Science and Scouting are Kurt Erler’s favorite things, passions he’s grateful to share with his three kids.
Erler is a biomedical engineer working as an area sales manager for BrainLab. He works half the time from his Severna Park home and the other half traveling around the Mid-Atlantic region.
The working dad is also the Den leader of Severna Park’s Cub Scout Pack 858 and the Cubmaster of Camp Riverhawk’s countywide day camp.
He lives with his three sons, Koen (11), Lachlan (8) and Wesley (8), who also love science. The kids receive a monthly science kit and do programming in their spare time. They can often be found outside exploring in the woods, building terrariums or doing experiments.
What do you love most about being a parent?
I think it’s a lot of showing them the world and new things, from learning new things to seeing things for the first time. We regularly go to museums and Smithsonians, and we do a lot of other science stuff around the house, outside and on trips. We camp quite often and explore new areas, not usually returning to the same areas. I taught [my kids] how to surf, about science, and physics, and programming.
What does a typical work day look like?
Typically, a day at [my] home office would be a lot of conference calls and calling customers, and [being] sure they’re using the system to the fullest, and wondering what kinds of patients they’re treating, seeing how we can help them expand the type of treatments they’re delivering, what their needs are. Then, on the road, it typically is a lot of personal relationships, meeting with people, seeing and treating patients. Presentations are also quite often for introduction to new products.
How do you balance parenthood and the demands of your career?
It’s a lot of scheduling and thinking ahead what we’re going to be doing on the weekends going forward. For organization, we use iCloud—shared calendars even with my kids. We put everything on there so I know what conferences are coming up and it’s all coordinated. Also, being the Cubmaster, I have a little bit of input on what days things are, so that’s helpful.
I plan weeks, and weeks, and weeks and months ahead to ensure that I’m meeting customers out on the road, or the local ones when I need to, and [I] work with [the kids’] mother as well to coordinate calendars.
Why did you become a Cubmaster?
I’m an Eagle Scout, and when Koen started in kindergarten, I wanted to make sure it was being done properly, so I became a Den leader. I organized and helped out with events. We created, for example, a science center, Digging in the Past, which is now offered to all Cub Scouts in the region. We do more involved things with the Scouts, bringing them to summer camps, day camps and as many camping trips and events as we could. I lead a bunch of those events for the pack because I want to broaden what the kids are able to do; not every kid is the same and not every kid likes the same thing, so we offer more programs that attract more children interested in Scouting.
Scouting has always been a big part of what I did growing up; I grew up camping a lot. I think Scouting and being an Eagle Scout transformed me and prepared me with so many different skills than would be typical for a kid growing up [with] the different kinds of merit badges that you can get, the adventures you go on. My kids did sports, too, and I used to coach. Sports is great, but the parent isn’t as active. Scouting is an organization where the parents are involved in the child’s life all the time, and they’re doing those adventures together, learning things together, going places together. You only have so many years in your life that you’re involved as your child’s main mentor, and Cub Scouts allows you to do that.
What do you want your children to learn from you?
I would like them to learn work ethic, curiosity, being brave and doing things that might be uncomfortable sometimes. Humor, character, standing by your friends, stick up for people who can’t stick up for themselves, to be confident in themselves and to do things for the first time—don’t be afraid to do those things, like jumping off the diving platform.
Family Favorites
Family Meal: Steak
Dessert: Chocolate chip cookies
Family Activity: Camping
Local Spot: Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park campground
