John Monahan fascinated seventh graders at Heritage Middle School with a discussion about Battelle’s Tactical Air Initiated Launch System.
Who can resist the Batman-like allure of shooting a grappling hook and line that lets you cross a gorge or scale a building? Those in the special operations, first responder and maritime communities see Battelle’s Tactical Air Initiated Launch (TAIL) System plummet gun as a must-have tool. The system has been featured on the popular TV show MythBusters and The Military Channel’s Weaponology, and continues to captivate those who see it in action. Students at Heritage Middle School were fortunate to learn all about it firsthand, on December 14, from mechanical engineer John Monahan, who worked on the system.
Monahan, who is the father of a Heritage pupil, visited Engineering classrooms of teacher Dwight Back, sharing what he and his team do on a daily basis and giving seventh graders perspective about what engineering careers offer. He does contract research and development at Battelle, and works in a group that focuses on National Security. As the world’s largest, independent research and development organization, Battelle provides innovative solutions to pressing needs through its four global businesses: Laboratory Management, National Security, Energy Technology, and Health and Life Sciences.