From Social Science to Systems Engineering
Theresa Fersch
June 2010
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Theresa Fersch |
Theresa Fersch has always been intrigued by the diverse application of social sciences. This interest led her to a degree in sociology and then a variety of research, project management, national security, and acquisitions-related jobs in the intelligence community and the private sector. Enthusiastic about the potential for applying her skills in systems engineering, Fersch came to MITRE in 2008. Here she has been able to leverage her government and intelligence community expertise as well as her social science background in whole new ways.
"It was fortuitous that I found this job as a MITRE social researcher, since it called for a mix of skills that really matched my interests," she says. "And I was also able to match my background with sponsors' needs."
Though the MITRE job represents her first in-depth exposure to systems engineering, she says the work draws on many common themes and skills from her prior experience in acquisitions, project management, and analytics.
Improving Enterprise Systems Engineering with Social Science
When Fersch first came to MITRE, she worked on a MITRE-sponsored research project called the Social Contexts of Enterprise Systems Engineering (SCESE). It examined the social, organizational, cultural, and political challenges of the enterprise systems engineering (ESE) environment. The goal was to further develop social science capabilities that complement increasingly sophisticated technical capabilities for enterprise systems. The SCESE research team conducted five detailed case studies based on stakeholder interviews and documented analysis. These studies reached across Department of Defense and other government sponsors.
To complement the case studies, the research team also conducted a survey to understand the nature and relative importance of social context challenges and practices used to overcome those challenges. The results indicated that managing social context issues is essential to ESE project success, often dwarfing technical issues.
"I was pleasantly surprised to find awareness has grown beyond technical challenges. Our survey respondents were emphatic that managing social and cultural dynamics is a critical success factor in systems engineering, and that MITRE should focus on this area," she says.
Improving Processes and Organizational Efficiency
Fersch's other MITRE work includes leading the establishment of MITRE's Information Security Metrics program for internal cybersecurity. A successful metrics program enables MITRE to assess internal controls, calculate risk, improve security processes, and raise corporate awareness of information security challenges.
"I'm enjoying the work and appreciate the opportunity to learn the more technical side of information security," she says. "Security metrics is a very fluid area of study, given the continuous changing nature of cyber threats. MITRE wants to lead the way as most private and government organizations struggle to understand their security posture."
One particularly rewarding aspect of the work is the opportunity to interact directly with sponsors and guide subject matter experts in a variety of fields. "We're aware of what's going on outside our organization and how our work impacts the world around us. For example, I've engaged directly with emergency management leaders across the country to find out exactly what they need to improve their capabilities. I'm also working closely with other sponsors on national security exercises."
Moving in a New Direction
Fersch's career shift to MITRE accompanied a number of other significant changes in her life. Originally from the Washington, D.C., area, she moved to New Hampshire a few months prior to joining MITRE.
"Neither my husband nor I had ever lived in New England but many things drew us to the area. So within a short time, I got married, moved to a new part of the country, bought a house, earned my master's degree, and got a job here," she says. "I felt very fortunate to find a position within MITRE. It was just one of the many great changes I've experienced."
—by Maria Lee and Kay M. Upham
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