Juan Roman-Sanchez has a knack for designing and building. The 24-year old native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, had a passion for Legos as a child and loved to take things apart and put them together.
Fast forward to 2011 and the young engineer's talent is contributing to mission accomplishment at the Neutralize Division of the Acquisition and Technology Department, part of the Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal Technology Division (EODTECHDIV) at Naval Support Facility Indian Head's Stump Neck Annex. EODTECHDIV provides technology to the operating forces to take on one of the most important tasks facing the military: save the lives of service members and countless innocent civilians around the world by safely disarming bombs, mines and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Connecting Roman-Sanchez's past and present is an Education Partnership Agreement (EPA) between EODTECHDIV, the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Indian Head Division (NSWC IHD) and his alma mater, the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico (PUPR).
"Our initial trip to PUPR was in early 2007," said Jason Shaffer, executive director of EODTECHDIV. "After building of the relationships that were established during the initial visit to Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico, a partnership agreement was developed and signed in 2008 by the leadership at NSWC IHD, as well as our commanding officer at the time, Capt. Reissener, and myself of the EOD Technology Division."
The initial trip saw a PUPR professor of chemistry, Iris Vazquez-Ayala, accept a full-time position at EODTECHDIV and set the table for a growing collaboration. "For us, this was the beginning of a very successful relationship with PUPR," said Shaffer. The EPA brings two PUPR students per year to EODTECHDIV and challenges them to complete a major engineering effort, known as a Capstone Project.
PUPR faculty, EODTECHDIV and NSWC IHD engineers decide which problems to present students, who can then choose to accept the challenge. Roman-Sanchez and fellow PUPR student Lino Roman-Gonzalez, the first students to intern at EODTECHDIV under the EPA, chose to focus their efforts on designing a compressed air power disrupter (CAD). The device uses air to fire a metal slug into bombs and IEDs to safety disarm them. This would be no ordinary, single-shot CAD, however. EODTECHDIV wanted the students to design a model capable of firing multiple shots.
"The Navy gave me the proposal and it looked interesting and challenging as an engineering project, so I came here after three months of doing my own research back home in Puerto Rico," said Roman-Sanchez.
"Once I got here, they wanted me to build a prototype in three months and test it, which we did, and it passed with flying colors. We were able to actually prove the theory and the concept."
The project's success, which ultimately led to Roman-Sanchez's current position, was not without its challenges. Roman-Sanchez felt the most difficult part of the project was taking his design from the drawing board to working prototype.
"It was really hard," he said. "It opened more engineering challenges. I never thought about that when you make something, you've got to think about its assembly."
With the successful Capstone Project under his belt, Roman-Sanchez returned home to Puerto Rico, graduated and thought about the next step in his career.
"I was going to start applying for jobs, and I definitely had EODTECHDIV in mind because I really liked working here," he said. Roman-Sanchez applied and soon had an offer.
Roman-Sanchez jumped at the opportunity and has been in his current position since March. He said that EODTECHDIV's work-hard, play-hard culture has been a good fit for his energetic personality.
"We have a lot of young employees here, so we always hit the gym during the lunch hour and play basketball or tennis," he said. "After work I usually go do indoor rock-climbing. I'm new to the area and you get to meet a lot of new people."
For Shaffer, Roman-Sanchez's employment at EODTECHDIV is the definition of success for the EPA. "That is the goal of the program: to establish linkages that result in positive relationships leading to a desire to seek and accept employment after graduation," he said. "By early engagement, relationships are developed that can increase the likelihood of the student wanting to pursue a career with the Navy."
Cmdr. Robert Porter, executive officer of EODTECHDIV, sees benefits not only in the expertise coming to his organization through the EPA, but also for the creativity young engineers bring to the table.
"The benefits include the opportunity to have new ideas brought to bear on the project challenges currently being worked at the command, developing an understanding of our mission by individuals that represent professionals in Puerto Rico, and the opportunity for our senior personnel to work with professors on topics of mutual benefit," he said. "The students typically represent the entry-level and provide the energy and new ideas necessary for successful solution development."
Roman-Sanchez provided a simple analogy illustrating how entry-level interns and engineers can have a big impact on EODTECHDIV missions. "If you tell someone 'hey, I need you to make a bicycle for me,' they're going to make it like one they've seen," he said. "But if you tell it to somebody who's never seen a bicycle and you just give them the requirements, they're going to come up with something new."
Two young interns recently joined EODTECHDIV under the EPA's second iteration in hopes of providing more "outside the box" solutions. Normary Camacho-Cardoza, a 22-year old native of Bayamon, Puerto Rico, and 22-year old Jean-Pierre Ledee, from San Juan, are in their second week of their Capstone Project. With the assistance of Carlos Alvarado, a PUPR professor, the pair will try to engineer a system to safely destroy floating mines.
"I want to use this experience to increase my knowledge," said Ledee. "It's been a very interesting experience and there's a lot more to learn here. I love technology and this is one of the best places for that."
Camacho-Cardoza recognized the opportunity for professional development and recommended the EPA to other students. "I think it's going to help our professional endeavors because we're not just working for the government, we're working in a way that's helping people," she said. "I would highly recommend it. It's a way to get yourself known. It's an experience that a lot of people would benefit from. Not that many people know about the opportunities you can have interning here."
Porter saw bright futures ahead for Camacho-Cardoza, Ledee, Roman-Sanchez and the EPA with PUPR in general. "The professionals and faculty at Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico have been extremely cordial and very helpful in establishing and advancing our relationship," he said. "We anticipate that the future will be excellent as we execute and develop the partnership going forward."
Shaffer hoped EPA would also hold benefits for PUPR. "We have only begun to unleash the potential of the partnership agreements," he said. "We have the opportunity to liaison with PUPR for technical programs including participation in course and curriculum development efforts in technical fields, advisement and review of curriculum issues as appropriate, and collaboration on research and engineering projects and opportunities.
"In addition, where mutually beneficial, we may make laboratory personnel available to teach science courses or to assist in the development of such courses and related educational material," Shaffer continues. "We can involve faculty and students in laboratory research projects as well."
As the first PUPR intern to find a permanent home at EODTECHDIV, Roman-Sanchez had words of wisdom for Camacho-Cardoza, Ledee and any student trying to get starting in an engineering career.
"Don't hold back," he said. "Improve. Don't be afraid to take risks. If somebody asks you for something that would be a solid '10,' give them a '12.'"
