From Defense Labs to Mountain Villages: Calvin Duong’s Summer of Service and Systems

Whether working with advanced defense technologies or building latrines in rural Guatemala, Calvin Duong ’27 is finding purpose at the intersection of engineering, adaptability and service.

This summer, Calvin Duong ’27 moved between two very different worlds, one rooted in community service and the other grounded in national defense. Together, those experiences are shaping his vision of what engineering can be and the kind of impact he hopes to make.

Before starting a technical internship, Duong traveled to Guatemala with NC State’s chapter of Volunteers Around the World. In remote mountain communities, he worked on service projects ranging from water filtration and latrines to chicken coops and gardens. Every task required improvisation, resourcefulness and collaboration with local residents.

“Service work might not look like traditional engineering, but it will stretch your thinking, challenge your assumptions and leave a lasting impact.”

None of the projects came with instructions, only a set of goals and the available tools and materials. Duong relied on quick thinking and teamwork to help bring those goals to life.

In the evenings, the group would gather for dinner, sharing stories from the day and building a sense of community that became as important as the work itself. For Duong, those shared moments cemented the value of humility and adaptability in unfamiliar environments.

The experience also reshaped his perspective on global engineering. He came to understand that sustainable solutions only succeed when developed alongside, not for, the communities they aim to serve.

After returning from Guatemala, Duong began working as a digital hardware intern at Northrop Grumman. His first assignment was to develop a Python script for copper roughness modeling in printed circuit boards, a task well outside his prior experience. With no background in Python or PCB design, he faced a steep learning curve.

He met it head-on, diving into technical papers, code examples and datasheets, and seeking out guidance when needed. He quickly grew confident using advanced tools like Keysight ADS®, LTpowerPlay® and Xpedition Designer®. In the lab, he worked with oscilloscopes and vector network analyzers to evaluate design performance and solve practical problems.

His coursework at NC State gave him the foundation he needed, particularly classes like ECE 109 and 200, which helped him develop the “engineering intuition” his manager often emphasized, the ability to approach unfamiliar problems with confidence and creativity.

Duong credits his manager, Will McCaffrey, for introducing him to that concept and showing him how to use it as a decision-making tool. The idea, he said, helped him approach complex tasks with a sense of direction even when there was no clear roadmap.

What surprised him most was the culture of openness and mentorship within a national defense setting. Rather than a rigid structure, he found collaborative teams and generous mentors who made him feel supported and included.

Now back in Raleigh, Duong is reevaluating his long-term goals. Graduate school is a new possibility, along with additional international opportunities and future service work. He’s already planning to return to Guatemala next summer.

He credits Spyridon Pavlidis in the ECE Department for helping him map out a five-year plan and the Park Scholarships program for making his first international service trip possible. Both experiences, he said, helped him think more broadly about his role as an engineer.

Whether building systems for national defense or rural development, Duong is focused on solutions that are technically sound and people-centered. That mindset will guide him wherever he goes next.

Keysight ADS is a trademark of Keysight Technologies. LTpowerPlay is a trademark of Linear Technology Corporation. Xpedition Designer is a trademark of Siemens EDA.