LEVERAGING TOUGH ADVICE FOR CAREER SUCCESS
Early in her career, computer scientist Mary Falcigno received some tough advice: “ ‘No one is going to care as much about your career as you.’ Tat was difficult to hear, but it was the push I needed to figure out how to advocate for myself and my goals. I thought everyone would put the care and effort into me that I put into myself, but that was often proven incorrect, and I overlooked that.” Since then, she has made a point of finding developmental and rotational assignments and reaching out to other organiza- tions to identify and pursue growth opportunities.
MARY FALCIGNO
COMMAND/ORGANIZATION: U.S. Army Futures Command, Combat Capabilities Devel- opment Command, Armaments Center
TITLE: Computer scientist YEARS OF SERVICE IN WORKFORCE: 9
DAWIA CERTIFICATIONS: Practitioner in engineering
EDUCATION: B.S. in mathematics, St. Michael’s College
AWARDS: Dr. Burdick Special Act Award, Defense Civilian Emerging Leaders Program
Tat mindset landed her in her current role with the Armaments Center within the Combat Capabilities Development Command (DEVCOM), part of the U.S. Army Futures Command. “I focus heavily on data analytics and artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML). I love being able to come up with new and innovative ways to protect our Soldiers and help them complete their mission.”
She’s now working on counter-unmanned aerial systems, using modeling and simulation, data analytics and ML to determine how drones behave and how to prioritize key targets. Her previous projects include using computer vision, AI and ML for target recognition, using data analytics to identify degradation in ammunition stockpiles, and applying data analytics, AI and ML to information gathered through social media platforms to identify potential threats to Army installations.
Falcigno’s interest in federal service was sparked in part by her dad, who worked for the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. “Trough college, I became interested in research and in new, interesting applications of scientific principles.” She got her start with the Armament Software Engineering Center, helping Soldiers learn how to use Army Enter- prise Systems Integration Program modules. “Tat project eventually evolved to more pre-Milestone A work, learning where problems are and how our technology can help.”
Now eight years into her career, she noted that the highlight so far has been “the oppor- tunity to develop myself professionally and personally.” She is pursuing a technical master’s degree in data science with a computational focus and has had the chance to do an array of training, including several leadership development programs. “I am able to learn so much and then share it with those back in the office, which is very reward- ing. Additionally, I volunteer through our STEM [science, technology, engineering and mathematics] Outreach office, sharing the love of STEM work with local students.”
She has been involved in the STEM Outreach program, sponsored by DEVCOM Arma- ments Center’s Human Capital Office, for nearly six years. Falcigno helps with efforts that introduce high school girls to engineering and mentors female STEM students at Rutgers University. “At the high-school level, we show the students the interesting systems we work on and explain how their interest in coding or robotics can translate to
102
Army AL&T Magazine
Spring 2025
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112
