Season 2 Episode 2

Linda Hargrove — Mon, 01 Mar 2021 03:46:48 +0000

In this episode, Dr. Claude Hargrove and Linda Hargrove talk with Systems Engineer Major Toby Crandall. This is an excerpt from a longer conversation held via Facebook Live during Engineers Week 2021.

Guest Bio:
Major Crandall is a native of Hertford, North Carolina and has nine siblings. He attended North Carolina State University, where he received a Bachelor’s degree in Applied Math. Upon graduating in 2003, he enlisted in the Army Reserves. After a short period with 982nd Signal Company Wilson, NC he enlisted in the Regular Army.

His initial active duty assignment was as a Video Telecommunication Technician with 2nd Infantry Division G6, South Korea. It was during this two-year assignment that his Non-Commissioned Officer leader encouraged him to apply for Office Candidate School. He was accepted and subsequently commissioned into the Army’s Signal Corps in 2007.

Following his commissioning, Captain Crandall deployed to Camp Phoenix Afghanistan where he served as a platoon leader with the 278th Signal Company 160th Signal Brigade and later as aid de camp, with duty in Kuwait. During a second deployment to Kuwait, he commanded the Headquarters and Headquarters Company 335th Signal Command Provisional, Camp Arifjan Kuwait, responsible for leading 120 Soldiers providing strategic communications services across Iraq, Afghanistan and Kuwait.

His awards and decorations include the Bronze Star Medal; Defense Meritorious Service Medal; Joint Service Commendation Medal; Army Commendation Medal; Army Achievement Medal; Joint Meritorious Unit Award; Army Meritorious Unit Award; National Defense Service Medal; Afghanistan Campaign Medal Campaign Medal (one Service Star); Global War On Terrorism Expeditionary Medal; Global War On Terrorism Service Medal; Korean Defense Service Medal; Army Service Ribbon; Overseas Service Ribbon; and NATO Medal.

Show Notes
There’s more to the Major than his official Army bio. Listen to the podcast to get to know about his phenomenal story from humble beginnings in rural Hertford, North Carolina to NC State and beyond.

Elizabeth City State University is one of many HBCU (historically black colleges and universities) in the United States.

Systems engineering is a branch of engineering that can be found in various industries and sectors, including the armed forces. Systems engineers help design systems that reduce waste and improve processes.

Major Crandall talks about doing the most with every opportunity you’ve been given in life, and not underestimating the power of encouragement to lift others up.

Do you have something you’d like to add? Leave a comment. Or leave us a voice message.

Check Out These STEM Dreams Resources:

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Show Sponsor:

STEM Dreams podcast is sponsored by Wildlands Engineering, a water resources engineering firm in Charlotte, North Carolina. Wildlands is dedicated to increasing diversity in engineering and environmental sciences like geology and ecology.

Wildlands, thank you for helping us help the next generation of STEM dreamers.

Credits: Show sound effects and music was sourced from FreeSound.org.

Ep. 7 – Juan Fuentes on Bringing Your Whole Self to STEM

Linda Hargrove — Thu, 15 Oct 2020 02:40:53 +0000

Today’s guest: Juan Alfredo Fuentes

Guest Bio: Juan Fuentes graduated from UNC Charlotte in the Fall of 2014 with a degree in Systems & Industrial Engineering and Mathematics. Upon graduation, he started working for CTL Packaging, USA as a Project Engineer for cosmetic plastic packaging clients like L’Oreal, and Alba Botanica. For a brief period right after graduation, he worked with Dilliard’s Corporation. Juan then transitioned to work for Duke Energy as a Jr. Project Manager for the Coal Ash Basin Closure Projects before finding his way to working at Coca-Cola Consolidated as a Manufacturing & Production Analyst for Bishopville and Nashville Production. His work with Coca-Cola Consolidated has expanded in his role with Product Supply by working with Production Planning, as well as implementing data analytics during extended downtimes, and out-of-source optimization.

Juan enjoys spending time with his wife Kayla and three-year old Cockapoo, Remi. You can find him watching sports, running through the City of Charlotte, cooking, playing music, or traveling, he is a Colombia-born native, raised in Miami, FL and has been living in Charlotte, NC for the last 12 years.

Show notes: I (Linda) met Juan when he was an undergrad engineering student at UNC Charlotte. While working towards his degree, he also worked as an Orientation Counselor or “OC” during university orientation. Orientation is a program offered by a college or university to help new students and their families make a smooth transition from high school to college life.

Juan mentions bringing your genuine self to your STEM field. This can be challenging because of the stigmas attached to being a student studying STEM topics. What do you think this mean to you as a student?

Here’s a link to the Pew Research I shared in the introduction: https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2018/01/09/7-facts-about-the-stem-workforce/

He also talks about what it means to be a systems (or industrial) engineer. Here’s more about this relatively new STEM field of study:

From NASA
From YouTube
From ICOSE, International Council of System Engineering