B4 APG News • Thursday, June 28, 2018

THIS WEEK IN APG HISTORY

ECBC Technical Director Rick Decker observes studentpresentations during a STEM Technology Needs Teensevent at Aberdeen Middle School.

Kirk U.S. Army Health Clinic Soldiers evacuate a patientduring MEDEVAC training at the Edgewood Area NationalGuard training site.

Maj. Gen. George O’Connor, deputy chief of staff forindividual training, U.S. Continental Army Command,chats with a Metalworking student at the OrdnanceCenter and School.

10 Years Ago 25 Years Ago 50 Years AgoJune 26, 2008 June 30, 1993 June 27, 1968

Take a look back in timeas theAPG

News exploreswhatmade the

headlines aroundAPGduring this

week10, 25 and 50 years ago. This

week’sAPGNewsmasthead is from

1987.

By Yvonne Johnson, APG News

2020 2010 2000 1990 1980 1970 1960 1950

NATICK, Mass. -- The U.S. Army Re-search, Development and EngineeringCommand Soldier Center’s, or NSRDEC,Cultivating Women’s Leadership grouphosted Coryne Forest, the deputy directorof Organization Development at the U.S.Army Research, Development and Engi-neering Command Ground Vehicle Sys-tems, orTARDEC, on June 21.

Forest’s talkcenteredonwomenworkingin science, technology, engineering andmath, knowas STEM.

Forest worked for 18 years as a projectengineer. She eventually became a middlemanager and then began her currentposition as thedeputy director ofOrganiza-tion Development, focusing on fosteringleadership.

The STEM career fields are still male-

dominated. Forest pointed out the startlingreality that half of the women working inSTEM careers will leave mid-career due toa hostilework environment.

The type of hostility faced by women isusually not overt but rather a subtleundercurrent of condescension. Women inSTEM are sometimes not given the recog-nition they deserve for their ideas or theirideas are sometimes not taken seriously.Thus, their contributions are often over-looked.

As part of this climate of condescension,women in STEM are sometimes expectedto take on certain types of duties, includingcleaning conference room tables, cleaningout the refrigerators, taking notes at meet-ings and planning office parties.

Forest said that businesses can helpbetter retain women working in STEM byrecognizing their contributions and byaddressing the culture of condescension.

Businesses can also improve retention byproviding flexible work agreements, byallowing women to follow their careerpassions, and by giving women challengingbut fair assignments.

Too often women face not only the glassceiling but the glass cliff, where women inleadership roles aremore likely thanmen toreceive opportunities for leadership rolesduring timesofcrisiswhenthe likelihoodoffailure is highest.

Forest’s presentation was part of anongoing effort by NSRDEC’s CultivatingWomen’s Leadership group to exploreleadership topics and provide employeesopportunities to brainstorm, network andgrowpersonally and professionally.

The group is ledbyAndreaSt.George, anOrganization Development specialist andLeadership Development program man-ager at NSRDEC. The group also includesSandra Hickey, deputy chief of staff for

Intelligence and Security - G2, and JenRego, anNSRDEC research chemist.

St. George said the group is dedicated tobuilding a “supportive community of pro-fessional women” who are devoted to“career development and professional/personal empowerment.”

“We were so happy to partner withCoryne not just to support a collaborationbetween the RDECs but also because wewere able to hear her talk about somethingshe loves, is passionate about, and that shewants to inform the workforce about --women in STEM,” said St. George. “Wewere grateful for the opportunity to haveher speak to our Cultivating Women’sLeadership about this topic and share hervery personal experiences of having acareer in STEM, some of the uniquechallenges women experience during theircareers and what support looks like forwomenduring their careers.”

The Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center's Cultivating Women's Leadership group hosted Coryne Forest, the deputy director of Organization Development atthe U.S. Army Tank Automotive Research, Development and Engineering Center, or TARDEC, on June 21. Forest's talk centered on women working in STEM (science, technology, engi-neering, and math) and the challenges they face.

PHOTO CREDIT: RICHARD WALUNAS, NSRDEC

Natick’s Cultivating Women’s Leadershipgroup hosts women in STEM speakerBy Jane BensonNSRDEC Public Affairs

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