Ariel Garcia

It is seen in both his professional life, where the chemical engineer contributes to the Navy’s emphasis on promoting science, technology, engineering and mathematics in the greater Indian Head area school systems as well as his private life, where he teaches Bible lessons at Waldorf’s Cavalry Gospel Church Sunday School. Recently, Garcia was honored for displaying some of that passion. He earned the Hispanic Engineer National Achievement Award Corp. (HENAAC) Luminary Award in recognition of his contributions in helping the promotion of STEM subjects to middle school students.

‘‘It was for the ‘‘Go Places” program that we started here,” Garcia explained, in saying that Go Places is a collaborative partnership between NSWC IHDIV, the College of Southern Maryland and the Charles County school system.

‘‘We bring engineers and scientists into the schools to help students,” he said. ‘‘We help kids get more involved in science and math.”

Garcia said that he likes teaching because ‘‘I really feel that I am really good with students...they want to learn and I want to teach them.”

Also, this summer, he sponsored five collegians from the University of Puerto Rico who were doing chemical engineering co-ops at NSWC IHDIV.

‘‘We had a lot of fun,” he said of the experience of housing the five students.

And more real enjoyment comes, he said, from teaching Sunday school where he often combines white water rafting and skating trips along with Bible study.

‘‘When I retire, I think that I would like to teach Bible,” he said. ‘‘It’s something I really want to do ... a number one goal for me!’

Garcia is a nearly 30-year employee of NSWC IHDIV, beginning there in 1980 after graduation from the University of Puerto Rico. His first assignment at Indian Head was at the Pilot Plant, followed by tours in Standard and Cruise Missile, Rocket Improvement Product, and the Underwater Branch at the division. Currently, he is the Senior-In-Service Underwater⁄Surface engineer plus has collateral duty as manager of the Underwater Branch.

Along with his recent Luminary Award from HENAAC, Garcia has earned the IH DIV EEO Award (2005), an On-the-Spot Award from the Safety Dept. for a safety stand down presentation (2002), the Theater Surface Combatants Excellence Award from the Standard Missile Program Office (2001), the NSWC IHDIV Honorary Cost Savings Award (2001), a Cost Avoidance Award which saved the Navy more than $20 million (1987) and numerous Outstand Performance Awards for his job performance. Garcia also holds distinction for two patents.

He is married (wife Ileana) and the father of three boys (David, 17; Gabriel, 14; and Samuel, 10). Garcia and his family live in Waldorf.