Rosati-Kain I/ITSEC 2019 Future Leader Pavilion

In 2019, John mentored students from Rosati-Kain Catholic High School as they participated in the Future Leaders Pavilion at the I/ITSEC conference. This initiative is part of a STEM outreach program designed to inspire high school students to pursue science and technology fields.

The program challenges students nationwide to create a project, write a research paper, and present their findings at the conference. They interact directly with global industry leaders, gaining valuable insights and professional experience in a world-class setting.

Carolyn Aughey (my daughter) and Frankie, both seniors at Rosati-Kain High School, attended I/ITSEC on a scholarship to showcase their innovative project.

Long before the trip was a possibility, skills such as soldering had to be learned here at home.

Carolyn engages with one of the many attendees at their station, explaining the project and its impact in detail. Their work drew significant interest throughout the event.

Frankie discusses their project with Ray Stephenson from Motion Analysis, a company specializing in motion-tracking technology. Their project focused on tracking the movement of a lacrosse stick using a microcontroller.

Carolyn explores cutting-edge training technologies, including this research prototype that uses virtual reality to simulate the experience of bird flight.

Carolyn and Frankie step inside a wide-body aircraft simulator, experiencing advanced simulation technology firsthand.

As part of the Future Leaders Pavilion, all teams presented their work in a formal session to peers and conference attendees. Carolyn and Frankie’s presentation was titled Improving Physical Performance Through Low-Cost Motion Analysis.

Their hard work and innovative approach earned them a 3rd place award in the competition.

Manning the booth for over six hours each day was a demanding task, but Carolyn and Frankie tackled it with enthusiasm and dedication.

The event concluded with an awards banquet, where all participating students were recognized by Rear Admiral James Robb at a private gathering.

The awards banquet, attended by over 700 delegates from 60 countries, featured a keynote from Rear Admiral James Robb, who emphasized the importance of cultivating talent in this demographic for the nation’s future.

The Future Leaders Pavilion received significant recognition, including coverage in the Show Daily, the conference’s official publication.