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Independent Study Snapshot: Mechanical Engineering

Stefanie Senkow | January 24, 2022

Independent studies are typically reserved for first class (1/c) cadets. But 3/c Tamara Wheator was given the opportunity to investigate 3-D printing and investment casting. Exploring this topic expanded her engineering knowledge, built her confidence, and reinforced her love for mechanical engineering at the Coast Guard Academy.

What sparked your interest in this independent study?

My initial interest in both 3-D printing and investment casting grew as I realized both methods produced a useable final product. I find it more interesting to build or make something that can be used for a purpose. Investment casting was an interest by surprise; I had no prior background in it before starting this study.

How does this research apply to the real Coast Guard?

The Coast Guard could benefit from the use of casting. It would allow the Coast Guard to make parts specific to the equipment used in everyday operations. Parts could be replicated with this technology, cutting down on ordering time and cost, thus streamlining operations out in the fleet.

Describe the biggest challenge you overcame?

Casting lends itself to trial and error when trying to make a mold. It got frustrating at times because we couldn’t get the plaster for the molds to release the excess air built up from mixing the plaster at times which would result in the final mold having deformities. Sometimes this would be more of an issue than others and we tried various methods to get rid of the excess air, such as using a vacuum to pull out the air and changing the water to plaster mixture. There was also a process in which we had to heat the mold to within 200 degrees of the metal being used (we only used aluminum) so that the metal would have enough time to fill the mold before starting to cool.

What has been the most valuable lesson you’ve learned from this project?

I learned a lot academically just working on this project. However, it also became clear to me that I wanted to do mechanical engineering and that I was still interested in the manufacturing side even if I was just doing academic work while at the Academy. It reminded me of why I wanted to do engineering in the first place.

Discover the mechanical engineering curriculum at the Coast Guard Academy.

Sponsor Family Application

Thank you for submitting your application to be part of the Sponsor Family Program. Your application will be processed in the upcoming week. Coast Guard Academy’s policy on background screening now requires all adults (everyone 18 and older living in the home) who volunteer to mentor, teach, coach or sponsor cadets, whether on or off Coast Guard Academy grounds, to be screened every 5 years. They are required to provide personal information (name, birth date and social security number) for the purpose of conducting a criminal background check.

The Security Officer at the Coast Guard Academy, CWO2 Gina Polkowski, is overseeing this process. Her email is: Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.

Sponsor Family designations fall into several different categories. Below are the guidelines to help you determine how best to meet the background screening requirement:

If you are Coast Guard active duty you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
If you are a Civilian working for the Coast Guard you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
If you are non-Coast Guard Active Duty, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
If you are non-Coast Guard civilian who has a current security clearance or National Agency check, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
All civilians in the families who are 18 years or older and do not have a security clearance or a National Agency Check are required to be vetted through Mind Your Business, the third party vendor hired by the Coast Guard Academy for the vetting process.

After you complete your application, please e-mail the Sponsor Family Program Coordinator at CadetFamilySponsorProgram@uscga.edu. In your e-mail, you must include the e-mail address and phone number of every adult living in the home. The Sponsor Family Coordinator will then initiate the background check process and you will receive an email with further instructions.

Important things to note:

There is a Sponsor Family Training that is a one-hour training which we ask sponsors to attend once every four years. This training is designed to give you an overview of the program, what is expected of you as a sponsor, and what you can expect from your cadets. This training will also help familiarize you with the cadet regulations onboard CGA. You will be notified via e-mail once the training is scheduled.

The matching process of swabs to families will occur during July and August. Please bear with us and remain flexible through this process. There will be a meet and greet scheduled on Campus, typically in late August. This will give families an opportunity to formally meet their cadet if they have not already done so. Details on this will also be via email.