Elizabeth Heider, Ph.D.

I’m a physicist, I like things to be well defined.

Dr. Elizabeth Heider earned her Ph.D. and M.S. in Physics at Tufts University and holds a B.S. in Physics, with a mathematics minor, from the University of Utah.

She trained at Argonne National Laboratory and Fermilab National Laboratory; gaining an in depth understanding of high-energy physics operations and fundamental physics research. She has expertise in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) theory, applications, and spectroscopic analysis, and extensive experience in implementing NMR to characterize biomolecules.

She joined CNA in May 2008 and in addition to work on ISR requirements, CBR threats, and game design, was a CNA observer on Neptune Response 09 (a consequence management exercise), and JTFEX (on board the USS John C. Stennis). Most recently, she deployed from January to mid-April of 2009, aboard the USS Nashville (LPD 13), as part of Africa Partnership Station—the U.S. Navy-led initiative to help coastal nations in West and Central Africa achieve safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea.

Inspired by the belief that effective maritime safety and security will contribute to development, economic prosperity, and security ashore, APS is one in a series of activities designed to build maritime safety, security, and governance in Africa in a comprehensive and collaborative manner, focusing first on the Gulf of Guinea.

According the Africa Partnership Station website, “APS provides a unique venue for the shared efforts being made by various agencies and non-governmental organizations from Africa, the U.S. and Europe. Because. [An APS] ship functions as a mobile university, moving from port to port to provide training and long-term collaboration between American, European and African nations. During each of these port visits, APS offers tailored training to build partnerships and achieve common goals through collaboration.”

During Heider’s deployment, the Nashville visited Senegal, Ghana, Liberia, Cameroon, and Nigeria. (After 39 years of service, Nashville is scheduled be decommissioned on Sept. 30, 2009.)

Heider:

Africa Partnership Station is a huge multi-faceted mission. My job was to try to gather data based on input from all participants and evaluate what was happening in country to see if the Navy was accomplishing what it wanted to accomplish.

I’m a physicist, I like things to be well defined. This is not a well-defined problem, so it’s a bit of a challenge. I distributed surveys and conducted a lot of structured interviews to determine country characteristics, and to find attitudinal and behavioral indicators.

What I enjoyed most were the people. It’s unique to be aboard ship and unique to work with an international staff—20 countries were represented on the ship. You develop a camaraderie that fosters a focus and intensity to the work that’s very special. I grew to love, and passionately support, the mission.

The west coast of Africa will be a future hot-button area — it’s not carefully monitored and is a transfer point for drugs, an area for illegal fishing, and for oil theft and piracy—so the mission has real strategic importance for the future. And the humanitarian aid component to the work, carried out through Project Handclasp, was also a great part of the mission. (Project Handclasp accepts and transports educational, humanitarian and goodwill material overseas on a space-available basis in U.S. Navy ships and distributes materials distributed directly to needy recipients.)

One of the benefits of working at CNA is that there is no shortage of opportunities to do fantastic stuff. The missions themselves are fascinating and then you get to do things that you never dreamed you’d be doing, like climbing Mount Cameroon, or spending the night on the deck of a Landing Craft Utility moored near an oil platform and running with Marines the next morning.”

Learn more about Africa Partnership Station

Learn more about the USS Nashville (LPD 13)