West Point Research in Popular Science Magazine: The January print edition of Popular Science includes an article entitled “Building A Social Network Of Crime” that features the ORCA (Organizational, Relationship, and Contact Analyzer) software which was developed at the West Point Network Science Center under funding from the Army Research Office. The cadets involved in this project include Bradley Fischl, Joseph Hannigan, Guillermo Hernandez, Evan Kenney, Jacob Lademan, Damon Paulo, Luke Saul, and Christian Young. This software is designed to analyze social networks of criminals to help police generate leads in cases relating to gang violence. To read the article in Popular Science, click here.
West Point’s Omicron Delta Kappa (ODK) National Leadership Honor Society Induction: West Point’s ODK National Leadership Honor Society chapter welcomed ten new upper-class Management and Leadership majors at its annual induction ceremony. This year’s inductees, Cadets Mike Santee, Jeff Knutson, Patrick Laird, Blaine Brown, Brian Scheel, Primo Ramirez, Collum Magee, Mac Lalor, Christa Mckee, and Peyton Jarrell, were selected based on their superb character and having earned a GPA that places them in the top 1/3 of their major.
PL300 Guest Lectures: PL300 Military Leadership welcomed two guest speakers who discussed characteristics of leaders in extreme, life-threatening situations, which retired BG Kolditz termed "In Extremis Leadership." FBI Special Agent and former MP Officer and NY SWAT Team Leader Tim Latterner shared stories of fugitive arrests and patrols embedded with SEAL teams in Afghanistan. Army CPT Chris Cordova shared his experience from the Taliban attack on COP Keating in October 2009 where he was the senior medical officer on the ground. Both leaders shared their personal experiences with cadets about leading in extreme situations and focused not only on building strong relationships with your subordinates beforehand, but also conducting realistic and challenging training that builds competence and confidence in you as a leader as well as in your subordinates.
Electrical Engineering Best-in-Course Awards: The Electrical Engineering Program presented its semi-annual Best in Course awards to its majors. Receiving awards from the class of 2014 were: Cadet Mark Mihalik for EE482 and Cadet Pongat (Dome) Taephanitcharoen for EE401 and EE 480. Receiving awards from the class of 2015 were: Cadet Matthew Kane for EE362 and Cadet David Chacko for EE377 and EE381.
Make A Wish Visit: The Center for Enhanced Performance and the Parachute team hosted a young boy from the Make A Wish foundation and granted his wish to be a cadet for a day. With the support of the cadets around him, the young man prepared with mental drills and then put on his gear and successfully completed his first virtual Jump.
Detroit LEADS Conference: Some Cadets supported the 2014 Detroit West Point Leadership, Ethics, and Diversity through Science (LEADS), Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Conference in Detroit, MI. Cadets were able to discuss the significance of ethics and engineering and their importance to leadership and society.