role as a student.
Relevant Science Courses: Anatomy & Physiology, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Psychology
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra, Statistics
Research Projects: One of the research projects I previously assisted with investigated the use of sensor-based technologies (Microsoft Kinect Sensor) to measure the balance and gait impairments in individuals who experience peripheral neuropathy after chemotherapy, as they are more at risk for poor physical function, falls, and injury. We completed physical assessments using this technology to determine their baseline and their status at different intervals after chemotherapy, in addition to cognitive and quality-of-life assessments to gauge their engagement and participation in their daily activities. Our study found that gold standard quantitative measures were able to be precisely calculated by using sensor-based technologies to determine balance and gait impairments, as measured during the performance of simple clinical tests at the point of care. Additionally, my doctoral capstone group completed research on the implementation of cognition-focused program to enhance the participation and engagement of meaningful activities in community-dwelling older adults. Overcoming challenges of acceptability and sustainability, we were able to make an impact on the organization and the individuals they served. This research project, as well as my education, taught me the importance of the diffusions of innovations theory. This theory describes how new ideas can be spread within a culture, which is incredibly important to consider when expanding the knowledge of science.
Advice for Science Students: Science is really cool, but it can also be really tough. Do not get discouraged, nor be afraid to ask questions. Learning takes time, and so does making scientific change.
Derek Mengel
Title: Process Control Engineer
Current Employer: PPG Industries, Inc.
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Electrical Engineering – The Pennsylvania State University; Minor Computer Engineering
Current Occupation: Design, test, and maintain, and monitor PLC (Programmable Logic Controller) programs, HMI (Human-Machine Interface) displays, measuring instruments, and equipment that control automated chemical and mechanical operations for 90+ resin and paint production plants worldwide. I also manage plant and small project start-ups, upgrades, and maintenance, as well as routinely developing and implementing changes that improve uptime and output quality.
Relevant Science Courses: Chemistry, Physics, EM Fields and Waves, Communication Networks, Electrical Circuit Analysis & Design, Energy Conversion, Linear Control Systems, Signals and Systems, Thermodynamics, Embedded Microcontrollers, Advanced Programming
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra, Geometry, Statistics, Calculus 1-3, Differential Equations, Matrices
Research Projects: Part Transfer System – 3D modeled and designed automated part transfer system for an automotive parts manufacturer. Individually designed project-related parts, then 3D printed from PLA, ABS, PETG, and Nylon. Integrated and programmed Allen-Bradley MicroLogix PLC system with stepper motors and various sensors. Drafted electrical schematics and ladder-logic prints. Prototyped, assembled, and troubleshot physical assembly.
Firefighting Drop Tank Supply Line Attachment System – Lead team in semester-long project for local fire department. Conducted FEA (Finite Element Analysis) of 3D modeled solution. Presented product to replace obsolete part used by fire department at end of semester. Project was then showcased at a school board meeting for patent application.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Resistor and capacitor (RC) value's effect on an astable metronome 555 Timer circuit's period, Music reactive LED box with TIP32C PNP transistors.
Advice for Science Students: 1) “If you can’t explain it simply, you don’t understand it well enough.” – Albert Einstein You’d be surprised how much this comes in handy. Practice boiling problems down to the basics. You’ll find yourself explaining, troubleshooting, and discussing complicated ideas with other students, colleagues, bosses, technicians, and operators frequently.
2) Learn to ask for help and utilize office hours Don’t act like you don’t need help when you do. It’s much easier to ask for help and move on instead of struggling silently. Office hours can make or break a course, especially if the instructor can look back and acknowledge your efforts if you need a little boost. With that being said, don’t abuse it at the same time.
3) Don’t be afraid of failure and be prepared for bad grades
Failure is a staple of progress. It’s absolutely normal. You might find that grades are sometimes a reflection of your ability to regurgitate your textbook instead of being able to identify and solve real-world problems. Don’t let it eat you up when you get a bad grade. You’ll look back and laugh about it at the end.
Taylor Wolff
Title: Senior Medical Laboratory Scientist
Current Employer: Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Medical Laboratory Science from Gannon University, Clinical internship program through the Saint Vincent School of Medical Technology
Current Occupation: I currently work in the automated testing lab at Children’s Hospital. I am responsible for analyzing and examining biological samples (blood, urine, spinal fluid, etc.) to aid in the diagnosis and treatment of patients. I am also one of three individuals who perform sweat chloride testing, which is used to determine a diagnosis of cystic fibrosis.
Relevant Science Courses: Clinical Chemistry, Hematology and Coagulation, Immunohematology, Parasitology, Mycology, Immunology, Bacteriology
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra and Statistics
Advice for Science Students: 1) Science is always evolving, so make sure you stay curious.
2) Don’t be afraid to ask questions, no matter how silly they might seem—the worst question is the one that isn’t asked.
3) Please take time to hone your communication skills. No matter how much you might dislike your communications class, it will benefit you in any field you enter. You could be the smartest person in the room, but if you can’t share your ideas and knowledge in an effective manner no one will benefit from what you know.
4) If your school doesn’t require it, make sure you fit in as many electives and humanities courses that you can. Not only will they break up the monotony of your difficult STEM courses, but you could discover a new passion and become a more rounded person.
5) No matter what field you pursue, take care of your mental physical health. You’re only hurting yourself and your education if you don’t pay attention to how you feel physically and emotionally.
Emilee Baker
Title: Pharmacy Intern – soon to be Pharmacist in April
Current Employer: UPMC Children’s Hospital
School(s)/Degree(s): Bachelors of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences and soon to be Doctorate of Pharmacy—University of Pittsburgh School of Pharmacy
Current Occupation: I serve as the senior most intern at the outpatient pharmacy at Children’s Hospital, Pint Size Prescriptions.
Relevant Science Courses: As like many jobs in the healthcare field, science courses will be a part of the pre-requisites for admission to the school of your choice. So all the of science courses I took in high school—anatomy, bio, physics, and chemistry—came in handy at some point in my college career.
Important Mathematics Courses: Math becomes in important more so from a statistics standpoint when reading and interpreting studies and trial results. There are points in pharmacy where classes like calc I and II are useful, but it’s mostly to prove that various calculations can be done in different ways. I wouldn’t say I’m doing derivatives on a daily basis, but I have used them before. I do use fractions a lot, especially in the pediatric population where the majority of the dosage forms are liquid.
Research Projects: I completed and presented a research project focusing on the use of direct-acting oral anticoagulants in patients with left-ventricular assist devices. We’re hoping to get the results published to add to the limited body of data surrounding these patients.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): If I remember correctly, something about if freezing batteries makes a difference with the amount of light emitted from a lightbulb???
Advice for Science Students: Find something you like and stay true to yourself. For me, when I stop and think about how drugs work and their mechanisms of action, it actually blows my mind. So being fascinated by what you want to do will make working seem less like a job.
Boe Bonzo
Title: Lead Designer
Current Employer: Phillips Tank & Structure
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Mechanical Engineering - University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown
Current Occupation: Engineer / design above-ground storage tanks and related structures
Relevant Science Courses: Physics & Programing
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra & Trigonometry
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Potato Cannon
Advice for Science Students: Believe in yourself and never give up!
Wes Roberts
Title: Physics PhD student
Current Employer: Northeastern University, Boston
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Physics, Philosophy double-major - University of Pittsburgh; MSt Philosophy of Physics, Oxford University
Current Occupation: I'm a PhD student studying many-body quantum theory in the Fiete Group at Northeastern University.
Relevant Science Courses: Intro Physics, Electromagnetism, Quantum Theory, Classical Mechanics (just as important as quantum!!), Statistical Mechanics, Quantum Field Theory, Condensed Matter Theory, Condensed Matter Field Theory, Computational Physics
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus I - III, Differential Equations, Complex Analysis, Linear Algebra, Special Functions and Asymptotics, Mathematical Methods in Physics
Research Projects: My current work is on spin caloritronics and topological materials, with specific focus on the effect of anisotropic magnetic exchange interactions on spin currents within solid state heterostructures - lots of words, but essentially how interesting forms of magnetism arise quantum mechanically. More broadly, I am interested in quantum field theory, many-body physics, and the foundations of quantum mechanics. Past work has been on quantum logic, delayed choice quantum eraser experiments, and the Past Hypothesis in the foundations of statistical mechanics.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Complex Pendulum, airflow in an igloo as a function of opening size.
Advice for Science Students: Learn how to study, learn how to focus, learn how to love what you do. Hard work isn't so stressful when you find your obsession, but it's still every bit as difficult. Expect to be confused most of the time. Confusion is a signpost on the way to understanding. It took me a long time to stop running away from that feeling. Stop taking it so personally, as though confusion means you're not a good enough student or scientist. If you're confused, it means there's understanding on the horizon. Strive to always be in that state - to always be working something over in your head. The best way to become a competent thinker is through this sort of immersion, and it's never too early or too late to start. Also, don't stress too much. Life is short. Take a breath every once in a while.
Class of 2012
Keith Braun
Title: Field Service Manager
Current Employer: Schlumberger
School(s)/Degree(s): BS and MS in Petroleum and Natural Gas Engineering; Penn State University
Current Occupation: I currently manage the field operation of crews performing pump down perforating in the oil and gas industry. The pump down perforating industry is based off of using explosives to perforate the casing in selected intervals in oil and gas wells by using wireline. I am based in Midland, TX and I currently manage 88 people ranging from new hires to employees with 10-15+ years of experience. I am directly involved in pricing strategies, managing equipment, ensuring adequate training of employees, revenue forecasting, service quality reviews, and client engagements.
Relevant Science Courses: The entire oil and gas industry relies on Physics and Chemistry. V = r * omega, the rotational velocity of the wireline drum remains constant due to constant hydraulic output, however as you increase radius (i.e. stacking more cable on drum), your linear velocity of the tool string will increase. Adiabatic compression, if the pressure control equipment is not equalized (i.e. filled with water), when the pressure rises very quickly inside pressure control equipment, it can burn the wireline cable and cut the cable in two.
Important Mathematics Courses: I use a lot of business systems that do the "behind the scenes" on calculations. However, for my job it is most important to know about deprecation, forecasting financials, difference between expected and actual revenue, shared costs of business units based on revenue, and anomalies in worker compensation.
Research Projects: "Implementation of the Electric Cased-Hole Logging Unit" we use a "logger" which is also a wireline truck in the business. In the past, the truck ran off of a diesel truck engine, which spun the PTO, which spun the hydraulic pump to create hydraulics to the hydraulic motor and thus creating the ability to turn the wireline drum. However after many issues with emissions onboard post-2008 diesel engines, the inspiration to create an electric equivalent was necessary. I was responsible for the design to convert the initial rotational energy from diesel to electric by using a 100 HP electric motor (3-phase, 480V). This in turn creates rotational energy which spins hydraulic pump. I was involved with the build of 7 new "electric loggers" (each unit cost $620,000) in Calgary and also able to implement on one of our clients in West Virginia on an "electric frac or e-frac" fleet.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Building the trebuchet. Do you remember the trebuchet I built with Collin Allego and your guidance? That was so much fun!!
Advice for Science Students: I loved science the most because I can put my hands on it and I can recreate it myself with science. You can't do that with history. In any business, you can always extract something you've learned in science class growing up. Even if riding an elevator, doing plumbing work, driving a boat, or opening a door. Science is all around us, and if you can appreciate the beauty of science, you will always be amazed by it!
Class of 2011
Jeremy Canonge
Title: Mechanical Engineer
Current Employer: II-VI Aerospace and Defense
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Mechanical Engineering - Penn State University
Current Occupation: I currently design and analyze beam directors for high energy laser weapon systems
Relevant Science Courses: Physics (Free Body Diagrams never go away, they are an extremely useful tool), Chemistry
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra, Trigonometry, Calculus
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Effect of carbonation in a fluid on its index of refraction
Advice for Science Students: Work hard, be curious, ask questions and learn to have fun with science.
Nick Turner
Title: Project Manager
Current Employer: Aldridge Electric
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Geology - Slippery Rock University
Current Occupation: I work as a Project Manager in the drilling division. I have had the opportunity to work in multiple states, in various drilling conditions, to complete foundation installation for major electrical suppliers on their infrastructure improvement programs.
Relevant Science Courses: All of them! Even as a graduate, I’ve thought about taking courses to refresh myself on any new findings within the scientific community. That being said, I focused on the earth sciences: environmental problems, sedimentology, plate tectonics, physics, chemistry, oceanography, mineralogy, structural geology, hydrology, hydrogeology, petrology...
Research Projects: The effects of hydrogeology on the Massasauga Rattlesnake habitat in the eastern US prairies
FAHS Long-term Project(s): If I remember correctly, Zane and I conducted an experiment to measure the effects of a single exhaust pipe vs true dual exhaust pipes on a V-8 engine.
Advice for Science Students: Don’t take any opportunity for granted, enjoy the process and work hard - people notice and appreciate hard work. Don’t settle for the easy road, it will lead you to mediocrity. Lastly - stay skeptical, it’s okay to think about things before accepting that they’re true.
Matthew Leasure
Title: Full time student - currently in last semester of college
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Mechanical Engineering Technology – Penn State University Behrend; A.S. Automotive Service Excellence Program (ASEP) – Community College of Allegheny County
Relevant Science Courses: Physics, Chemistry, Strength of Materials, Statics, Dynamics, Heat Transfer, Fluid Power, Rapid Prototyping, Material Science, Machine Design
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus 1-3, Trigonometry, Algebra, Engineering Economics
Research Projects: Determining the cause of pre-mature bearing life on a DFA drum assembly while reducing the stress in the drive side drum head.
Advice for Science Students: Pay attention in high school. It will definitely pay off to get good grades in to obtain scholarships to get through college with as little debt as possible. Developing good study habits and surrounding yourself with people who will help you along the way instead of hindering your progress. Never stop learning. It is a good idea to learn the material enough that you could explain it to someone who is completely new to that subject. Do not be afraid to ask for help when needed. Someone else may have ran into the same problem and used a different method to solve it.
Adam Libonati
Title: Mechanical Design Engineer
Current Employer: Engenium Group
School(s)/Degree(s): Penn State University - B.S. Energy Engineering
Current Occupation: Currently working at a building design firm creating construction documents with a focus on sustainable design.
Relevant Science Courses: Chemistry, Physics, Electrical Circuits, Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, Fuel Sciences, Material Science, Heat and Mass Transfer, Combustion
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra, Geometry, Statistics, Calculus 1-3, Differential Equations, Engineering Economics
Research Projects: Gravity Powered Energy Generation System, Solar Thermal Energy System, Carbon Footprint of Plastic Water Bottles
FAHS Long-term Project(s): 1) Temperature Effects on a Bullet, 2) Sprocket Sizes on a Dirt Bike, 3) Rifle Weights to Reduce Force
Advice for Science Students: Make complicated topics simple. Don't be afraid to ask questions, or for help. High School/College isn't about teaching you math, physics, or chemistry - it's teaching you how to THINK and problem-solve. Don't be afraid of failure.
Class of 2010
Stephanie Dinello
Title: Staff Geologist
Current Employer: RT Environmental Services, Inc.
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Environmental Geology – Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, Class of 2014
Current Occupation: I currently work for an environmental/engineering consulting firm. My job as a Staff Geologist involves a variety of environmental work including environmental site assessments, site remediation projects, asbestos surveys, and indoor air quality investigations.
Relevant Science Courses: Structural Geology, Geomorphology, Hydrogeology
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra
Advice for Science Students: Take time in high school to learn how to properly study. While in college, it is greatly beneficial to seek tutoring, talk to professors and advisors, and network with your peers as much as possible. Also, consider internships as they greatly improve your value in the workplace!
Class of 2008
Chris Leasure
Title: Laboratory Manager
Current Employer: Schroeder Industries
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Mechanical Engineering Technology-Penn State Behrend
Current Occupation: I manage a research and development laboratory for industrial filtration of hydraulics and fuels. I design test machinery for our products, and am an expert on the ISO technical advisors group for filtration.
Relevant Science Courses: Physics, Fluid Power, Machine Design, Chemistry, Material Science
Important Mathematics Courses: Lots of Algebra, Some Calculus, Alot of automated tables in excel, Statistics
Research Projects: Sealing 3D printed parts, minimizing pressure loss through piping, creating laminar flow in a hydraulic reservoir...many others
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Design of exercise equipment
Advice for Science Students: I wish I would have tried much harder in high school than I did. I didn't push myself in school until I got into college and was almost failing out in freshman year. The amount of learning you are expected to do in a week of college for engineering or other STEM majors is astounding, and doesn't compare to high school. Developing good study habits in high school could have saved my grades in college, and allowed me to qualify for many more scholarships to help pay for college. Loan payments are no joke, and will affect you for many years after you graduate.
I also always used to think during class that "I won't need to know this" or "why are they teaching me to do it this way? I can do this a different way" and not embrace what was being taught to me. In almost every case, that was a bad choice and I later had to learn the material on my own later. You may or may not use everything you learn in high school or college, but I can promise that you do not know now what you will or won't need to know later. Do yourself a huge favor now and learn all that you can about as much as you can. Your wisdom later will come from a collection of life experiences and a wide variety of what you learn in class as well.
One of my favorite quotes "If the ability to work hard is not a skill, then it is the best possible substitute for it". You will almost certainly struggle with certain classes or subjects, but the ability to work hard and dedicate the time and energy needed to get where you want to be will eventually surpass anyone else's "natural" abilities. Through relentless hard work and dedication, coupled with the persistence to keep trying no matter how hard, I was able to bring myself up from the bottom of my class to the top of my class by the time I graduated.
Class 2007
Nick Libonati
Title: Engineer V
Current Employer: Beaver Valley Power Station
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Mechanical Engineering – Pennsylvania State University, Erie Campus
Current Occupation: I work in the Mechanical/Structural Design Engineering group where I am responsible for the Piping Analysis, Metal Fatigue, and Hazards Programs for the site.
Science & Engineering Course History: Engineering Design, Advanced solid modeling, Chemical Principals I, Dynamics, Physics-Mechanics/Electricity and Magnetism, Statics, Thermodynamics, Strength of Materials, Technical Writing, Basic Electricity, Heat Transfer, Machine Design, Manufacturing Materials and Processes, Mechanical Measurements and Instrumentation, Production Design, Computer Applications for Technologists, Engineering Graphics Technology, Project Management for Engineers, Advanced Strength of Materials, Quality Control & Quality Improvement, Finite Element Analysis 1 & 2, Fluid Power, Material Properties and Selection, Computer Aided Design, Mechatronics, Six-Sigma Design
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus 1-4, Differential Equations
Research Projects: ASME Section II, III, and VIII as well as ANSI B31.1 Design Code
Long-term Projects: Tracking and analyzing the impact of engineering changes implemented at the site. Chemical Injection System Upgrade.
Advice for Science Students: Take all the math and science classes you can!
Class of 2006
Nicholas Leasure
Title: Tech Services Team Lead
Current Employer: MedExpress
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Information Science and Technology - Penn State
Current Occupation: I lead a team of computer techs in support of medical operations clinics across the country.
Relevant Science Courses: Computer Science, Mathematics, Logic, Networking, Computer Programming
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus, Statistics
Advice for Science Students: Invest in yourself. Aim to be a better person than you were yesterday. Develop personal skills and network with those sharing interest in your field.
Chris Smidl
Title: Project Engineer
Current Employer: United States Army Corps of Engineers
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Civil Engineering - Pennsylvania State University
Current Occupation: Currently a lead project engineer on critical large Department of Defense infrastructure construction projects.
Relevant Science Courses: All of them. You never know what courses may end up being useful later in your life. You may not think you will ever use a class and then life throws you a curve ball and its suddenly useful a decade later. You may be rusty by then but being familiar can go a long way.
Important Mathematics Courses: All of them, you don’t have to love the math courses, but you may actually need the knowledge from them years later.
Research Projects: Finite element analysis and design of repairs for cracked and failing hydraulic concrete structures.
Advice for Science Students: Do not limit yourself by blowing off classes and education opportunities in school. Take advantage of every chance you get to learn inside and outside of class. Even though I was interested in technology and science fields, I assumed that I would never go to college when I was in high school. I also claimed I would never join the military. Because of these assumptions and self-doubt, I never put much effort into my classes and sadly earned myself a spot in the bottom 10% grade average of my graduating class. But life has a way of changing your plans and aspirations. So, when I decided 8 years later that I wanted to go back to school to be an engineer, I had to spend an extra year just playing catchup on the materials I should have known from high school. It wasn’t easy, but determination and a few motivating words from my high school physics teacher from years before got me through it. Now 15 years later I’m ironically an Army combat veteran with an engineering degree and a job I love. So… what’s the point of this story? The point is that you should never assume you will not use that boring math class. Also, even if you have a few bad grades or even a few bad years in life, you should never count yourself out of the potential for success. Your life is what YOU make of it, So don’t waste it on doubting yourself. If you try and fail, at least. you can say you tried.
Class of 2005
Rosemary Sassic-Mihalko
Title: Owner and Pharmacist
Current Employer: Hieber’s Pharmacy
School(s)/Degree(s): Duquesne University, PharmD Class of 2011
Current Occupation: I am the owner of an independent compounding pharmacy where we create sterile and non-sterile medications for humans and pets from bulk chemicals.
Relevant Science Courses: Chemistry, AP Chemistry, Biology
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra
Advice for Science Students: Give yourself freedom in your career choice. You should absolutely have goals but don’t get discouraged if life takes you elsewhere. Also, learn to study before you get to college!
Katlyn Meier, Ph.D.
Title: Assistant Professor of Biophysical Chemistry
Current Employer: University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Physics – Allegheny College; Ph.D. Chemistry – Carnegie Mellon University; Postdoc – Stanford University
Current Occupation: I am a Professor of Biophysical Chemistry at the University of Miami. In addition to teaching undergraduate and graduate level courses in Chemistry and Spectroscopy, I also run an active research lab.
Relevant Science Courses: Chemistry, Physics, Molecular Biology
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra, Linear Algebra, Calculus, Differential Equations, Partial Differential Equations
Research Projects: My group’s current research focuses on understanding how bio-relevant transition metals (i.e. iron and copper), are involved in promoting neurodegenerative diseases (i.e. Huntington’s Disease), chemoresistance, and multi-drug resistant infections. We utilize a combination of Molecular Biology, Physics, and Chemistry to address these problems, Some of the skills that my students learn while in my lab include protein expression and purification, executing and analyzing spectroscopic experiments (we use a variety of techniques that range in energy from microwaves to gamma-rays), and experience with computational chemistry packages.
Advice for Science Students: 1. Dedicate time to building a strong foundation in STEM. – This will lead to a great return on your investment. If you have a solid foundation and knowledge base in STEM, you will be well prepared to address problems and questions that lie off the beaten path – often these are the most interesting!
2. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box and be creative. – Science is evolving, and many of the classical dividers between disciplines is disappearing. Don’t limit yourself to one discipline or field if you find multiple interesting.
Class of 2004
Caleb Abraham
Title: Mobile Software Manager
Current Employer: PNC Bank
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Computer Engineering - University of Pittsburgh
Current Occupation: I build the iPhone and Android apps that PNC customers use. To support over 20 million users, I lead several teams of engineers focusing on app design, server maintenance, security, and data analysis.
Relevant Science Courses: Computer Science courses, Statistics, Physics
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra, Calculus
Research Projects: Swingtracker is a bluetooth beacon that can model a baseball swing in 3D space. It can track power, peak velocity, point of contact, and many other metrics. It has become a training tool that all MLB teams use today.
Advice for Science Students: In STEM, wins can be rare and fleeting, but failure is impossible if you've learned something. I've founded and closed companies; shelved apps that I've never finished; and hit dead ends with no clear answer. What may seem like losses have all led to more experience, knowledge, and opportunity. These steps along the way will make you more effective in the next project.
Craig Lehocky
Title: Robotics Engineer
Current Employer: Caterpillar
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Bioengineering and B.S. Neuroscience, University of Pittsburgh
Current Occupation: I currently design and build the artificial intelligence that allows machines to act autonomously. I develop software that encompasses the sensing, processing, planning, and execution of machine decision-making. For sensing: using sensors such as cameras, LiDAR and RADAR to perceive the world around us. Processing: writing algorithms and relying on machine learning to make sense of the sensory information and understand the surroundings. Planning: using the model of the sensed world to create instructions for machine behaviors, from motion to tasks, and optimizing with artificial intelligence to achieve the desired behavior while avoiding unwanted behaviors. And finally execution: converting the instructions into machine-language commands and controls.
Relevant Science Courses: Physics for modeling machine motion and kinematics, for estimating tool and terrain interactions, for designing electro-mechanical devices. Biology for developing neural networks and other biologically-inspired machine learning techniques.
Important Mathematics Courses: I rely on techniques from the range of fundamental math courses (algebra, geometry, trigonometry, calculus) daily. Also heavy reliance on Statistics and Linear Algebra
Research Projects: Robotically controlled flexible needles for image-guided navigation in the brain; Biohybrid artificial lung prototype; Sensorimotor neuronal communication during primate visually-guided reaching tasks; Quantifying mRNA expression differences of glutamate transport in schizophrenia; Stereotactic radiosurgical improvements in metastatic brain and head and neck cancers.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): I don't fully remember, I just know it was presented as a Spanish rap.
Advice for Science Students: Stay curious and mentally flexible - if you are guided by a passion or curiosity, follow your intuition and you can end up in interesting places.
Class of 2003
Rory Kaclik
Title: Sr. Project Engineer
Current Employer: Parker-Hannifin Aerospace / Hummingbird Aero, LLC / Rory J Kaclik Engineer, LLC
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. & M.S. Mechanical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University
Current Occupation: For the past few years, I have been working as an Engineering Consultant for several aerospace corporations around the Los Angeles area. I am somewhat specialized in Aircraft hydraulic systems, namely actuators that move airplane control surfaces. This has included all sorts of platforms from commercial airliners (Airbus A350, Boeing 787) to military cargo planes (KC-135, C-5, KC-46) to fighter jets (F-15, F-16, F-22, F-35). Sometimes it is designing brand new systems and equipment for new aircraft, sometimes it is incorporating new industry materials into older technology to allow these planes to fly longer into the future.
Career Aspirations: While my current job is interesting, technology is evolving and there is more out there to explore. I hope to take my experience and continue to find new projects to work on, new people to work with, and learn new things in the process. I will keep this snowball rolling for my entire career, always moving forward, gaining momentum, and growing.
Relevant Science Courses: Physics (How stuff moves and reacts under force); Chemistry (How different materials interact and behave);
Applied Engineering (Using Physics concepts in real world applications)
Relevant Mathematics Courses: Algebra (Every physics problem is taking the known and solving for the unknown); Calculus (Systems and interactions are complex; calculus is used to describe complex systems); Geometry (Almost nothing in engineering is a just a plain box, shapes behave differently under force); Trigonometry (Rarely does a force act on an object in a straight line)
Other High School courses I have put to use in my profession: Microsoft Office Skills (I use Excel spreadsheets, PowerPoint presentations, and Word documents every single day); Theater Arts/English/Public Speaking (The smartest person in the room has to be able to convey their research, their ideas, and their work to someone who has never seen it or heard of it before.); Computer Programming (You may like it, you may not, you will find a use for the concepts in MATLAB or Excel)
Advice for Students: 1) Do something with a team, whether it be a class project, a team sport, or an extracurricular activity. Learn to both contribute to the team and utilize your teammates’ strengths.
2) Take as many courses (Science and Math especially) in High School as you can. Each subject gets deeper and more complex in college; having a good working knowledge of the basics is so helpful at the next level.
3) Ask questions of those that have been there and done that. You might be smarter, but wisdom comes with experience and grey hairs.
4) Be confident, reach for your goals, but don’t stress yourself out.
Carlos Acosta, PhD
Title: Lecturer
Current Employer: The University of New Mexico
School(s)/Degree(s): Ph.D. Computer Electrical & Engineering - The University of Texas at San Antonio
Current Occupation: I research, design, and fabricate materials for sensors used in controller routines for refrigeration systems.
Relevant Science Courses: Piezo-electric materials, Fluid mechanics, non-linear controls.
Important Mathematics Courses: Numerical methods and vector calculus.
Research Projects: Spectroscopic measurements of fluids and phase change.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Design and create new and more efficient materials to harvest energy.
Advice for Science Students: Be proactive, learn to code and travel.
Amy Raybuck Raker
Title: Wildlife Biologist
Current Employer: Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
School(s)/Degree(s): North Carolina State University: B.S. Fisheries and Wildlife Science, B.S. Zoology, M.S. Fisheries and Wildlife Science and Conservation Biology
Professional Certification: Certified Wildlife Biologist (The Wildlife Society)
Current Occupation: I am the Assistant Gulf Restoration Coordinator for FWC. I work with a team to conduct restoration planning for the implementation of projects funded through penalties resulting from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The projects we work on primarily occur in Florida but some range across the Gulf of Mexico depending on the resource and funding stream. At the FWC, we are focused on protection and restoration of coastal habitats and living coastal and marine resources (oysters, marine mammals, sea turtles, and birds) as well as projects that improve recreational access to resources (such as land acquisition, deploying artificial reefs, and building boat ramps). (I am on the left in the picture.)
Relevant Science Courses: Lots of biology courses!
Important Mathematics Courses: Statistics
Research Projects: Graduate research in the North Carolina mountains on the effects of oak regeneration silviculture practices on small mammals and terrestrial salamanders; published in Forest Ecology and Management and Wildlife Biology, respectively. Worked with the USGS in central Oregon to locate and study the endangered spotted frog. Worked with a private consulting company in Southern California to monitor nocturnal migration patterns of birds and bats using marine radar technology.
Advice for Science Students: Internships, internships, internships. You will really figure out what you like (and what you don’t like) by actually working in that field.
Class of 2002
Aaron Rape, Ph.D.
Title: Assistant Teaching Professor
Current Employer: Temple University
Current Occupation: I teach courses (currently Statics, Engineering Economics, Materials Science, Senior Design) at Temple University.
Schools/Degrees: B.S. Physics Allegheny College, Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering, Pennsylvania State University,
Relevant Science Courses: Materials Science combines physics, chemistry, and engineering so pretty much every science course is relevant.
Important Math Courses: Algebra, Geometry, and Calculus lay the foundation for chemistry and physics
Research Projects: Copper Diamond Composites for Advanced Electronic Cooling, Carbon Nanotube space electrodes, Earth Re-entry thermal protection system for Dream Chaser.
Long Term Projects: This was not a thing when I was a student at Freedom
Advice for Science Students: Science isn’t just for nerds and scientists. It will help you more than you think even if you aren’t drawing free body diagrams every day. These days, it’s essential for understanding the world that we live in. The thinking taught in science courses helps us understand what media tells us and helps us solve problems. It’s really important, big picture stuff.
Class of 2001
Brandon McGlothlin
Title: Project Manager
Current Employer: Fay SOUTHEAST
School(s)/Degree(s): M.S. Civil Engineering – University of Pittsburgh; B.S. Industrial Management - Grove City College
Current Occupation: I am a project manager for a heavy civil and industrial construction company. I have been fortunate to work on a long list of prestigious construction projects across the USA, as well a few international projects. Some of my career project highlights include: 1) Magic Kingdom / Epcot—upgraded security at the front of the parks – Orlando, FL - $60 Million 2) Osceola Parkway—construction and improvements for the new entrance of Hollywood Studios – Orlando, FL - $25 Million, 3) North Carolina State Ports Authority – Berth 7 Structural Improvements—Wilmington, NC - $30 Million 4) The New St. Petersburg Pier— St. Petersburg, FL - $24 Million 5) Sonatrach LNG Plant and Refinery – Skikda, Algeria - $4.5 Billion 6) Wynn Law Vegas Casino – Las Vegas, NV - $2.7 Billion 7) Comcast Center Skyscraper – Philadelphia, PA - $1.5 Billion
Relevant Science Courses: Physics 1-3, Chemistry, Statics & Dynamics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanics I & II and Thermodynamics
Important Mathematics Courses: Calculus 1-3, Differential Equations and Probability and Statistics
Advice for Science Students: Take as many science courses as you can in high school, and take them seriously; it will pay off when you get to college. In college, start your freshman year strong, climbing out of a poor GPA from your 1st semester freshman year is extremely challenging; I know this from experience. When the syllabus says, “read chapter 2 for homework,” take my advice and read the entire chapter— don’t just look at the picture and tables. Enjoy college. It goes by fast, and some of your greatest experiences and fondest memories will be made during this time of your life.
Find a career you are passionate about and surround yourself with encouraging, confident people. Most employers do not have an established mentorship program, so it could be up to you to seek out mentors to help guide your career path and steer you in the right direction. Don’t be afraid to volunteer for a new assignment or project, even though you may think you’re not qualified or you are worried you could be getting in over your head. This could end up launching your career, and you never know you could end up working on a $4.5 billion project in Northern Africa. This North Africa project opportunity was my personal launch zone, and it wouldn’t have been possible without taking the above advice. The most advantageous thing you can do for your career is approach each task, project and/or obstacle with a positive attitude. Ultimately, you are the only one that can control where your career goes; no one is going to do that for you.
Class of 2000
Jeff Bishop
Title: CEO / Founder
Current Employer: Key Capture Energy
School(s)/Degree(s): MBA - University of Chicago. BS Electrical Engineering - Rice University.
Current Occupation: I lead a 48-person company that develops, constructs, owns and operates battery storage projects on the US electric grid. Today, we're the largest owner/operator of batteries in New York and Texas and are constructing over $300 million of projects in the next year and a half.
Relevant Science Courses: Environmental Sciences, Physics (Electricity & Magnetism), Chemistry
Important Mathematics Courses: Statistics (cannot stress this one enough), Algebra
Research Projects: Battery storage participation in wholesale markets
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Sadly none. I don't think FAHS long-term projects existed in the 90s.
Advice for Science Students: For college/military/beyond -- T
The world is undergoing rapid changes. None of us in leadership positions (political, academic, or commercial) -- know the answers. Approach all the big questions with humility; surround yourself with smart people; and start small and iterate to identify the unknown unknowns. Then figure out how to monetize it.
Jeff Plate
Title: System Technology Development Functional Logic Manager & Systems Z Processor Manager
Current Employer: IBM
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Electrical/Computer Engineering - Carnegie Mellon
Current Occupation: Leading ~700 people in a worldwide design team designing the Systems Z processor. Teams in United States, Germany, Israel, India
Relevant Science Courses: All the physics, some of the chemistry
Important Mathematics Courses: Logical math, geometry.
Latest Projects: https://newsroom.ibm.com/2019-09-12-IBM-Unveils-z15-With-Industry-First-Data-Privacy-Capabilities
Advice for Science Students: Figure out what you like, someone will pay you to do it if you do it well enough. Don’t chase money, titles, or prestige. Chase challenges.
Ryan Smith
Title: Principal
Current Employer: Freedom Area School District
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Mathematics - University of Pittsburgh; Masters in Education - University of Pittsburgh; Superintendent Letter of Eligibility and Doctoral Candidate - Point Park University
Current Occupation: I currently am the principal at the Freedom Area Middle School.
Relevant Science Courses: Physics
Important Mathematics Courses: ALL OF THEM!
Research Projects: Teacher Perceptions of School-wide Positive Behaviors Interventions and Supports Programs.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): I ran through several timing gates!!! HAHA!
Advice for Science Students: Develop a work ethic and the willingness to persevere through any problem in school and life.
Class of 1999
Elizabeth Bishop
Title: Senior Technical Specialist
Current Employer: Haley & Aldrich, Inc
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Environmental Chemistry from the Catholic University of America, graduate work and research in Chemistry at Penn State University, and MS in Environmental Engineering and Science at Johns Hopkins University
Current Occupation: I am an environmental consultant specializing in in-situ remediation of contaminated soil and groundwater.
Relevant Science Courses: Chemistry, Geology, Physics, Engineering, Biology and Microbiology
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra and Calculus
Research Projects: Researched metal degradation/structural integrity for nuclear waste storage in undergrad, and the reactivity, synthesis, and transport of zero valent iron.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Didn't have them when I was at FAHS.
Advice for Science Students: Be open to opportunities and it's not a failure to change direction. Also, travel!
Jared Heymann, Ph.D.
Current Employer: The Clorox Company
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Chemistry, 2003 Gannon University (Erie, PA), Ph.D. Chemistry, 2008 Duke University (Durham, NC)
Current Occupation: I lead a team of chemists, chemical engineers, mechanical engineers and material scientists in the development and launch of new cleaning products. I work closely with people in marketing, sales, and consumer insights to match technical solutions to consumer needs and benefits, developing new formulas and packaging solutions and creating the language to communicate benefits to regular people to get them interested in buying our products. I've led teams performing microbiology work (we did all the work to write "Kills 99.9% of germs" on many Clorox products), material science and geology in cat litter (developing and launching Fresh Step Clean Paws and several upcoming innovations), and creating new brands and formulas in the cleaning space (look for some new launches in the next year!). As a scientist at Clorox, I developed and launched multiple new formulas, including Clorox Bleach Gel Spray, and Clorox Healthcare Fuzion spray, a dual chamber bleach product that is the best germ fighter used in hospitals nationally.
Relevant Science Courses: Chemistry (understanding formulas, stability, stain/soil removal), physics (understanding packaging and manufacturing), biology (understanding how viruses and bacteria work to be able to kill them)
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra! So much algebra! I'm convinced 90%+ of science is just reorganizing an algebra word problem with chemistry or physics terms.
Research Projects: I'm from the "before" time of such great technical work at Freedom, though I have taken on a diverse set of technical challenges. At Gannon, I did material science & chemistry work to develop methods of identifying polymers using FTIR. I did an NSF REU summer project (Research Experience for Undergraduates) at Youngstown State doing organic and electrochemistry, synthesizing and evaluating properties of buckminsterfullerene compounds (mostly learning about things that don't work). At Duke University, my Ph.D. was studying iron transport in bacteria, and it's connection to human health and the use of iron in our proteins. Professionally, I've extensively studied the chemistry of sodium hypochlorite and formulated to optimize cleaning performance and more importantly, germ kill for public health with a very multidisciplinary approach, all with the goal to help people buy a good product at Walmart for a couple bucks. There's so much science that goes into every bottle you buy at the shelf that you'll never see. Someone developed a formula to do what you need, someone figured out how to manufacture millions of the identical product, and someone figured out how to put it in a package that enables its convenient use. Very exciting science is everywhere.
FAHS Long-term Project(s): N/A
Advice for Science Students: Science isn't book learning and studying what has been done. Real science is knowing how to think and methodically taking on a new unknown problem. Learn how to think, and learn how to communicate what you're thinking. The best scientists are just creative thinkers who aren't afraid to be wrong, and can speak clearly about their ideas. When I interview a new scientist to join my team, I care less about what they know and care much more about how they think.
Also, establish and leverage a network of other smart people. If you have questions, reach out to your network! It's faster to ask other smart people and build from them versus go by yourself. In 1675, Isaac Newton wrote, "if I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants." Leverage those that have come before you and your peers, and just add a little bit more by thinking, or taking a new look at something. Don't be shy when being bold and creative. Feel free to start with me if you have any questions, particularly career, and find me on LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/jjheymann/
Jesse Miller
Title: Senior Manager, Manufacturing Engineering
Current Employer: Haemonetics
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Mechanical Engineer – The Pennsylvania State University; M.S. Industrial Engineering – University of Pittsburgh; M.S. Business Administration – University of Pittsburgh
Current Occupation: I currently manage the Advanced Manufacturing Engineering team at the Haemonetics Pittsburgh operation. The manufacturing engineering team is responsible for all aspects of disposable medical device manufacturing for Plasma and Hemostasis product lines. My team also includes the Maintenance and Facilities departments that are responsible for maintaining our molding, automated assembly, and building infrastructure running efficiently and within a validated state.
Relevant Science Courses: Physics, Chemistry, and Biology
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra, Trigonometry, Geometry, and Calculus
Research Projects: Insensitive munitions development for ejection seat rocket motors; centrifugal pump technology development to improve performance and reliability; joining plastics with ultrasonic welding
FAHS Long-term Project(s): I predated the long-term projects.
Advice for Science Students: Never stop learning and do not be afraid to get your hands dirty! My favorite quote is from Thomas Edison; “Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work.” Keep a continuous learning mindset and always look for opportunities to improve yourself and your work. Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.
Joshua Weaver
Title: Assistant Superintendent
Current Employer: Grove City Area School District
School(s)/Degree(s): BA in Physics from Slippery Rock University, Master of Education from Slippery Rock University, Doctorate in Educational Leadership from Capella University
Current Occupation: I serve as the assistant superintendent of the Grove City Area School District.
Relevant Science Courses: Science courses, physics classes in particular, do a wonderful job of teaching students how to solve problems and think critically. Those skills, which can certainly be learned, are so important in all aspects of life. I don't believe other courses/disciplines can match that experience.
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra I and II truly provide the foundation for all other math courses moving forward.
Research Projects: The impact that looping and departmentalization has on the experience of an upper elementary student. I conducted this research for my qualitative dissertation.
Advice for Science Students: Don't stop taking science courses at the high school level. Keep registering for science courses as you move into a post-secondary setting. Those courses will lead to degrees and those degrees will lead to opportunities.
Melissa Bishop
Title: Business and Economic Analyst
Current Employer: F5 Consulting Group
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Mathematics, B.A. Economics from University of Pittsburgh (2004); Masters in Engineering Management with Systems Engineering focus from George Washington University (2018)
Current Occupation: I am a Government contractor doing contracts management.
Relevant Science Courses: Brain and Behavior (surprisingly enlightening!), Computer Science
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra and Calculus
FAHS Long-term Project(s): Didn't have them when i was at FAHS
Advice for Science Students: Learn how to think about problems.
Technology and software programs will change, but if you know how to think, you'll be able to adapt and grow.
Class of 1998
Brian Hirth
Title: Electrical Engineer
Current Employer: Acutronic
School(s)/Degree(s): B.S. Electrical & Mechanical Engineering Technology – Rochester Institute of Technology
Current Occupation: Designing electrical control systems guidance testing machines. (Think gyros, and accelerometers)
Relevant Science Courses: Physics
Important Mathematics Courses: Algebra
Research Projects: Mobile Robotics
FAHS Long-term Project(s): An operational Stirling Engine as well as making the physics experiments work before the rest of the class tries them.
Advice for Science Students: Don’t worry about what others think, Follow your dreams.