Photo By Emily Swedlund | GROTON, Conn. (March 21, 2023) Linda Hughes, a statistician and program manager with...... read more read more
At Naval Submarine Medical Research Laboratory (NSMRL), we’re lucky to have many impressive women in all our departments. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with three of NSMRL’s outstanding staff, Linda Hughes, a statistician and program manager with the Undersea Health Epidemiology Research Program (UHERP), Dawn Berger-Debrodt, a senior research associate with the Warfighter Performance Department, and Royal Navy Surgeon Commander Joanna Halford, a consultant occupational physician, to ask them a couple questions about themselves and women in the DoD.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Emily Swedlund: Tell us a bit about your NSMRL story.
Linda Hughes: I started at NSMRL in 1998 as a research assistant on a hearing research team comprised entirely of women. A great first impression! I’ve worn a few different hats since joining, but I’m currently wearing three. I work as a statistician, I’m the program manager of the Undersea Health Epidemiology Research Program (UHERP), and I serve as NSMRL’s HIPAA privacy and security officer. There are two projects I’m working on right now. The first is identifying service members who are most at risk for submarine medical evacuations and the second is determining the incidence and risk factors for contaminated water diving.
Dawn Berger-Debrodt: I’m a senior research associate in the NSMRL Warfighter Performance Department. I’ve been with the command for almost eight years, working primarily with the Human Factors Engineering and Bioeffects of Underwater Sound team. I am also a sonar subject matter expert. Currently, I am part of a team that is collaborating with other military research teams, universities, and contractors to develop autonomous systems to aid Marines in decision-making during combat scenarios. I’m also working on the development of an unclassified sonar simulation, which will hopefully one day help the Navy find the best candidates for sonar operations.
Surgeon Commander Joanna Halford: I am a consultant occupational physician in the Royal Navy and have been assigned as the Royal Navy exchange officer to NSMRL since January 2020. As a Royal Navy exchange officer, I primarily work to facilitate information sharing between NSMRL and the Royal Navy Institute of Naval Medicine. However, I am also a principal investigator here at NSMRL, currently working on the NSMRL Microbiome project. We’re investigating how the gut microbiome changes during deployment, and how this might affect the health and performance of submariners.
ES: What work or specific research have you done in your Navy career that you are proud of?
LH: During my time at NSMRL, I was fortunate enough to work on the project that led to the removal of smoking onboard submarines, something that has positively impacted the health of all submariners in the Navy. I also led the project that developed the data collection system for pressurized submarine escape training and helped establish the UHERP program here at NSMRL. I also conducted research that helped pave the way for the integration of women aboard submarines.
DBD: I am proud to say that I successfully completed all seven sonar submarine school classes, including Sonar Supervisor and Master Sonar Theory, and these classes allowed me to go underway aboard a submarine and qualify as a common broadband operator. This unique experience and education provided me with first-hand knowledge of the submarine work environment, which has in turn made me more empathetic and committed to the research I do.
JH: I originally trained as a clinician, so my exposure to research was relatively limited before coming to NSMRL. However, during my time in the British Army (2004 to 2015, before I transferred to the Royal Navy), I did research regarding how previous knee surgery affected soldiers who joined the British Army, and whether they were able to endure the rigors of service. Since I’ve been at NSMRL, my team and I were able to overcome huge logistical challenges to successfully complete data collection during the pandemic, when the subjects were deployed on an operational boat. We didn’t let those issues stand in our way and were able to complete our collection and get the research done on time.
ES: Why do you think it’s important to include women in the Department of Defense?
LH: Including women in the DoD vastly increases the talent pool for selection! Now, more than ever, women are filling some of the roles that have become increasingly difficult for the Navy to fill. NSMRL itself continues to support including women in leadership roles. Recently, we had a female CO and XO at the same time, which would have been unheard of when NSMRL was founded in 1942. Women should know that they are an important and growing group in the Navy, particularly in the Submarine Force, and can successfully reach the highest rank or positions!
DBD: Any time an organization incorporates people with more diverse backgrounds, the stronger that organization becomes. It has been a long and difficult journey (and still can be) for women to become an active part of the Navy, and the women who didn’t give up are tenacious and capable. The Navy benefits from that. Unfortunately, there are still people who don’t yet recognize that women can be just as capable as men, which is why we need to highlight women’s accomplishments during Women’s History Month. NSMRL itself supports gender equality by hiring females in STEM and leadership positions. As we move forward, I hope there is a shift to more acceptance of women in fields that were formerly designated for men, i.e., the military and STEM fields. Being a place of inclusion will inspire more people of all diverse backgrounds to want to join.
JH: It is also important to recognize the women who have fought, and who continue to fight, for equal rights. There has been huge progress during my 19 years in service, such as how women are now included on submarines and in the Royal Marines, and it’s important that this progress continues. The Military Forces should be representative of the society we serve. Hopefully, creating an inclusive environment, with equal opportunities and respect for all, will encourage other women to join. Seeing women make a difference can become an inspiration, whether it’s the most junior Sailor out there doing her job, or a woman in a leadership position. NSMRL is a great example. In my short time here, there have been two female COs and one female XO, as well as numerous female team leaders and principal investigators.
ES: Thank you all so much for taking the time to speak with me today. We appreciate your time, and all that you’re doing for the Navy!
This year’s Women’s History Month theme, “Celebrating Women Who Tell Our Stories,” acknowledges the pioneering women, past and present, who have contributed to the Military Forces and the civilian workforce. We celebrate the collective victories of women in the DoD who have taken on mission-critical assignments and advanced as leaders in research, science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.
NSMRL, a command under the Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, is located at the Naval Submarine Base New London. NSMRL delivers research solutions to promote the health, welfare, and performance of submariners and divers, with the mission to sustain the readiness and superiority of our undersea warriors through innovative health and performance research.
| Date Taken: | 03.29.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 03.29.2023 14:02 |
| Story ID: | 441483 |
| Location: | GROTON, CONNECTICUT, US |
| Web Views: | 309 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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