TAKOMA PARK, Md. – Researchers and active-duty Sailors with Naval Medical Research Command (NMRC) attended a career day event at Piney Branch Elementary school on June 9.
NMRC volunteers spoke with third, fourth and fifth grade students at the event, sharing information on military medical research careers and opportunities in the U.S. Navy.
Active-duty lab technicians and researchers presented Navy Medicine technology and laboratory techniques to students and faculty. The command’s exhibit table included a prop biocontainment hood filled with building blocks students could interact with through the hood’s built-in gloves, simulating how military scientists handle research instruments.
Students also learned about the ways NMRC staff and the research they conduct helps keep U.S. service members fit and healthy.
“This was an incredibly important opportunity for our students to see NMRC through a hands-on interactive activity,” said Reina Arevalo, a school counselor with Piney Branch Elementary School, “where students got to participate in a simulation related to infectious diseases. It was great to see careers at the intersection of medicine, research and national defense, which are often overlooked.”

“The hands-on aspect of their presentation was a big hit,” added Christina Davidson, a third-grade teacher. “I think that the children were also impressed with the people in uniforms. I think that is important for students to see themselves in their role models.”
The Piney Branch career day brought representatives from local organizations across Takoma and Silver Spring together to share information with students on opportunities in a range of career fields, to include emergency response, anthropology and public service, among others. NMRC was the sole representative organization for the DoD present at the event.
“It was great to see so many kids interested in science; they were listening and asking all sorts of good questions,” said Hospital Corpsman 2nd class Gilberto Arechigaguzman, “it reminds me of all the great things we have the opportunity to do in this science field, and how important it is.”
NMRC is engaged in a broad spectrum of activity from basic science in the laboratory to field studies in austere and remote areas of the world to investigations in operational environments. In support of Navy, Marine Corps and joint U.S. warfighter health, readiness and lethality, researchers study infectious diseases, biological warfare detection and defense, combat casualty care, environmental health concerns, aerospace and undersea medicine, operational mission support and epidemiology.