WOMEN MAKING A DIFFERENCE


people think into systems design, and that helps to build better systems, so that was a real passion for me.”


“I love the idea of being able to do what I love to do, but for the Soldier. Te work we’re doing impacts our Soldiers and helps with the defense of our nation, and to me that’s super important. Tat’s a mission that’s worthwhile.”


LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD


Charneta Samms, the first permanent chief technology officer for DEVCOM, encourages women to speak up when they have something important to say—be assertive. (Photo courtesy of DEVCOM)


forward and want to take on more leader- ship opportunities, it’s there.”


Te work that Samms does ensures that Soldiers get a better product—from the kits they wear to the vehicles they ride in to the networks and radios they use for communication—faster, and with enhanced modernization.


“Even as a kid I was always taking stuff apart and putting it back together. I drove my mom crazy, but I just always had an interest in systems,” Samms said. When she was in high school preparing for college she found out about industrial engineering and human-factors engineer- ing. “I’ve always been interested in people and how they work and how they think. So human factors engineering kind of brings human physiology and the way


130 Army AL&T Magazine Spring 2022


INCLUSIVE FUTURE Valerie DiVito, Ph.D., civilian deputy director of the military operational medi- cine research program at U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command (MRDC), said she believes times have changed significantly since the days when women were limited in their careers and didn’t have as many opportu- nities as they have today.


“I personally feel like we’ve come a long way. It used to be that we couldn’t be doctors or surgeons, we were relegated to less influential positions. History speaks for itself. But today, at least within our community, everyone is very inclusive.”


DiVito said that, although at one time there were far fewer women in male-domi- nated military roles, since she’s been in research and development, her office has been heavily on the female side and she doesn’t see that as a tipping point where she’s in the minority. “I think I owe that to every woman that’s come before us and the R&D community,” she said.


MRDC’s all-inclusive STEM program encourages young women to get involved with this area of study and laboratory research to “build the bench” for the next generation of scientists for limitless possi- bilities, regardless of gender or race.


“If you show your passion in your work, it doesn’t matter your gender—male, female


or in between.” She said a passion for what inspires you is the best guide for determin- ing the right fit career-wise.


DiVito said that it was a lifelong fascina- tion with logic and problem-solving that inspired her Army career—from senior scientist and physiological health program area manager for the U.S. Army Medi- cal Research and Materiel Command, to director of the environmental health program at the U.S. Army Center for Environmental Research, to her current role as deputy director at MRDC.


“Math and science have always come natu- rally to me, and you gravitate toward the things you’re good at and things that you like. I think if you find a combination of both of those that’s a win for anybody,” she said. “I always loved problem-solving and logic puzzles, and when tied together with research and solving problems in the laboratory—it’s all about discovery, and I’ve always been drawn to this.”


DiVito’s role at MRDC is all about discovery and making a difference for the Soldier. She said Soldiers enter operational environments that are filled with mental and physical stressors as they prepare for battle and training. She and her team work along with advanced development partners to assess the needs of Soldiers and to gather and build upon basic applied research to better prepare them for combat.


“It’s about that ‘aha!’ moment when you can see how a body of research translates into something that can be implemented into the Soldiers’ lifestyle,” she said. “You don’t have that every day, but being able to see those times when it does happen, really drives me forward.”


CONCLUSION DiVito and Samms don’t discount that gender disparities in the Army workforce


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