Volunteering is not an option for many women; it’s part of their DNA. Two such women are Daniel “Dani” Chambers and Treva Brown (photo inset).

At Lockheed Martin, Daniel “Dani” Chambers is a multi-functional engineering and science manager who leads 40 personnel including associate managers, team leads, and chief system engineers, responsible for 24/7 operations of critical military systems.

“I truly believe that every single person is born with a special gift that will positively impact the community,” said Chambers. She credits her parents for instilling this message in her at a young age. “I grew up always wanting to find ways to uplift others,” she said.

Chambers found a way by volunteering through the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE) Lockheed Martin Professional Chapter.

“I primarily mentor and coach college students in the Region VI area through resume building, mock interviews, and recruiting for Lockheed Martin,” Chambers said. “It is a passion of mine to help prepare college students for the workforce. It can be overwhelming and intimidating, and I want students to feel supported and that they’re not alone.”

“The Region VI chapter asked me to join the board to help start the chapter and plan outreach activities,” she said. “I was excited to join this great opportunity and I continue to enjoy being a part of this great chapter and their vision to support people in their professional development.”

Asked why giving back is important to her, Chambers said she strives to support and encourage the growth and development of others. Chambers encourages other engineering professionals as well as students to participate in helping others by joining NSBE’s professional and student chapters in their region.

“While it’s great to be a part of an organization to give back, remember that giving back can mean all types of things—encouraging your younger sibling, being kind to a stranger by just saying hi. You can give back to your community,” advises Chambers. NSBE isn’t the only effort that she volunteers with. “The pandemic has slowed me down, but I also volunteer with the Soldiers’ Angels organization.”

But you don’t have to be part of a large organization to be a volunteer. Treva Brown, Ph.D., a physical scientist at the U.S. Naval Research Lab at Stennis Space Center in Mississippi, independently hosts STEM activities for school-age students. This is something she’s been doing since before 2017 when she was a graduate student.

“I have been doing outreach on my own in STEM,” said Brown, adding that she considers it her “passion project.” Brown said her goal is to make science “relatable, relevant, and fun,” which she does through talks and a miniseries of virtual interactive gatherings she started during the pandemic when she was working from home.

“Science Adventures with Dr. B” was the title of a mini-series that began online for her friends’ children and eventually grew to an audience of about 50 to 100 viewers from across the country. “I wanted something to do and the kids wanted something to do,” she said.

However, Brown is not averse to working with others. She has partnered with the Junior Auxiliary of Slidell’s STEM Festival, where she had a STEM tent and provided materials to do different hands-on projects, many of them sensory projects. One popular activity that she has guided youngsters through is called “Elephant Toothpaste,” which combines dish soap, yeast, and hydrogen peroxide to make a messy “huge foam eruption.”

In addition to exposing young people to a scientist “who looks like them,” Brown said she also tries to convey the importance of pushing toward one’s goals, regardless of challenges such as a lack of role models who look like them or discouragement from others. She shares that she was once told by a university advisor that she would never graduate from the chemistry department. Despite that harsh view, she completed her undergraduate degree at Louisiana State University and doctoral degree in chemistry as a Board of Regents fellow at the University of New Orleans.

“You can be literally whatever you want to be, even if it seems unobtainable,” she said At the U.S. Naval Research Lab,

Brown helps the Department of Defense gain a better understanding of organisms that cause corrosion on metal materials. Her work ranges from corrosion research to external research focused on microbial populations, electrochemical data, electrochemical sensors, corrosion mechanisms, and biodegradation.

A self-described “girlie girl” who often attends events in a pink lab coat, pink goggles, and pink loafers, Brown said she also wants to demonstrate that everyone should be their unique selves.