IMSAŽ Graduate/Navy Pilot Featured on PBS Documentary CARRIER
For Immediate Release, Press Release
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AURORA— Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) Class of 1997 graduate and Navy fighter pilot Lieutenant Alex Dietrich is one of 18 crew members featured in the 10-part PBS series CARRIER scheduled to begin airing Sunday, April 27, 2008 on Channel 11.
According to the PBS website (http://www.pbs.org/weta/carrier) CARRIER focuses on the stories and lives of 18 crew members of the USS Nimitz during a six-month deployment overseas. The website states, Their stories provide a personal look at the broader topics of family, faith, discipline, patriotism and the war on terror. Lt. Dietrich, originally from Chicago, is an F-18 pilot and member of the Black Aces squadron. She and her squadron will be featured in episodes 1, 2, 5 and 7.
Lt. Dietrich has served in the Navy for seven years and is the recipient of numerous decorations including the Air Combat Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal and Global War on Terrorism Service Medal. Currently, she works as an aide to Vice Admiral Harvey, a three-star admiral who serves as the chief of navy personnel in Washington, D.C.
Lt. Dietrich, who earned her B.S. degree in Civil Engineering from The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., said her IMSA experience prepared her well for her career.
“The advanced curriculum at the Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy, with its emphasis on integration across disciplines, prepared me for all aspects of flying … from pre-mission planning, weaponeering and targeting to in-flight scenarios and combat situations, “ Dietrich said. “The problem-solving and technical skills I developed at IMSA continue to help me today.”
IMSA President Dr. Max McGee said that Lt. Dietrich is an excellent role model for students, especially female students who are underrepresented in mathematics and science career fields.
“Alex is a trailblazer whose talent, determination and leadership ability set an example for future IMSA students,” McGee said. “We are proud that her IMSA education provided her with the foundation she needed to follow her passion and make her grandest dreams a reality.”
The internationally recognized Illinois Mathematics and Science Academy® (IMSA) develops creative, ethical leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. As a teaching and learning laboratory created by the State of Illinois, IMSA enrolls academically talented Illinois students (grades 10-12) in its advanced, residential college preparatory program. It also serves thousands of educators and students in Illinois and beyond through innovative instructional programs that foster imagination and inquiry. (www.imsa.edu)