DAHLGREN, Va – 
As a child, Jshuntume (JUN-as well-could) McCollough traveled up and down the east coast, stopping at a variety of gatherings and places to complete African dancing and drumming with his loved ones. Given that signing up for Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division (NSWCDD), McCollough has traveled the world.
McCollough grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, along with two more youthful brothers. His mom, Pamela, liked a 30-calendar year occupation in education. His father, Tyehimba (TY-hēm-bah), was energetic in sporting activities and worked with at-danger youth. Immediately after his football career finished with an NFL chance that never ever panned out, Tyehimba grew to become interested in African dance and finally joined the KanKouran West African Dance Firm in Washington, D.C. “He experienced me and my brothers drumming and dancing given that we were being about 5 a long time old,” McCollough mentioned. “We fashioned our own team termed the Home windows of Kuumba (koo-OOM-bah).
In high faculty, McCollough, whose initial identify interprets to “eternal light-weight,” excelled in math and science but was uncertain of a career direction. Whilst attending a faculty fair in his hometown, he met a Morgan Point out College (MSU) consultant who inspired him to appear into engineering.
When at MSU, he established out to grow to be an electrical engineer until eventually a single of his instructors produced him fall in like with physics. “He taught physics in a way that manufactured it appear to be like quick math to me.” McCollough switched gears and graduated with a bachelor’s in engineering physics. He gained a master’s in optical engineering from Norfolk Point out University.
McCollough acquired about NSWCDD though pursuing options at NSWC Indian Head. “It truly is kind of a amusing story,” he said. “Right after I gained my master’s, I moved back again to Maryland. I attended a position good and spoke with reps from Indian Head. I bought an interview at Dahlgren, thinking it may well be the headquarters for Indian Head. Come to find out, that was not the scenario, and I discovered that Dahlgren uncovered my title in a stack of resumes.”
Fifteen years later on, McCollough has relished a good profession as a lead sensor engineer with NSWCDD. He begun doing the job with the electro-optical infrared staff (EOIR), supporting multiple examination and analysis (T&E) jobs, like operating with numerous seismic and EOIR sensors. In 2019, McCollough expanded his understanding and expertise of radar operations when he turned the sensor and radar direct for the Navy railgun system. As the present-day sensor guide for the Hypervelocity Gun Weapon Technique Gun Launched Aerial Protection Interceptor for State-of-the-art Threats and Raids program, McCollough works by using his know-how to collaborate with other branches, divisions and departments throughout NSWCDD as properly as the Strategic Abilities Workplace and other sponsors.
His do the job at Dahlgren has taken him around the globe, together with Hawaii, Mariana Islands and Germany. McCollough values his ordeals functioning with an worldwide cadre of people today and companies. “Working with folks from other cultures has definitely opened my eyes,” he stated. “It’s been thrilling and from time to time scary.” A single of those people terrifying occasions arrived while functioning in Matamoros, Mexico. “The region is recognized for drug cartel action, so there was a huge armed forces presence all all-around us. We experienced to vacation in a closely protected motorcade.”
McCollough credits his function at NSWCDD for sparking his passion for travel. Pre-pandemic, he frequented his wife’s spouse and children for Xmas in Liberia, but his preferred places characteristic beach locations. “I’m certainly additional of a Caribbean individual. I like islands and beach locations. I’ve been to Antigua, Costa Rica and Jamaica.” This previous November, he traveled to Cuba with his spouse to run the 10k race in the Circuit de Marabana. In the upcoming, McCollough hopes to vacation through Africa.
In his leisure time, McCollough is big into sporting activities and is an avid enthusiast of his hometown Baltimore Ravens. And although he does not dance as much any longer, he sometimes picks up a drum. “My father has slowed down a whole lot, but he continue to performs every now and then,” he claimed. “But we got jointly for his birthday and did some drumming.”