University Of Colorado News

Arctic sea ice likely reached its minimum extent for the year at 4.23 million square kilometers (1.63 million square miles) on September 19, 2023, according to scientists at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) at the University of Colorado Boulder.The 2023 minimum is ranked sixth lowest in the nearly 45-year satellite record. The last 17 annual minimum extents are the lowest 17 in the satellite record.NSIDC scientists stress that the Arctic sea ice extent number is preliminary…

Antarctica, the world’s last true wilderness, has been protected by an international treaty for the last 60 years. But the same isn’t true for most of the ocean surrounding it.Just 5% of the Southern Ocean is protected, leaving biodiversity hotspots exposed to threats from human activity.The Western Antarctic Peninsula, the northernmost part of the continent and one of its most biodiverse regions, is particularly vulnerable. It faces the cumulative threats of commercial krill fishing…

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has announced this week the appointment of Herman Shelanski as vice president of business development at its Newport News Shipbuilding division.Shelanski has more than 38 years of experience with the U.S. Navy, achieving the rank of vice admiral before he retired earlier this year. Shelanski most recently served as the Navy’s inspector general.In his new role, Shelanski will report to Jennifer Boykin, president of Newport Shipbuilding.Shelanski served as director of the Navy’s Environmental Readiness Division…

ABS announced three senior management appointments as part of the organization’s digital class strategy. “As our markets are increasingly shaped by digital technology, ABS is setting the pace in digital innovation,” said ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. “As part of our digital class journey, our entire organization is focused on digital developments and opportunities. Howard Fireman, previously the organization’s chief technology officer, will take on the role of ABS Chief Digital Officer (CDO) leading a global team of experts across the organization in the fields of data analytics, innovative inspection technologies…

The U.S. Office of Naval Research has awarded BAE Systems an $11 million contract to develop next-generation electronic warfare (EW) technology that will quickly detect, locate, and identify emitters of radio frequency signals. Known as the Full-Spectrum Staring Receiver (FSSR), this technology will enable near-instantaneous battlespace situational awareness, emitter identification and tracking, threat warning and countermeasure and weapon cueing. Conventional situational awareness systems are not able to deliver the high level of coverage and responsiveness that FSSR will provide.

It's a career-defining moment for 36 college and university faculty April 30, as the Department of the Navy announces the recipients of its 2015 Young Investigator Program, one of the oldest and most selective scientific research advancement programs in the country. Collectively, awardees will receive $18.8 million in grants to fund research across a range of naval-relevant science and technology areas. This is a banner year for the program, administered by the Office of Naval Research (ONR), which increased funding by 50 percent over last year. "These recipients demonstrate the type of visionary, multidisciplinary thought that helps the U.S. Navy anticipate and adapt to a dynamic battlespace," said Dr. Larry Schuette, ONR's director of research.

Carbon-rich Arctic soils are thawing, and that has the potential to undermine global climate policies, The Washington Post reports. Permafrost is basically soil that stays frozen all year long. Because it never melts, it holds thousands of years’ worth of dead plants and their carbon. About 24 percent of land in the Northern Hemisphere is covered with the stuff. Northern permafrost—ground frozen year-round—may contain more than twice as much carbon as there is in the atmosphere. And at least some of it could already be escaping to the atmosphere—as carbon dioxide or methane—as the Arctic warms. According to the National Academy of Sciences…

Manager and operator of the first semi-automated terminal in the Middle East, Khalifa Port Container Terminal, says it has appointed Mr. Mohamed Al Afeefi as Technical Director. Mr. Al Afeefi, who has been working in the oil & gas, aviation and energy intensive industries for the past 15 years, will be a key member of the corporate management team, with overall responsibility for overseeing technical, facility and workshop activities at ADT’s Khalifa Port Container Terminal. Bringing a wealth of industry experience to the terminal operator, Mr. Al Afeefi comes with a robust technical background as he led preventive maintenance programs…

Greene’s Energy Group (GEG), a provider of integrated testing, rentals and specialty services, has named Brad Farnsworth as Chief Financial Officer, announced Chief Executive Officer Bob Vilyus. Based in Houston, Farnsworth will report to the CEO and assume a strategic role in overall company management. He will take on the daily role of planning, implementing, managing and controlling all financial-related activities of the company. This includes direct responsibility for accounting…

Accommodations specialist, HB Rentals, a Superior Energy Services company, has named Ken Ferguson the Director of Global Business Development. Ferguson will be based in HB Rentals’ Houston office and will oversee the company’s business development efforts. Before joining HB Rentals, Ferguson served as the Business Development Manager for Emtunga Offshore and worked in sales for Universal Services Inc., Evergreen Mobile Company, ATCO Structures Inc. and ATCO Saudi Arabia Ltd.  He is a graduate of the University of Colorado. (www.hbrental.com)

The National Snow and Ice Data Center, sponsored by the University of Colorado and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), issued its report on Arctic sea ice. The ice in the Arctic Ocean has reached its minimum extent for 2009 and is starting to reform. This year’s minimum extent is above the record and near-record minimums of the last two years, but lower than the average minimums of the past 30 years. (9/17/09). (Source: Bryant’s Maritime News)

HONOLULU, Hawaii (AP) -- A passenger ship with about 700 college students aboard limped into Honolulu Harbor five days after a huge wave tossed the vessel around in heavy seas, damaging three of its four engines and injuring two crew members. "Most people have been happy it's finally sunny and are glad to be going to Hawaii," Becca Leonard, a 21-year-old junior at the University of Southern California, said Monday after the ship pulled into port. The 591-foot Explorer, with 990 people aboard, was about 650 miles south of Adak, Alaska, when the wave hit early Wednesday morning. Adak is in the Aleutian Islands about 1,300 miles southwest of Anchorage.

will christen Hawaii (SSN-776), the U.S. June 17. Gov. Linda Lingle, of Hawaii, is the ship's sponsor. principal speaker is U.S. Sen. Daniel K. the Medal of Honor. Cmdr. David A. of Colorado, is the ship's commanding officer. The Hawaii is the third ship of the Virginia class, the first U.S. combatants designed for the post-Cold War era. globe, providing the U.S. or the open ocean. (SSN-774), to the Navy in October 2004. class ships; a total of 30 ships are planned.

One of the recent major changes in marine interior design is that manufacturers have become aware of the needs of the marine market place. To support these requirements manufacturers have become much more aggressive in trying to get their product specified and tested to IMO standards. First tier manufacturers have realized that there is a large market for products in cruise ship design and manufacturing and that marine design is, by necessity, it's own separate market. Manufacturers realize marine interior designers are very limited in the product range that can be incorporated into marine design. The single biggest challenge for the marine interior designer is fulfilling client needs without sacrificing human safety or the design ambience the client wants to project to passengers.