Students from the Albert Dorman Honors College (NJIT) Pay a Return Visit to the Technical Center
By Ginger Cairnes
“We have a hunger of the mind which asks for knowledge of all around us, and the more we gain, the more is our desire; the more we see, the more we are capable of seeing.” –Maria Mitchell
Last year Professor Paul J. Dine and a group of students from New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) Albert Dorman Honors College visited the Technical Center. Congressman Donald Payne, (D-N.J), impressed by the students and professors’ enthusiasm about the visit, requested a return visit.
NJIT is a major public technological university whose mission is education, research, economic development, and service. It also “prepares its graduates for positions of leadership as professionals and as citizens.” It offers programs to prepare students for a “technology dependent economy of the 21 st century.”
Sponsored by the city of Newark and a matching grant from the state legislature in 1881, the Newark Technical School was established. Non-degree courses were offered in science, math, and drawing. In the 127 years since the school was established, it has changed its name to NJIT and has courses and programs that evolved into six full colleges, among them the Albert Dorman Honors College. Founded in 1985 as “the Institute Honors Program, it became a college in 1995.” Approximately 600 students in the honors program excel in engineering, aerospace studies, computer science, architecture, sciences, and liberal arts.
The college goes beyond the classroom. Students are offered a superior academic program, hands-on research activities and projects, and meet with specialists at major corporations in their respective fields in order to prepare them to be leaders in their fields.” The Technical Center was only one of several learning opportunities that the students are provided. They visit Washington, DC, tour major companies, and tour historical and cultural sites.
The students’ quest for learning was quite evident from the moment they arrived until they were boarding the bus to travel home. Unfortunately because of the time they needed for travel, their experience at the Technical Center was somewhat limited. However, they were still able to visit labs, facilities, participate in hands-on demos, and attend briefings.
At the Full-Scale Fire Test Facility, the group was able to see Fire Safety Branch test articles: the narrow-bodied B707 used for material flammability test comparisons, burn through testing, cabin water mist, etc.; the wide-bodied DC10 used for cargo compartment simulations; and the new test article that can assess damage to thermal acoustic insulation. The DC10 is being modified with an upper deck in preparation for the new A380 and other new large aircraft. They also learned about devices such as the smoke detector installed in restroom trashcans, and about the recent fuel tank inerting efforts.
On their visit to the National Airport Pavement Test Facility, the students were briefed on some of the latest information regarding the Airport Technology Branch’s current research, and their Aircraft Rescue and Fire Fighting (ARFF) Program, especially as it relates to the New Large Aircraft (NLA). A demonstration of the High Performance Research Vehicle (HPRV) gave them the opportunity to try on some of the fire fighting gear, climb aboard the engine, and observe other equipment used to fight post-crash fires.
Lunchtime briefings included Technical Center’s Role in Aviation and what career opportunities the Technical Center has to offer.
After lunch the group went to the Air Traffic Control Modernization Labs. At the Standard Terminal Automation Replacement System (STARS) Lab, they were able to observe from the “mock” tower and also play the role of air traffic controller at the radar displays.
The students’ day was rounded up by visits to the Enhanced Traffic Management System (ETMS) display, the weather labs, and the Automated Dependant Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) lab. where students were able to try the avionics equipment.
We hope that what they gained at the Technical Center has not only taken them “beyond the classroom” but has also whetted their appetites in that “The more they see, the more they will be capable of seeing.”
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