5-E CLASSROOM STEM ACTIVITY: DESIGNING AIRPLANES

Nicole Cumberland

GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGY // LOCKHEED MARTIN

ENGINEERING A BETTER TOMORROW

ENGINEERING A BETTER TOMORROW

Lockheed Martin is known globally as a world leader in the aerospace, defense, security and technologies industries. Employing over 116,000 scientists, technicians, engineers and numerous other vocations, the organization has spearheaded the creation of some of the most innovative aircraft electronics and missile systems in existence.

We had the opportunity to speak with a few of the folks at Lockheed Martin and learn about their careers.

JOHN DONNER // Mechanical Engineering Senior Manager – LM Missiles and Fire ControlJEANETTE ELLIOTT // Aeronautical Engineer Staff – LM AeronauticsNICHOLAS SAIZ // Senior Electronics Engineer – LM Space SystemsMARK TORPEY // Software Engineer – LM Mission Systems and Training

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BY PAT SYLVES

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STEM JOBS: Could you describe what it’s like to work at Lockheed Martin?NICHOLAS SAIZ: It’s different than working for a typical commercial company, since our customers have very unique needs. This exposes you to a variety of unique technical challenges that you will not find anywhere else.JEANETTE ELLIOTT: We are given the chance to not only work with highly qualified colleagues, but we also explore technologies and designs to help invent the future.MARK TORPEY: I get to work with smart people, and on breaks we can even brainstorm over a game of ping pong.

SJ: How did you get into your role at Lockheed Martin?JOHN DONNER: Growing up, I was very interested in mathematics and engineering. I enjoyed taking things apart, learning how they work and then re-assembling them. My interests ranged from rebuilding lawn mowers to automobile maintenance to woodworking and working with various kinds of metal. These experiences, coupled with science and math activities in school and in the Boy Scouts, spurred my interest in engineering, and ultimately mechanical engineering, which I studied at Texas Tech University. Since joining Lockheed Martin in 1997, I have held roles of increasing responsibility, and am currently managing a team of mechanical engineers at Lockheed Martin’s Missiles and Fire Control business area.MT: I majored in computer science in college, and went to Lockheed Martin after I completed my graduate work, primarily because I knew people who worked at the company and loved it. When I joined Lockheed Martin, I started out as a software engineer working on projects that allowed me to build 3D virtual worlds that would be used for training soldiers. Over time, I took on more and more responsibilities, starting out with leading small projects, and moving up to running some very large efforts. SJ: What career options are available at Lockheed Martin?MT: The possibilities are practically endless. I work in a research and development group, so I’m always collaborating with other software or systems engineers to determine how new technologies can be used to make our products better. There are also people managing our project schedule, considering costs and leading coordination that help to make our team successful. There will be an extraordinary need for engineers in the next few years due to so many retirees, so there will be no shortage of jobs.

NS: Lockheed Martin has plenty of career paths available, with roles ranging from hardcore engineering to technical leadership. They make advanced education and technical leadership programs such as the Engineering Leadership Development Program easily accessible and available early on in your career.

SJ: Any advice for a student hoping to eventually work at Lockheed Martin?JE: Take education seriously! For my school, we had to compete to enter the aerospace and ocean engineering department. After joining your major, you may need to compete for co-op and internship positions, as well as a job following graduation. Become involved in extracurricular activities to improve your social skills, and remember: the industry has its ups and downs. Don’t be discouraged.MT: Students can participate in plenty of free conferences to learn more about technology careers. There is a large trade show conference in Orlando called the Interservice/Industry Training, Simulation and Education Conference, where companies like Lockheed Martin show off their latest and greatest products and research.

SJ: Last question: How do you feel about STEM?NS: It is important that we as a country remain competitive in STEM fields to keep us relevant in the global economy.MT: STEM is about making sure that kids are exposed to the inner workings of how and why all this technology works, and to give them an opportunity to be part of it, rather than just users.JE: STEM represents the skills that will be required for our country to remain competitive in the future.

5-E CLASSROOM STEM ACTIVITY: DESIGNING AIRPLANESHere are some ideas for how high school teachers could use this story as a launching point for integrated STEM learning. Our activities follow the 5-E Learning Cycle Model.

1

2

3

1

Show the students the animated, abbreviated history of flight video from Utah Valley University that can be found at edu.STEMjobs.com/teacher-resources. After the video, have the students discuss what developments they thought were the most innovative, and what specific principles of science were utilized in the developments.

Review the concept of air resistance. Discuss the effect of wind on a hand outside a car window and what the hand does when you move it. Explain that air resistance forces the hand to move upward and downward, and this same force affects airplanes. Show the very brief video found at edu.STEMjobs.com/teacher-resources to further explain the forces acting on an airplane.

Have the students read the article on Lockheed Martin in STEM Jobs magazine. Ask the students: What are the different types of team members and expertise that would be needed to design and build airplanes and spaceships? What concepts from science, technology, engineering, and mathematics do you think these team members would need to know about?

Show students the two videos on the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works that can be found at edu.STEMjobs.com/teacher-resources to prepare students for the next activity. In the first video, have them pay special attention to the shapes of the different aircraft, and think about why certain designs are used for certain purposes. Divide students into groups of 3 to create their own airplane design. Groups will be responsible for designing an airplane that is capable of flying nonstop from Dallas, Texas to Melbourne, Australia, which would set a record for the longest nonstop flight in the world. Roles will be:

a. Engineer – This person will be responsible for calculating how far the plane needs to travel before refueling, its fuel efficiency, how large its fuel tank should be, and the capacity needed for passengers and cargo, along with helping the designer take the weight of the fuel and the plane’s payload into account in the design of the plane. b. Designer – This person will be responsible for working with the engineer to create blueprints and a model or drawing of the final plane. The designer will consider things like weight, wingspan, drag, and intended purpose of the aircraft. c. Marketer – This person will be responsible for creating marketing materials about the design of the plane, including its intended use, capacity, fuel efficiency, etc., so they will need to work closely with the Engineer and Designer to understand why those decisions were made. They will present the marketing materials for their group in the next step. Marketing can be done via posters, tri-folds, PowerPoint, etc.

Part 1: Engage

Part 2: Explore

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NOTES

Part 3: Explain

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1 Groups will then present their designs and marketing information to the rest of the class. While listening to the other presentations, students should be noting their peers’ design, whether they focused on the intended goal, and information on the technical aspects of the plane. Students may ask questions of each group, critique their designs, and note potential flaws that affect the plane.

Part 4: Elaborate1 Students will use an online flight simulator. Have students create a flight journal or “manifest” as they

take turns on the simulator. Journals should include information from the game such as their route, incident reports, altitude, weather conditions, and personal thoughts on their flights. The site listed at edu.STEMjobs.com/teacher-resources provides a few different free simulations students can use.

Designing Airplanes

Have students think about each of the presentations and write about which design they think was the most successful and why in their science journals. They should also write about what they found to be the most challenging part of the design process, along with the type of educational background that would be most useful for someone in this role. Have students think back to the Lockheed Martin Skunk Works video and describe or draw what they think an airplane of the future might look like.

Part 5: Evaluate1

NOTES

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Common Core Math Standards:

Next Generation Science Standards:

Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills – Science

CCSS.Math.Content.HSA.CED.A.1 Create equations and inequalities in one variable and use them to solve problems.

CCSS.Math.Content.HSA.CED.A.2 Create equations in two or more variables to represent relationships between quantities; graph equations on coordinate axes with labels and scales.

HS-ETS1-1. Analyze a major global challenge to specify qualitative and quantitative criteria and constraints for solutions that account for societal needs and wants. HS-ETS1-2. Design a solution to a complex real-world problem by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable problems that can be solved through engineering.

P.4.D calculate the effect of forces on objects, including the law of inertia, the relationship between force and acceleration, and the nature of force pairs between objects

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HOT JOBS // GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGY

THE FINAL FRONTIER

WILL I LIKE IT?

MEDIAN SALARY

STEM TYPE

SCHOOLS THAT TRAIN

WHO’S HIRING

WHAT WILL I DO?

STEM JOBS BY SALARYGEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGY

HOT

You support, repair and maintain commercial satellite communications systems, which may include auditing systems, testing and regular maintenance tasks, as keeping these systems going is generally of critical importance.

$57,000

You were just communicating with aliens on Kepler-452b the other day.

• Andrews University • Bellevue College • Bowling Green State University • LeTourneau University • University of Central Missouri

SATELLITE ELECTRONICS TECHNICIAN

You are responsible for developing ways to obtain useful data from geographical information bases and systems so that the information can be used in a wide variety of industries and fields. This is accomplished through many different methods, such as physical maps/overlays and advanced computer analysis methods and mapping software.

$63,000

You really can’t talk about it right now.

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GEOSPATIAL INTELLIGENCE ANALYST

You will utilize and apply technologies such as aerial photography, light and radio wave detection systems, digital satellites or thermal energy systems to assist scientists in areas such as natural resources, urban planning or homeland security.

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You actually use that telescope in your room.

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REMOTE SENSING TECHNICIAN

You will install, maintain, repair and test antennas, Radio Frequency (RF) Equipment, computers and network systems. Getting a start in computer networking technologies is the traditional pathway toward this specialization.

MakerProducer Producer DesignerIntegrator

$41,000

Your parents still aren’t sure how you’re getting all those international TV channels.

• Spartan College of Aeronautics • Cochise College • MassBay Community College • Middle Georgia College • Pittsburgh Institute of Aeronautics

• Atlantic Tower Services • General Dynamics • MIT Lincoln Laboratory • Raytheon • Rincon Research Corporation

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ANTENNA HARDWARE TECHNICIAN

You will be responsible for the engineering of spacecraft avionics and ground-based electronics software systems through all phases of the product life-cycle. While other software developers create software like games, your software controls equipment and machines.

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You don’t plan to get a driver’s license because cars should drive themselves pretty soon anyway.

• Case Western Reserve University • George Mason University • Howard University • Illinois Institute of Technology • Lawrence Technological University

EMBEDDED SYSTEMS ENGINEER

STEMJOBS.COM // EARLY FALL 2015 31

$106,000

When we need to move the Earth’s population, you know where to go.

• American Public University • Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University • Everglades University • Naval Postgraduate School • University of North Dakota

• California Institute of Technology • Hampton University • MIT • University of Arizona • University of Arkansas

$77,000

That map of stars on your ceiling improves wifi reception in your room.

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Investigator Designer Explorer

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$75,000

Circles, hoops, loops and orbits are your thing.

• Alfred State SUNY College of Technology • Colorado School of Mines • Michigan Technological University • Missouri University of Science & Technology • South Dakota School of Mines

$80,000

You like it hot ... you also like it cold.

Solver

• Boeing • General Motors • HP • Intel • NASA

You deal specifically with addressing heating or cooling of processes, equipment or enclosed environments. Getting to space and bringing things in and out of space tends to present a few of these problems, and you get to use cool terms like infrared, signature, ablating hypersonic reentry, plumes, wakes and exo-atmospheric conditions.

THERMAL ENGINEER

$85,000

You see no reason to abandon a perfectly good planet.

Explorer

• General Dynamics • Great-Circle Technologies • Integrity Applications Incorporated • TASC • U.S. Army

You use various computer software programs and tools such as geographic information systems, global positioning systems (GPS) and other remote aerial technology sensors to gather geographic information. This helps to determine the best way to use the geographic physical space in which people exist.

GEOSPATIAL SCIENTIST

You study both the planets in our own solar system and extra-solar planets. The research of astronomers involves using telescopes and other instruments to measure the motion, dimensions and composition of planets and other planetary bodies such as moons and asteroids. You will also study the distribution and types of planets found in different solar systems.

PLANETARY ASTRONOMER

You are a highly specialized engineer who will balance both system design and maintenance. Given the cost and function of satellite communications, every project is a highly customized project requiring significant investment and precision.

SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS ENGINEER

You will be involved in observing, reducing, adjusting and analyzing geodetic survey data to produce latitudes and longitudes; and orthometric, geoidal and ellipsoidal heights. Yes, complicated, so think about air traffic control for satellites as one application.

GEODESIST

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