Summer opportunities for cadets

Our cadets have many excellent opportunities to apply what they have learned in the classroom to real research and engineering problems in the field with Army laboratories, commercial business, and other activities across the nation and the world.  Rising juniors and seniors are eligible, and occasionally even rising sophomores.

If you're a cadet interested in a summer assignment or a potential sponsor seeking a cadet, please contact the Coordinator for Advanced Individual Academic Development (AIAD).

Just a few examples of recent and current opportunities....

International Education as an International Educator

North of Chang Mai, Thailand

This 14-day Academic Individual Advanced Development international service project in Thailand is a newly developed AIAD designed to provide cadets a unique cultural immersion experience, with the goal of “International Education as the International Educator”.

Most of the service project is conducted at a vocational training center north of Chiang Mai. Cadets developed lesson plans and conducted hands-on, classroom instruction for up to forty Thai-Lahu students at the center.

Cadets on this trip taught many subjects to the local population, to include budgeting, bicycle repair, basic electronics, and English.

On their off-duty time, the cadets visiting Thailand had an opportunity to explore tourist, cultural, and historical sites.  They also took a tour of the natural beauty of the jungle on elephants!

Cadets visited many different areas and experienced the full span of Thai life from the poorest of villages to the most posh of tourist sites.  They also sampled the cuisine, that ranged from incredibly spicy to only very very spicy.

Robotic Game Development

Universite Libre de Tunis, Tunisia

Cadets designed and implemented robotics projects with Tunisian students.  The major goals were to enjoy cultural immersion and to develop and practice engineering skills.  Last year, the team produced an automated robot arm (using a webcam for "sight") to play Tic-Tac-Toe againt a human opponent.  The robotic system tied the American Cultural Attache to Tunisia in a very public match!

Cadets visiting Tunisia took part in cultural immersion during all available off-duty hours.  They visited cultural, historical, and religious sites in Tunis and throughout the country.  Their exploration included: the ruins of mighty Carthage; Dougga, the best preserved Roman city in North Africa; El Jem, the second largest Colisseum in the world; Hammamet's beautiful beaches; the southern resort island of Jerba; nearby sites where "Star Wars" desert scenes were filmed including Matmata, site of Luke Skywalker's home in "Star Wars" and home to the indigenous Berber tribes of Tunisia.

Lightstage 5

Marina del Ray, California

Cadet Michael Weigand, a rising Yearling, escaped from the fluorescent labs at West Point and basked in the sun out in Marina del Rey, California.  Mike skillfully applied his foundational IT-105 skills to bridge the knowledge gap and leverage software pipeline programming strategies for real-time training simulations at the Institute for Creative Technologies (ICT).  His programming efforts fully automate Hollywood’s 14-hour “LightStage 5” special effects rendering process for a 35GB, 8-second camera shot.  “LightStage 5” recently captured Will Smith for the special effects in filming “Hancock.” (sponsor – RDECOM Simulation & Training Technology Center).

Injecting Audio in the Army's Counter-IED and Recon Robots

Foster-Miller, Inc., a Subsidiary of QinetiQ North America, Burlington, Massachusetts

Foster-Miller aggressively researches and develops products which directly extend our Army reconnaissance and force protection capabilities on the battlefield. The cadets join the Counter-IED and Force Protection robotics teams and work alongside program managers, engineers and scientists to improve the electronic component design, subsystem hardware and software controls, and system integration.

Deployed Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) teams currently use the Foster-Miller Talon robot in Iraq and Afghanistan to disable IEDs, and the Special Weapon Observation Reconnaissance and Direct-Action System (SWORDS) robot provides a remote M240 machine gun capability to patrolling infantry soldiers. Cadet Hertier Diakabana (right) demonstrates his pure engineering tenacity to apply hardware and software prowess to successfully integrate two-way audio communication with the existing video capability on the tactical robotics platforms.

Super Secret Squirrel Situation

National Security Agency, in locations that may or may not exist!

Have you ever wondered what happens in super-secret rooms hidden in sub-basement level floors in buildings which may or may not exist? This past Summer thirteen cadets ventured to the National Security Agency in Washington, D.C. – one the most classified agencies in the country – and discovered what actually does happen there. Applying early in the Fall semester, all thirteen received their Top Secret security clearance. Teaming up with Army, Navy and Air Force officers along with expert programmers and engineers from the Department of Defense, some of the cadets joined the “good guy” effort in cyberwarfare. Cyberwarfare or information warfare are the terms used to describe the “virtual” battle occurring digitally on the internet between hackers and defenders. Some of the cadets participated in top secret briefings while others exercised their computer science and math skills – a.k.a. hacker-fu – for projects related to information assurance and cryptography.

If you are interested in heading to the National Security Agency for a Summer AIAD, be sure to contact MAJ Ben Ring (845-938-5571) before September 28th, 2008 for your chance to earn a Top Secret clearance and work with the National Security Agency.

Don’t twitch! Don’t even blink!

Creative Technologies, University of Southern California, CA

When you find yourself “facilitating” peace by negotiating a truce between two warring factions, remember don’t twitch, don’t even blink. Cadet Daniel Ruiz (Class of 2010) spent his AIAD assignment at the Institute for Creative Technologies at USC. He worked on the New Tools for Rapid Natural Language Understanding and Natural Language Development Project. The project dealt with supporting virtual training environments that use voice recognition. Daniel’s efforts were targeted on the negotiation training simulation system (ELECT-BiLAT). If you find yourself taking a “cram” course in negotiation and learning how to read facial micro-muscle movements, remember your fellow cadet’s summer contribution. EE&CS cadets are taking the technology to the problem, even before they graduate!

Expanding the Mobility of Army's Surveillance Robots

Foster-Miller, Inc. - QinetiQ North America, Waltham, Massachusetts

Like the rest of the world, America’s army is taking strides toward becoming more and more technologically proficient. In response to this rise in technology, Foster-Miller has developed a family of robots built for the battle zone. Rugged, mobile, and easy to use, these robots are used for reconnaissance (land and amphibious), hazmat detection, and counter-IED patrols. Cadets working with Foster-Miller get hands-on experience and one-on-one training from some of the best engineers, mechanics, and project directors in the field. Working with any thing from the design process to performance analysis, cadets get a real-world look at how a robot is build. Cadet Rauk tests the capabilities of a new Foster-Miller prototype to determine the efficiency of a new mobility package.

Next Generation UAV research

Honeywell International, Albuquerque, New Mexico

Honeywell presently is fielding next generation unmanned flying platforms for the Army’s Future Combat Systems. Cadet Neidig worked on new communications systems and high powered simulations to many components of the new Future Combat Systems. His specific project was to work on the transmitter between the ground control station and the air vehicle itself. For testing of the MAV, he operated a tether system to ensure the $300,000 vehicle did not crash and get damaged during testing. His research contributes to the next generation of unmanned flying platforms and will impact soldiers on the battlefields of the near future.

HoneyNet development and Cultural Immersion

Universidad Tecnologica de Panama, Panama

During the summer of 2006, CDT Francisco Martinez ’07 (IT major) travelled to Panama for 3 weeks to participate in an EE&CS sponsored AIAD that combined a real-world IT project with an in-depth cultural immersion experience. CDT Martinez teamed with three computer science students from the Universidad Tecnológica de Panama (UTP) to develop a HoneyNet, a virtual network used to study hacker actions. The combined international student team worked under the guidance of COL Kevin Huggins (USMA) and Ms. Giovanna Garrido (UTP) as they designed, implemented and tested their HoneyNet.

When not at campus, Francisco took advantage of the many opportunities to explore the Panamanian culture. First of all, he stayed with a host family that spoke only Spanish. He also made several outings both with his host family and his new friends from the university. Some of the sites included the Panama Canal, some of the beautiful beaches on the Pacific coast and a village festival in the Panama country-side.

HoneyNet Development and Cultural Immersion

Universidad Diego Portale and Chilean Military School, Chile

During the summer of 2006, CDTs Stephen Hudak and Anthony Mattazaro (both CS majors) travelled to Santiago, Chile for 3 weeks to participate in an EE&CS sponsored AIAD that combined a real-world IT project with an in-depth cultural immersion experience. The cadets teamed with a computer science student from the Universidad Diego Portales (UDP) to develop a HoneyNet, a virtual network used to study hacker actions. The combined international student team worked under the guidance of COL Kevin Huggins (USMA) and Dr. Sergio Mujica as they designed, implemented and tested their HoneyNet.

A normal day would start at the Chilean Military School where the cadets were graciously hosted by the Chilean Army. After breakfast with cadets from the escuela militar, the USMA cadets would attend some of their classes or take one of the many planned outings with their Chilean counterparts. Stops included the military museum which chronicles the key role played by the military throughout the country’s history. Cadets also got out to ‘see the sights’ such as Cerro San Cristóbal and its panoramic view of the city; and Pablo Neruda’s (Nobel prize winning poet) home. The pair also took excursions into the country-side. One trip was to the famous beach town, Viña del Mar.

Sub-Atomic Analysis of Munitions Failure

Armament Research Development Engineering Command, Picatinny Arsenal, NJ

CDT Pope’s summer project focused on determining the root-causes of a current real-world ammunition field malfunction or defects in armaments found during manufacture. The type of ammunition may be small caliber, large caliber, hand grenade or mortar. This project determines why a shell casing broke during a firing exercise. The shells were tested for hardness, microstructure, and metallurgical composition. The shell was found to be softer than the specs outlined it to be at the site of the fracture. This process included the use of water-cooled saws, polishing fabrics, optical emissions spectroscopy, and a scanning electron microscope.

Simulation and Training Analysis

Simulation & Training Technology Center, Orlando Florida

Cadet Long participated in basic research, applied research or advanced development projects at one of two locations (the Simulation & Training Technology Center in Orlando, Florida or at the Institute for Creative Technologies in Marina del Rey, California). Cadets will have the opportunity to work with simulation professionals on projects ranging from advanced graphics, sound and artificial intelligence to applications for embedded training, medical training and multiplayer game-based simulations. Most of his work involved development of best practices, simulation usability, testing, feedback and analysis of training prototypes.

Tank Simulation Training Analysis and development

Advanced Military Training Division, RDECOM, Orlando, Florida

Cadet Dunten and Cadet Vance test out a tank simulator that has been used by forces in their preparation for deployments to both Afghanistan and Iraq. They worked at the Advancing Military Training Division of RDECOM, Orlando, Florida. This branch creates high impact solutions to improve training and education for the soldiers. RDECOM also provide solutions that can be tailored to people from diverse backgrounds and that are capable of providing graphic simulated experiences that can be shared with geographically dispersed teams of soldiers. The cadets analyzed current failures in military training and works at every stage in the development of new training aids to meet these needs.

SWARMing Robots on the attack

Boeing, Bellevue, Washington

Imagine 10,000 small robots flying towards you at once. That is what Cadet Dan Lee spent his summer working on at Boeing’s Networked Systems Technology Division. The Boeing company is one of the Lead Systems Integrators for the Future Combat Systems. Boeing is working on integrating unmanned systems into the current and future theaters of operation. Dan applied much of what he has learned in the Computer Architecture thread in the Electrical Engineering Program to assist in designing and developing autonomous multi-robot systems. Dan also provided an opportunity to observe and participate in related engineering tasks in the development of mission system software and associated research robotics equipment.

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