NSBE - Conference 2012 - (Page 18)

NSBE Member Courtney Skinner an ‘acE’ for gE aviation By Kevin M. Briscoe E Aviation, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, is a worldleading producer of commercial and military jet engines and components, as well as integrated digital, electric power and mechanical systems for aircraft. Its technological prowess, which is augmented by substantial investments in research and development, has led to a number of innovations, ranging from the first American jet engine, to the first engine capable of reaching Mach 2 speed, to the development of the GE90-115B, the most powerful commercial jet engine ever built. Among the company’s 39,000 employees spread across more than 80 locations worldwide is Courtney Skinner, composite materials applications engineer. As a member of the Advanced Ceramics Technology Group, Skinner is responsible for developing ceramic matrix composites, or CMCs: hightemperature materials that allow jet engines to operate hotter and, thus, more efficiently. g Skinner completed GE’s Advanced Courses in Engineering (ACE) curriculum, which supplemented her academic training with invaluable technical and personal benefits. In addition to this role, Skinner has performed admirably in the company’s Edison Engineering Development Program, working as an airfoil materials applications engineer, materials behavior engineer and composite manufacturing engineer. Over the course of her three and a half years with GE Aviation, Skinner, a graduate of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and the University of Dayton, also completed GE’s Advanced Courses in Engineering (ACE) curriculum. The latter, she says, supplemented her academic training with invaluable technical and personal benefits. “When you graduate from college, you feel comfortable in your particular area of expertise,” 18 • nsbe magazine • convention 2012 Skinner says, “and you probably don’t have much experience in other areas. ACE gives you exposure to almost all technical disciplines associated with the engine. Also, ACE gives you a network of peers from a variety of disciplines. Having resources that I can ask questions (of) when I need help has been critical to me.” Skinner grew up as the daughter of an Air Force serviceman in Ohio, Nevada, Florida, California and Illinois, and spent her elementary school days building things with a set of K’Nex toys. “From that moment, I knew I would do something technical, but I was too young to pinpoint what it was,” she says. These days, when she is not engaged in her current technical responsibilities, Skinner is often working as a member of the development committee of GE’s African American Forum (AAF). This affinity group strives for retention and growth of the company’s African-American employees, while strengthening GE’s bond with local African-American communities. A mentor to college women in a number of AAF programs, Skinner was also instrumental in an Engineering Day with Cincinnati public schools. For this event, the AAF invited 50 local high school students to the GE Aviation facility to participate in engineering projects and interact with GE engineers. She is also active in GE’s Women’s Network, which works to accelerate the advancement of women at GE. Skinner is a dedicated member of the National Society of Black Engineers. In this capacity, she helped jump-start the Alumni Extension chapter in Cincinnati: another part of her effort to “give back.” “I found that the chapter was inactive, because leadership had moved on, and there was no one there to really motivate the group,” she says. After contacting a few members who remained in the area, she and these members began meeting to generate a plan to pursue NSBE’s mission. “The group is not lacking in ideas or drive; they just needed a spark to reengage them and add some structure,” Skinner adds. “Our goal is to engage the local NSBE Jr. groups and collegiate chapters, focusing on (Pre-College Initiative programs) and mentoring this year.” ■ www.nsbe.org http://www.nsbe.org

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NSBE - Conference 2012

NSBE - Conference 2012
Table of Contents
Passing the Torch
The Programs Zone
Membership News
NSBE Mourns the Loss of Mario Church, Former National Chair
NSBE Makes STEM Education Pledge to the Clinton Global Initiative
SEEK 2012 Update
Kevin Austin of TEMA
Courtney Skinner of GE
William S. Redmond III of NAVAIR
Dr. Bryan Reid of MIT Lincoln Laboratory
Janelle Johnson of PGW
Tyrone Strozier of General Dynamics C4 Systems
Rashad Nelson of ITW
International News
NSBE Calendar
Things to Do in Pittsburgh
Cummins Scores Big at NSBE Conferences
Golden Torch Award Winners
The Professional’s Perspective
The Engineering Work Force, 2012 Supply, Demand and Diversity
On the Edge
AE Members on the Move
Employer Profiles
Advertisers Index

NSBE - Conference 2012