NRHS World of Science Club Hosts "Lunch with a Scientist"

On October 31, 2014, the North Reading High School World of Science Club hosted its first “Lunch with a Scientist” in the Distance Learning Lab. The purpose of the presentation is to inform and educate students about a career in a field of science. Over seventy students, staff and guests enjoyed a one hour presentation from Deborah McManus, Nate Hunter and William Hargett of Morpho Detection, a subsidiary of Safran, located in Wilmington, Massachusetts, who are mechanical engineers and have business management degrees. Each speaker provided the attendees with their course of education, including undergraduate and graduate studies, their daily schedule, their responsibilities and their working environment.

Morpho designs and builds field-proven explosives, narcotics and chemical detection systems that are used to help safeguard people and high-risk targets including air and ground transportation, government and military facilities, sporting events (i.e. Olympics and World Cup), and other critical infrastructure. Their main clients are the TSA, the Department of State, cruise lines and nuclear power plants sites. The speakers presented a video and brought a hand-detection device for the attendees to view.

Mrs. McManus, Vice President of Quality and Program Management, explained the process of designing detections, commencing at the point of listening to what the client needs, the scientists and engineers and chemists’ research in inventing and testing the technology, to the creation and manufacturing of the product, ending in the installation and the service of the instruments. Mr. Hargett, the General Manager of Global Marketing, provided invaluable information as to the necessity of keeping their clients satisfied in a competitive market. Mr. Hunter, a product manager, emphasized the importance of listening to the customer to satisfy their needs. To design each explosive and narcotic detection device, the process includes skills from chemical engineers, scientists, chemists, mechanical engineers, electrical engineers, manufacturing engineers, computer engineers, and field service engineers.

Joseph Tramontozzi, President of the World of Science Club, explained that there are so many career paths involving science. The seminars are an effort to motivate students to consider studying one of the fields in college. Emily Zhang, the Vice-President of the club stated: “I am so happy that we started doing the “Lunch with a Scientist” every month. I think it is a great way for students at the high school to start learning about possible careers in the science.” Mr. Tramontozzi stated that the new Distance Learning Lab provided a comfortable atmosphere where students were easily engaged in the presentation and asked questions.

In order to showcase different careers in science, Ms. Katelyn Jolibert, the World of Science Club Advisor, has scheduled once a month luncheons for students to attend. In the future, a chiropractor, computer scientist, and biologist will attend the session. For more information please contact kjolibert@north-reading.k12.ma.us.