Picayune native Marthonette Aguilar landed two job offers in one day at a recent invitational job fair, contributing to the growing success of The University of Southern Mississippi’s (USM) School of Ocean Science and Engineering (SOSE) program. Aguilar is a 2024 USM graduate with an extensive passion for hydrography and ocean engineering (OE).
A select few eligible candidates from across the U.S. were invited to the job fair to meet with departments and interview for positions at the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) Warfare Centers Carderock Division in Bethesda, Maryland. The Carderock Division includes 2,000 engineers and scientists aiding the Navy in maritime technology and assisting in research for military logistics, unmanned vessels, ships and submarines.
“I got a few back-to-back interviews throughout the day [which led to the job offers]. I’m excited about the future, exploring opportunities for professional growth, and learning more about the field I’m working in,” said Aguilar.
She will begin her career in the Platform Integrity department, focusing on modeling and testing ships and their reaction to high-impact hits from missiles or other circumstances. Her hard work in USM’s OE program gave her the tools needed to land a high-profile engineering career path; however, her passion stemmed from years of yearning for work in the industry.
Aguilar noticed that her desire to pursue a career in hydrography was growing as she entered high school. When deciding what college to attend, she noticed that USM was the right fit with its stellar OE program. She credits her father for helping her make the leap and apply for the journey to propel her dreams into reality. She started her academic career in Hattiesburg but later wanted to be a part of the OE community on the coast and transferred to the university’s Gulf Park campus. She felt a sense of camaraderie and collaboration among her peers.
“It was great to collaborate with the people at the Gulf Park campus. We had a bond. I learned a lot from the program and utilized the technical skills in the interview process,” said Aguilar.
Her professors noticed her drive for success within the program and put her in contact with a hiring representative as a potential candidate for the job fair. Aguilar submitted her resume and cover letter and hoped for the best, later receiving a personal invitation to attend. Dr. Gero Nootz, OE assistant professor, realized her potential to impact the engineering community positively.
“Marthonette’s journey with USM has been nothing short of inspiring. From starting at the Hattiesburg campus to transitioning to the Gulf Park campus, she has consistently stood out as a hardworking and dedicated student. From her first class with me, her eagerness to excel was evident. In her final semesters, Marthonette worked on a senior design project to build a mini wave flume that has drawn significant attention. Her work will lay the foundation for a larger wave flume on the Gulf Park campus, enabling future students to learn about and advance sustainable marine energy production,” said Nootz.
A wave flume is a long, narrow tank that generates waves to study different scenarios in a controlled environment. Her focus was geared toward 3D modeling and circuits. Aguilar could relate her senior design wave flume project at her job fair interviews.
“The OE program prepared me very well for this event. They [recruiters] were surprised I had good background knowledge and experience with the concepts,” said Aguilar.
“Receiving two job offers in a single day speaks volumes about the relevance and quality of our Ocean Engineering program and the growing demand for skilled professionals in this field. Congratulations, Marthonette! Your success is well deserved,” said Nootz.