Deans Weekly Significant Activities Report

Transcription

1 Deans Weekly Significant Activities Report 17 February 2016 The Dean s Weekly Significant Activities Report is an internal report on all activities conducted within the Departments, Centers & Staff. The Report is provided to the Dean for situation awareness, throughout the organization for shared situation awareness, and to select external organizations for outreach and communication. Portions of the Dean s Weekly Significant Activities Report are further staffed in a report to the Superintendent. POC for the report is MS Lesley Beckstrom at Picture of the Week Cadets, History Department faculty and USHMM staff in the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. on 30 January

2 Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership Completed Events Follow BS&L on Facebook: NY/Department-of-Behavioral-Sciences-Leadership/ SOCIOLOGY PROGRAM PARTICIPATES IN THE HOPE HOMELESS COUNT On Monday, 8 February, 29 cadets and 5 faculty members with the Sociology program in BS&L participated in the 14th annual Homeless Outreach Population Estimate (HOPE) Count in New York City. Each year, over 3,000 volunteers conduct a methodical count of the unsheltered and unhoused population to inform the allocation of both federal and state resources. Cadets and volunteers from throughout NYC gathered at various sites in the city just before midnight to receive instructions on how to survey every person they would see in their assigned territories to survey. This year, NY Mayor Bill deblasio personally addressed and thanked the volunteers and also conducted the survey with Secretary Julian Castro, the US Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Cadets joined groups of 5-8 people and walked from 3-5 miles on the streets of NYC from midnight to 0400 on one of the coldest nights of the year, seeing some freezing rain throughout the night. It was an eye-opening experience to see and talk firsthand to some of the homeless, provide assistance and transportation to a local shelter, and hear their stories. Their selfless service and positive interaction with the people of NYC was captured in tweets, TV news programs, and newspaper articles: 2

3 - The first picture shows a tweet by Secretary Castro that includes CDT Mitch Boylan and MAJ Laura Weimer's group's during the training. - News Report (appearance by CDT Allison Voll, Dr. Morten Ender, and LTC Remi Hajjar): - Newspaper Article (quotes by CDT Mitch Boylan and MAJ Laura Weimer): - The second picture shows the West Point group at Public School 116, our training site. 3

4 POC: MAJ Laura Weimer, x5031 Center for Leadership and Diversity in STEM Dean's Weekly Report 10 February 2016 CLD STEM offered a mobile STEM workshop in Essex and Beekmantown, NY On 4-5 February 2016 the Center for Leadership and Diversity in STEM traveled to Essex and Beekmantown, New York to conduct a Mobile STEM Workshop for the College for Every student (CFES). Middle school students from the local schools participated in the Lego Mindstorm workshop. Educators from the local schools and partner CFES schools around the country participated in a STEM Question & Answer session led by LTC Anthony Johnson that focused on how to implement additional STEM education programs as well as questions relating to their current STEM efforts. 4

5 The students first received a presentation on the benefits of pursuing STEM education, then they had the opportunity to construct their own robot. Following lunch, the students learned some basic fundamentals of programming, which they used to program their robots to negotiate a maze. At the end of the day, all students who completed the workshop were awarded a certificate with additional small prizes awarded to the winners of the robotics programming challenge. Department of History At January s annual conference of the American Historical Association in Atlanta, GA, Dr. Amanda Boczar presented a paper titled Beyond the Brothel: Marriage and Dating in Wartime Vietnam, as part of the Intimate Relations: Reevaluating Transnational Relations of Gender, Sexuality, and Citizenship in the New Diplomatic History Roundtable. This was the first panel of the conference, drawing an audience of approximately 30 people, including several important scholars in the fields of gender and foreign relations. Dr. Boczar s paper was received very well, sparking lively discussion with the audience for more than an hour. Dr. David Frey, Director of the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, was one of 75 invited international guests attending the opening of the Holocaust by Bullets exhibit 5

6 in the rotunda of the United Nations on 25 January This exhibit, based on the research of Father Patrick Desbois and his organization Yahad-in-Unam ( was opened by the French Ambassador to the United Nations and featured a speech by Father Desbois. The exhibit utilizes artifacts and translated interviews the Yahad-in-Unam team did with witnesses to the killings of Jews and Roma nearly 70 years after the events. Father Desbois, who was featured on 60 Minutes in November, will be coming to West Point in April to deliver the Day of Remembrance speech and to meet with faculty and cadets to discuss his most recent research on mass killing in Iraq and Syria. Pictured above is part of the Holocaust by Bullets exhibit in the rotunda of the United Nations, which opened on 25 January Cadets in the Ellie Sannes-Pinnell Art Appreciation Club invited Dr. David Frey to speak on 27 January Dr. Frey led a discussion about the connection between art and ideology, focusing on the Futurist Movement. The Art Appreciation Club, formed only two years ago, has grown in leaps and bound. Over 60 cadets attended Mahan hall lunchtime talk. 6

7 G. Severini s Armored Train (1915) is a prototypical example of the early futurist painting that was the focus of Dr. Frey s presentation to the Ellie Sannes-Pinnell Art Appreciation Club on 27 January. Also on 27 January, LTC Jason Musteen spoke to the Civil War Round Table of Fairfield County, Connecticut at the Stamford Historical Society. LTC Musteen spoke about "The Napoleonic Legacy," discussing Napoleon's military and non-military achievements and contributions. A portion of the lecture addressed the Napoleonic influence on antebellum training and education at West Point as well as Napoleon's legacy in the American Civil War. On January, Dr. Greta Bucher, Dr. Rasheed Hosein, Dr. David Frey, MAJ Jake Couch, and CPT Matt Cohen from the History Department and the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies took 80 plebes to Washington, DC for a half day in our nation s capital followed by a full day of intensive study at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. This visit, which was the 21 st annual trip undertaken by the History Department with the support of the Beitler Family Foundation, is meant to inform cadets about the Holocaust in a broad sense and the roles individuals played in executing, resisting, and surviving genocide. Cadets toured the museum s main exhibits, learning about the processes which led to the Nazi murder of Jews, Sinti, Roma, Slavs and others. They examined the roles played by militaries, whether Nazi officers who carried out genocide, American soldiers who liberated concentration camps, or collaborators from Nazi-allied or occupied states. They learned about the experiences of the pauperized, ghettoized, and ultimately exterminated Jewish populations. Cadets also 7

8 visited the Some Were Neighbors exhibit, which examines many of the motivations for why individuals would turn on, ignore the suffering of, aid, or rescue their neighbors during such trying times. Cadets also engaged in discussions with faculty and museum staff, and had the privilege of speaking with a Holocaust survivor. Cadets, History Department faculty and USHMM staff in the US Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. on 30 January

9 Program sponsors Dr. Lorraine Beitler, COL Jonathan Beitler, Dr. David Frey, and child survivor Dora Klayman. On 3 February 2016, at the New York City Bar Association in Midtown, Manhattan, Dr. David Frey, Director of the Center for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, participated in a discussion of National Mechanisms for Genocide and Mass Atrocity Prevention: Coordinated National Strategies for Confronting Contemporary Genocide. The theme of the evening's conversation centered on national mechanisms inter-agency state bodies that have been formed across the world over the last six years in order to monitor atrocity crimes and prevent mass atrocities. While slow, real global progress has been made. Hosted by the Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation, the evenings highlight was a panel discussion featuring representatives from USAID, the Office of the Secretary of Defense the United Nations Office of the Special Adviser on the Prevention of Genocide, and the Auschwitz Institute for Peace and Reconciliation. CPT Ben Griffin gave a presentation to the New York Military Affairs Symposium in New York City on the impact of Tom Clancy on the national security policy of Ronald Reagan. During the talk and question and answer session that followed, he argued that Clancy's works played a significant role in both the formulation and dissemination of Reagan's policy. CPT Griffin s presentation was received enthusiastically, and will air on CSPAN 3 in the coming months. 9

10 On 6-7 February 2016, the American History Division of the History Department led a select group of 38 fourth-class cadets to New York City in order to study the vital role of the city in the American Revolution. This staff ride had two distinct purposes: to highlight the often hidden history of New York's Revolutionary Era, and to support the Superintendent's intent and have our cadets and faculty engage with New York City. The staff ride visited numerous sites to include: Federal Hall, Bowling Green, Fraunces Tavern, Battery Park and the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument. Some of the themes the cadets focused on were the role of loyalists and ex-slaves in New York City's "Civil War," the harsh experience of prisoners of war, and the oft-forgotten history of slavery in New York City. The trip was excellent opportunity to have frank discussions about longheld myths of the American Revolution and engage with the public in New York City. Cadets visit Fraunces Tavern, the lower Manhattan site of George Washington s farewell to officers of the Continental Army, during a History Department staff ride exploring New York s experience of the American Revolution. 10

11 Cadets and History Department faculty pose for a picture at the Prison Ship Martyrs Monument, commemorating the sacrifice of over 11,000 patriots who perished on British prisoner ships in the East River during the Revolutionary War. On 8 February 2016, Phi Alpha Theta History Honors Society Cadets Brandon Wethman ('17) and Ed Fullerton ('18) participated in a local outreach service project. They taught a lesson on World War II to Ms. Nielson's 12th grade students at Cornwall High School. Cadet Wethman presented on the Eastern Front, framed from an economic standpoint with a particular emphasis on the importance of oil in shaping the strategic and operational goals of the USSR and Germany. Cadet Fullerton presented on the importance of industry in the Pacific Theater and how the course of the war in the Pacific was shaped by industrial concerns and capacity. Both cadets answered questions from the students regarding the war. Because of the cadets' engaging discussion, the high school students gained a deeper appreciation of World War II and became more prepared for the upcoming Advanced Placement exam this spring. 11

12 Cadets Brandon Wethman and Ed Fullerton pose with a Cornwall High School AP History class after teaching a class on World War II on 8 February LTC Rick Black served as one of three guest panelists at James I. O Neill High School in Highland Falls for a Black History Month program. The program was originally designed around SGT (Ret) Sanders Matthews, a local resident, former Buffalo Soldier at West Point, and president of the Buffalo Soldiers Association. Unfortunately he fell ill and could not attend the program, so LTC Black appeared with Dr. Aundrea Matthews, one of his granddaughters, to help tell the story of the Buffalo Soldiers at West Point. They spoke to two of the school s history classes at one session in the library, primarily answering questions that the students had written to ask SGT Matthews. They then attended another session in the auditorium with more students, local dignitaries, and community guests. Dr. Donald Outing, West Point s Chief Diversity Officer, also joined the panel. Each person spoke for a few minutes about the history and legacy of minorities in the armed forces, the role of the Buffalo Soldiers at West Point, and the many different ways that the 94-year-old SGT Matthews has enriched the community throughout his lifetime. 12

13 LTC Rick Black speaking with students from two history classes in the O Neill High School library. On 12 February 2016, Foreign Policy published an article by CPT Ben Griffin on the relationship between works of fiction and the memory of war. In it, he argues that popular culture plays a decisive role in defining how the public remembers history and that it therefore plays a major role in framing policy discussions. CPT Griffin s article can be found at the following URL: Department of Systems Engineering DSE Faculty Visit to Pentagon, Collaborative Effort with Army G1 DSE faculty members COL Dan McCarthy, LTC Jose Ramirez, and CPT Jillian Wisniewski visited the Pentagon to meet with the Active Component Strength Analysis and Forecasting Division within the DCS, G1-PRS. The team is partnering with G1 to develop a forecasting model that will inform decisions concerning personnel accessions and manning to meet the Army s strength requirements. POC COL Dan McCarthy, x

14 Department of Physics and Nuclear Engineering Future Events Wake and Funeral: During February, the Department of Physics and Nuclear Engineering, will celebrate the life of COL(R) Thomas Lainis, Jr., Professor of Physics, beside his loving family. His obituary can be found at the following link: NSERC Colloquium Series: On 18 February, COL Michael Anderson, Chief of USANCA s newly created Nuclear Proponency Division, plans to discuss his new Division, changes to the Theatre Nuclear Operations Course (TNOC), and the proposed FA52 Core Competencies. Colloquium: On 22 February, MAJ Tony Clark, Assistant Professor, PaNE, will present a classified Secret-Restricted Data colloquium entitled "Hydrodynamic Phenomena and the Associated Experimentation of Thermonuclear Weaponry," to vetted staff and faculty. Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering EV379 Photogrammetry Keystone Aerial Survey Field Trip. On Monday, 8 February, 18 cadets enrolled in EV379 Photogrammetry along with 4 faculty of the GIS program (Department of Geography and Environmental Engineering) participated in a trip section to Keystone Aerial Survey located in Philadelphia, PA. This was the 14th annual trip to keystone in the history of EV379. During the visit, the cadets learned firsthand how a commercial photogrammetry firm conducts its daily operations. Keystone Aerial Survey is a firm with 4 locations in the United States, and it is one of the largest photogrammetry companies in the country. Keystone has flown millions of survey miles throughout the United States and conducts several different geospatial missions including conventional photogrammetry, digital photogrammetry, aerial photo processing, light detection and ranging (LiDAR), structure for motion, and photograph point cloud development. Keystone has also worked for a variety of government agencies including the USDA (NRI, WRP, and NAIP, Forest Service) USGS, BLM, FEMA, US Army Corps of Engineers and NOAA. During the visit, cadets broke up into small groups and conducting hands on experiences with photogrammetric software packages, photo development, mission planning, aerial cameras, collection aircrafts, UAS, and LiDAR. The visit put several concepts taught in EV379 into context for the cadets and sparked interest into the fields of photogrammetry and remote sensing. The cadets asked questions to registered 14

15 photogrammetrists, pilots, aerial camera technicians, GPS engineers, computer specialists, and even the CEO of the company. At the conclusion of the visit, the EV379 cadets presented Keystone with a new Army West Point flag to be hung in their flight hanger. POC is Major Darren Kerr at Darren.Kerr@usma.edu. Top Left: Cadets get a close up view underneath an aircraft of an advanced 260+ million pixel aerial digital camera. Bottom Left: CDT Brett Celona, CDT Andrew Decoteau, and CDT Joshua Ische step inside an aircraft and learn about the inflight challenges of collecting aerial photos. Top Right- Cadets from EV379 get a brief from one of Keystone's pilots on daily premission checks and planning details. Bottom Right- Cadets from EV379 and 4 GIS program faculty present the CEO of Keystone, Mr. John Schmitt, with a new Army West Point flag. Faculty Publication. A research paper authored by Dr. Michael Butkus, Dr. Dawn Riegner (D/C&LS), and 1LT Johannes Olind (West Point Environmental Engineering graduate, 2013) entitled, Immobilization of Lead by Phosphate Amended Polonite, was recently accepted by the peer-reviewed journal Chemosphere. The study evaluated the ability and mechanism of a stabilization agent known as Polonite and phosphate amended Polonite, Polonite-P, (which was invented at West Point) to control lead pollution in natural systems, such as firing ranges. An important finding from the study was that phosphate could be released by Polonite-P to form desirable, low solubility, 15

16 lead-phosphate precipitates. It is thought that Poloniote-P will have a significant influence on lead immobilization and results of this study will help improve management of lead on firing ranges and elsewhere in the environment. POC is Dr. Michael Butkus at Michael.Butkus@usma.edu. 16