Five employees of the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) were recognized as 2023 Women of Color STEM award winners.
The awardees are Pat Sullivan, the deputy director of ERDC; Elizabeth Gao, a materials engineer at the ERDC’s Construction Engineering Research Laboratory (CERL); Brandy Diggs-McGee, a mechanical engineer from ERDC-CERL; Jessica Frierson, the ERDC training and program manager, and Dr. Catherine Thomas, a research biologist from ERDC’s Environmental Laboratory (EL).
According to ERDC Director Dr. David Pittman, these professionals are a testament to the Power of ERDC, as they represent the organization in a positive way.
Sullivan, who has worked with the organization for almost 39 years, was honored with the Career Achievement in Government Award for her outstanding contributions to the organization.
This award recognizes women who have worked for over 15 years and displayed exceptional leadership qualities, including sensitivity in managing others and strategic insight. The recipient of this award is recognized as a role model for female leaders in the workforce.
As the ERDC deputy director, Sullivan is responsible for overseeing seven laboratories located in four states and more than 2,500 employees, $1.2 billion in facilities, and an annual research program exceeding $1.8 billion.
Throughout her career, she has worked as a civil engineer in the Geotechnical and Structures Laboratory (GSL) and held several roles such as an assistant technical director for the ERDC Military Engineer Research and Development Division, a strategic assistant to the ERDC GSL lab director, the ERDC executive staff officer, and the ERDC associate director.
Sullivan holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Tulane University and a master’s from Mississippi State University. She has also completed postgraduate studies in geotechnical engineering at Louisiana State University.
Gao, Diggs-McGee, Frierson, and Thomas were all awarded the Technology Rising Star Awards. The award is given to women with less than 15 years of experience in the workforce who actively contribute to shaping the future of technology.
Gao, a materials engineer at ERDC-CERL in Champaign, Illinois, currently serves as acting branch chief for the laboratory’s Warfighter Branch.
She is responsible for leading multidisciplinary research teams, supporting the entire research and development (R&D) lifecycle from basic research through Army implementation and subsequent assistance to ensure effective adoption and utilization of products from R&D investments.
Gao has authored or co-authored approximately 15 journal articles and ERDC technical reports. She holds a master’s degree in civil and environmental engineering and a bachelor’s degree in molecular and cellular biology, both from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Diggs-McGee works as a mechanical engineer in the Warfighter Engineering Branch of ERDC-CERL. Her contributions to the defense department, construction industry, and research community have significantly advanced the field of additive construction toward a more efficient process for energy and operations.
Diggs-McGee earned her master’s degree in civil engineering and bachelor’s in architectural engineering from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University in Greensboro, North Carolina.
Frierson currently serves as the ERDC training & development program manager. She began her federal career with the ERDC in the Information Technology Laboratory, where she held several roles such as branch and division administrative assistant, program specialist, training coordinator, and staff management specialist.
She received her bachelor’s degree in pre-law with a minor in finance management from Alcorn State University and her master’s degree in human resource organizational and leadership development from Louisiana State University. She also holds a corporate behavior certification from Harvard University.
Thomas, a research biologist in the ERDC-EL, is an expert in plant interactions. She is focused on studying the physiological responses of riparian and aquatic plants to environmental changes.
Her work includes conducting vegetation surveys, analyzing plant communities, and designing natural planting schemes to stabilize contaminants and prevent erosion at Army installations.
In addition to her research, Thomas is an adjunct instructor at Lamar University, where she teaches an advanced ecology course in the Civil Engineering Department that integrates her experience with Engineering with Nature projects.
She also has expertise in evaluating nutrient uptake pathways and adaptive plasticity in plants.
