University Of California Berkeley News

Blake Powell, president at JMS Naval Architects, discusses his career, company and latest trends in naval architecture and marine engineering.Please give a brief professional bio, including education, experience and overview of current duties as president of JMS Naval Architects.I earned my degree in Naval Architecture from the University of California, Berkeley where I attended on a Navy ROTC scholarship and was commissioned as a Diving and Salvage Officer after I graduated.

As the world looks to renewable energy sources to combat climate change and reduce reliance on fossil fuels, offshore wind has emerged as a promising frontier in the United States. A report by the University of California Berkeley released in August concluded that due to the nation’s long coastlines with sustained winds in many areas and falling turbine costs, offshore wind could feasibly supply between 10% and 25% of the country’s energy demand by 2050.While that may paint a rosy picture of a cleaner…

Port of Oakland has appointed veteran aviation executive Kristi McKenney as its Chief Operating Officer (COO).Executive Director Danny Wan announced the appointment today after the Port’s governing Board created the new position last month. Ms. McKenney had been serving as Assistant Director of Aviation at the Port’s Oakland International Airport.“I’m grateful to the Board for establishing the COO position and pleased that Kristi is joining our executive team,” said Wan. “We’re developing an ambitious growth strategy for the Port and she’ll be instrumental in advancing it.”Wan said McKenney would manage Port operations. She’ll also oversee Port compliance with Board policies and government regulations, he added.

Ardmore Shipping Corporation (NYSE: ASC) (“Ardmore”) has announced the appointment of Dr. Kirsi Tikka to the company’s Board of Directors.Dr. Tikka has over 30 years of shipping experience having recently retired from the American Bureau of Shipping  (“ABS”) in July 2019. She joined ABS in 2001 and held various specialist and leadership positions within ABS including as ABS Executive Vice President Global Marine, Europe Division President, and as Vice President and Chief Engineer, Global.

ABS reports that it has centralized its global Marine strategic planning, client development, and product and service offerings to deliver enhanced classification services and joint technical projects. Effective Feb. 15, 2016, Dr. Kirsi Tikka is promoted to the new role of Executive Vice President – Global Marine. She will continue to be based in London. “An industry-recognized and respected expert, Kirsi brings tremendous experience and insight to deliver improved coordination, consistency and responsiveness to our members and clients,” sadi ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki. As the Global Marine lead, Tikka will align ABS strategic planning, client development, and product and service offerings with the industry’s technical needs and requirements.

ABS, a provider of classification services to the global marine and offshore industries, announced the election of ABS Europe and Africa Division President Dr. Kirsi Tikka as a Foreign Member of the United States National Academy of Engineering (NAE). The invitation to become a Foreign Member of the NAE is a result of Tikka’s contributions leading to internationally recognized standards for ship structural design, construction and maritime safety. “Industry needs professional organizations like NAE to provide leadership for the engineering profession and to promote technological advancement…

SNAME announced the recipients of the Graduate Scholarships awarded for year 2015-16. Wilbur N. Landers Scholarship Award goes to Alyssa M. William M. Kennedy Scholarship Award has been won by Michael T. Recipient of Tommy L Richards Scholarship Award is Russell George Forthuber, 2009 Marine Engineering Systems graduate of the U.S. Alan C. McClure Scholarship Award has been bestowed on James McNeill Landreth, 2008 graduate of the U.S. John V. Frederick H. The winner of the David A. O'Neil Scholastic Award is Anthony Donato Nigro, 1991 Marine Engineer graduate of S.U.N.Y. Maritime College,  to study in Master's of Marine Engineering program at the U.S.

Dr. Kirsi Tikka says diversity at alma mater played a pivotal role on the path towards a 'truly global career' in the shipping industry. Dr. Kirsi Tikka, President and COO of the ABS Europe Division, provided the 2015 Engineering Master's and Doctoral Commencement address at the College of Engineering, University of California, Berkeley, on Monday 18 May. The ceremony was held in the Hearst Greek Theatre at the UC Berkeley campus for over 550 M.T.M., M.Eng., M.S. and Ph.D. graduates, their families and faculty members.

Mr Vestring, 50, is a partner in Bain & Company's (Bain) Southeast Asia office. Of his 24-year career with Bain, Mr Vestring has spent over two decades in Asia advising leading companies on portfolio strategy, growth, mergers and acquisitions, merger integration, organisation and performance improvement. The companies he has advised include those in shipping, offshore & marine, industrial products, automotive, infrastructure, commodities, airlines and telecoms. Mr Vestring works closely with Asian and multinational companies to grow organically and inorganically across Asia. He is also part of Bain's Developing Market 100 initiative that partners high-growth companies in developing markets on the journey towards global leadership. and Bangkok.

Robert Johansen has been named Director of the Ports & Marine Western Division at Parsons Brinckerhoff, a global engineering and design firm. Johansen will be responsible for business development and the management of design and construction projects for port and marine facilities in California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska, Hawaii, and Guam. He will be based in Parsons Brinckerhoff’s Oakland office. Johansen, who has over 50 years of port and marine terminal experience, has held similar positions with other international engineering companies as well as American President Lines…

Matson, Inc., a U.S. carrier in the Pacific, announced today that Kevin O'Rourke, senior vice president and chief legal officer, is retiring after 21 years with Matson. O'Rourke will be succeeded by Peter Heilmann, who has been promoted to senior vice president and chief legal officer. O'Rourke joined Matson in 1992 as vice president and general counsel. He was promoted to senior vice president in 1995. His career has included over 30 years of experience in domestic and international maritime law. He has a thorough knowledge of the industry's federal regulatory bodies and government agencies.

Northrop Grumman Corporation has appointed Maureen Del Duca vice president and deputy general counsel, Litigation and Investigations, effective immediately. In this role, Del Duca will be responsible for leading and managing the company's top quality internal team, and overseeing outside counsel for litigation, arbitration and investigations. Del Duca joins Northrop Grumman from her former position at AOL, where she was senior vice president and deputy general counsel, litigation, and chief ethics and compliance officer.

On May 8, 2013, Dr. John P. Holdren will be the keynote speaker in the President’s Distinguished Lecture Series, hosted by Stevens Institute of Technology President Nariman Farvardin. Holdren is Assistant to the President for Science and Technology, Director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and Co-chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST). The President’s Distinguished Lecture Series, which launched in fall 2012, offers access to influential scientists, technologists and policymakers who are shaping 21st century society.

She will supervise the City Attorney’s Port operations & serve as in-house counsel to Port management and the Los Angeles Harbor Commission. Janna Sidley replaces Tom Russell, who retired from the position last year. “Janna will lead a talented legal team already in place at the Port, providing strong leadership and experience in her new role,” said Los Angeles City Attorney Carmen Trutanich. Sidley joined the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office in 2003 and has worked as a trial deputy specializing in workers' compensation fraud and unfair business practices.

The fervor to move shipping routes and energy business north of the Arctic Circle is palpable, as countries with physical connection and even ‘non-Arctic’ states are making moves and plans to stake claims to the vast potential that lies within. While the maritime and subsea technology allowing ops in the Arctic’s harsh environs has moved forward fast, there are repeated and regular ‘warning shots across the bow’ of budding entrepreneurs large and small, as the Arctic environment is still largely undeveloped territory, representing risky operations for even the heartiest of souls.

The Seasteading Institute is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that works to enable seasteading communities — floating cities in international waters — which will allow the next generation of pioneers to peacefully test new political and social systems. The first seasteaders will likely be entrepreneurs operating single-purpose businesses on ships just outside territorial waters, where they will be free to explore new opportunities outside the jurisdiction of coastal governments. Accordingly, the Institute's primary objective over the next few years is to support the formation of seasteading businesses that can eventually scale up into thriving autonomous ocean communities. The most successful can then inspire change in governments around the world.

Today, Waterways Council, Inc.’s (WCI) Board of Directors unanimously elected Mike Toohey as the organization’s President and Chief Executive Officer. Toohey will assume his duties effective August 14. With more than 30 years of federal government expertise, Toohey most recently served as Consultant with The Livingston Group’s Transportation, Shipbuilding, Shipping and Ports practice area. Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Government Affairs for Ashland Inc., a chemical, energy and construction company.

Washington, DC – It was announced today that Mike Toohey has been selected to become President and CEO of Waterways Council, Inc. by the organization’s Search and Executive Committees. A special meeting of the WCI Board of Directors has been called for August 2, 2011 to formally consider his election to the organization’s presidency. With more than 30 years of federal government expertise, Mr. Toohey most recently served as Consultant with The Livingston Group’s Transportation, Shipbuilding, Shipping and Ports practice area. Prior to that, he served as Vice President of Government Affairs for Ashland Inc., a global chemical, energy and construction company. During his 19 years with the Ashland, Mr.

John V. Wehausen, professor emeritus of engineering science at the University of California, Berkeley, and one of the world's leading researchers in hydrodynamics, has died at the age of 92. Wehausen died of congestive heart failure on Oct. 6 at the Kaiser Oakland Medical Center. "Many of us in the marine academic field consider John Wehausen to be a pioneer in marine hydrodynamics," said Ronald Yeung, a UC Berkeley professor of mechanical engineering who chaired the campus's former Department of Naval Architecture and Offshore Engineering and considered Wehausen a mentor. "His background as an applied mathematician allowed him to set the framework for mathematical analysis of important ocean- and ship-related problems.

Dr. Kirsi Tikka has joined ABS as Vice President Engineering for ABS Europe and will be assigned to the London Office in January 2002. Robert Spencer will continue as Director of Engineering for Europe, reporting to Dr. Tikka. Dr. Tikka joins ABS from the prestigious Webb Institute where she has served as Professor of Naval Architecture since 1995. Dr. Tikka also worked at Chevron Shipping Company in San Francisco from 1989 to 1995. She was in the Tanker Planning and Economics Division on the President's staff and performed economic analyses for marine transportation projects. While at Chevron, Dr. Tikka was also Senior Operations Planner responsible for the safe…

During February 2011 Christian Nath hands over the management of GL Renewables Certification. AndreasSchroeter has been appointed as his successor as Senior Vice President GL Renewables Certification and Mike Woebbeking will be Vice President GL Renewables Certification and Head of the Certification Body. Christian Nath will continue to support the organization in a consultative capacity until the end of 2011. GL Renewables Certification, part of the GL Group, is one of the leading certification bodiesprimarily focussed on the certification of wind farms…

Oceaneering International, Inc. has appointed Philip D. Gardner as Senior Vice President, Manufacturing. Effective April 1, 2004, Mr. Gardner will assume worldwide P&L responsibility for Oceaneering's products group, which includes Oceaneering Multiflex and Oceaneering Intervention Engineering. In addition, he will have worldwide functional oversight responsibility for Materials Management and Quality Assurance in the oilfield sector. Mr. Gardner's career spans over twenty-five years in the oil and gas industry, most recently with Oil States Industries, Inc. where he served as President of AHSI, an offshore crane company. Mr. Gardner…