As local students returned to school in the U.S., Cummins leaders recently joined policymakers to discuss a question plaguing industries around the world: how can society prepare and encourage more children, especially girls, to pursue careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and manufacturing?
Women make up approximately 20 percent of engineering undergraduates in the United States, and careers in these fields often are not even considered by younger students. Without awareness of the potential of these career paths, these numbers are unlikely to improve.
Three Cummins leaders beat the odds and today are passionate about sharing the positive attributes of engineering careers with others: Tracy Embree, Vice President and President, Components; Jennifer Rumsey, Vice President and Chief Technical Officer, and Jasmine Kang, Plant Manager, Charleston Turbo Plant.
They hosted the discussion at the Cummins Turbo Technologies Plant in Ladson, South Carolina (U.S.A.) Attendees included community leaders, STEM camp facilitators and educators from the College of Charleston STEM Camp, high school students and apprenticeship students.
“You have to create a culture in your workplaces that leads to success for all folks,” said U.S. Sen. Tim Scott of South Carolina, who provided opening remarks. “I’m excited that Cummins is a classic example of making sure things that happen in a good, positive, constructive way for the workforce of the future.”
Cummins leaders like Tracy Embree, Vice President and President of the Components business, hosted the forum on careers in STEM (science, technology, engineering and math) and manufacturing.
Scott was referring to Cummins’ investment in programs to help build a pipeline of internal talent, as well as the next generation of engineers. The company has mentoring circles, an active Women’s Affinity Group, a Technical Women’s Initiative and a number of Corporate Responsibility programs to help address this goal.
Emily Hertwig, Global Synchronized Business Planning Process Leader at Cummins, moderated a robust discussion of topics ranging from mentoring to how to better engage and support teachers. U.S. Rep. Tom Rice, Wrenzie Rice, a former Cummins engineer, and Elisabeth Kovacs, Deputy Director of Workforce Development, South Carolina Department of Commerce, each provided valuable insights into work happening in South Carolina, a state that is experiencing a manufacturing renaissance.
The problem is complicated, but sometimes straightforward advice matters most: “Take the hard classes. Challenge yourself. Be flexible. You learn from every single thing you do,” Wrenzie Rice said.
And it’s one that is deeply personal for Cummins leaders. “In Cummins history I am the company’s first female CTO. I want to be sure I’m not the last,” said Rumsey
Cummins uses the power of numbers to reduce CO2
Kevin Brittain started getting into efficient design while an engineering undergrad at the University of Evansville in Evansville, Indiana. It wasn’t until he came to Cummins, however, that he fully appreciated the connection between design efficiency and reducing carbon dioxide (CO2).
Using sophisticated computer software, Brittain looks for ways to design high horsepower engines for trains, ships, large generators and more, so they make the most efficient use of raw materials without impacting the durability and dependability customers rely on.
The team he works on, the High Horsepower Structural Analysis Team, has discovered ways to remove hundreds of pounds from high horsepower products, which can mean better fuel efficiency for customers while also reducing the need to mine additional raw materials. Better fuel efficiency reduces carbon dioxide (CO2), the primary greenhouse gas emitted through human activities.
“We all have a role to play in achieving our mission that everything we do leads to a cleaner, healthier, safer environment,” said Brittain, who is based at Cummins’ new High Horsepower Tech Center in Seymour, Indiana. “This is one way that our engineers can make an impact.”
Brittain, an Applied Mechanics Engineer – Technical Specialist, relies on the power of numbers to do his job. He leads a global council within the company on something called Numerical Optimization, the use of mathematical calculations and related approaches to help engineers arrive at “better designs, faster.”
He joined Cummins about five years ago because he thought it offered the best opportunity to practice the subject of his master’s thesis at the University of Illinois, Topology Optimization, a major subset of Numerical Optimization at the company.
Brittain knew of Cummins generator’ reputation in engineering circles for Analysis Led Design, the use of powerful computer models to simulate, in this case, the harsh environment inside an engine and how the engine works in real-world applications. Analysis Led Design allows engineers to test an almost limitless number of design variables before an engine ever uses a drop of fuel in a test cell.
Numerical Optimization makes Analysis Led Design more efficient by helping engineers choose the design elements most likely to succeed from those limitless options, significantly reducing design time. Brittain, for example, uses Topology Optimization to help determine where material needs to stay to maintain robustness and where it can be removed without affecting durability.
Any design, of course, will be tested extensively in a test cell to make sure it delivers under real-world conditions before it goes to the customer. But the chances for success are greatly enhanced by all the work that goes into that final design.
“Cummins is fortunate to have many engineers like Kevin who are helping the company reduce its carbon footprint in a way that gives our customers the power they need to succeed,” said Madeleine Fogler, who leads Cummins’ Design for Environment initiative.
“The focus of Design for Environment is to reduce our product’s environmental impact by making informed decisions in the design phase,” she added. “Reducing material without compromising durability and reliability is one way to do that.”
Brittain says he loves working on Cummins’ High Horsepower Structural Analysis Team.
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