NSWC Dahlgren Division Work Inspires Sensor Engineer to Travel the World > Naval Sea Systems Command > Saved News Module

As a kid, Jshuntume (JUN-too-may) McCollough traveled up and down the east coastline, halting at a variety of occasions and destinations to execute African dancing and drumming with his relatives. Given that joining Naval Surface Warfare Centre Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), McCollough has traveled the planet. 

McCollough grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, together with two young brothers. His mother, Pamela, savored a 30-12 months job in education and learning. His father, Tyehimba (TY-hēm-bah), was energetic in sports activities and worked with at-risk youth. Immediately after his soccer job finished with an NFL opportunity that never ever panned out, Tyehimba became interested in African dance and eventually joined the KanKouran West African Dance Enterprise in Washington, D.C. “He experienced me and my brothers drumming and dancing due to the fact we ended up about five yrs previous,” McCollough mentioned. “We formed our personal team referred to as the Home windows of Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah).

In superior school, McCollough, whose initially name interprets to “eternal gentle,” excelled in math and science but was unsure of a vocation path. While attending a school honest in his hometown, he satisfied a Morgan Point out University (MSU) agent who inspired him to look into engineering. 

When at MSU, he set out to turn out to be an electrical engineer until finally one of his instructors made him tumble in enjoy with physics. “He taught physics in a way that created it appear to be like effortless math to me.” McCollough switched gears and graduated with a bachelor’s in engineering physics. He gained a master’s in optical engineering from Norfolk Point out University.

McCollough figured out about NSWCDD whilst pursuing options at NSWC Indian Head. “It’s kind of a funny story,” he reported. “Soon after I received my master’s, I moved again to Maryland. I attended a work reasonable and spoke with reps from Indian Head. I acquired an job interview at Dahlgren, wondering it may be the headquarters for Indian Head. Occur to discover out, that wasn’t the circumstance, and I learned that Dahlgren discovered my name in a stack of resumes.”

Fifteen yrs later on, McCollough has loved a fine profession as a lead sensor engineer with NSWCDD. He begun doing work with the electro-optical infrared team (EOIR), supporting various test and analysis (T&E) assignments, together with performing with different seismic and EOIR sensors. In 2019, McCollough expanded his information and expertise of radar functions when he turned the sensor and radar direct for the Navy railgun application. As the recent sensor lead for the Hypervelocity Gun Weapon Program Gun Released Aerial Protection Interceptor for State-of-the-art Threats and Raids method, McCollough works by using his skills to collaborate with other branches, divisions and departments across NSWCDD as properly as the Strategic Capabilities Business and other sponsors.  

His perform at Dahlgren has taken him around the globe, such as Hawaii, Mariana Islands and Germany. McCollough values his experiences functioning with an international cadre of persons and companies. “Working with people from other cultures has truly opened my eyes,” he explained. “It’s been thrilling and at times terrifying.” Just one of these frightening times came even though functioning in Matamoros, Mexico. “The place is known for drug cartel exercise, so there was a substantial armed forces presence all around us. We experienced to vacation in a seriously safeguarded motorcade.”

McCollough credits his get the job done at NSWCDD for sparking his passion for vacation. Pre-pandemic, he visited his wife’s spouse and children for Xmas in Liberia, but his favorite spots feature beach locations. “I’m absolutely a lot more of a Caribbean man or woman. I like islands and beaches. I have been to Antigua, Costa Rica and Jamaica.” This past November, he traveled to Cuba with his wife to operate the 10k race in the Circuit de Marabana. In the upcoming, McCollough hopes to vacation all through Africa. 

In his leisure time, McCollough is big into sporting activities and is an avid enthusiast of his hometown Baltimore Ravens. And whilst he does not dance as considerably any more, he from time to time picks up a drum. “My father has slowed down a whole lot, but he nevertheless performs each now and then,” he explained. “But we obtained together for his birthday and did some drumming.”