On Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023, Cape Fear Academy Coastal Physics and Engineering students took a field trip to the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Wilmington District to learn about what it means to be a USACE Engineer. COL Morgan and three Wilmington District Engineers, taught the students about the many missions in the district.
COL Morgan gave a brief history of USACE, including its participation in the construction of multiple national monuments including the Washington Aqueduct, the Pentagon, and the Washington Monument.
Jenny Owens, Chief of Environmental Resources, Tamara Murphy, Chief of Design, and Kelsey Smith, Chief of Architecture-Engineer Contract Management, each gave a brief overview of what their positions entail. Ms. Owens focused on the key skills to become an environmental steward, Ms. Murphy spoke about the Civil Engineering programs within USACE and what a typical day looks like for a Civil Engineer. Ms. Smith concluded the presentation by inspiring students to follow the engineering career path stating that “engineers use science, math, and technology to solve everyday problems”.