University Of Wisconsin News

Although the number of fishermen who make a living on the waters of the Great Lakes is much diminished from a half century ago, the region's commercial whitefish fishery continues to be viable and profitable.Henriksen Fisheries is one of about a dozen commercial entities in the Wisconsin waters of Lake Michigan, focused on trap netting whitefish in Green Bay and the waters surrounding the Door Peninsula.Charlie Henriksen started his family-owned fishing business in Door County in 1987.Originally from Illinois…

Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers, together with the state's Department of Transportation (WisDOT), announced grants totaling $5.3 million for seven harbor maintenance and improvement projects to promote waterborne freight and economic development.“From the Great Lakes to the Mississippi River, Wisconsin’s unique geography provides our state opportunities to grow our economy and help our businesses reach markets worldwide,” said Gov. Evers. “These grants will help maintain our harbors and ensure our ports are secure and reliable…

The Lake Superior Research Institute (LSRI) at the University of Wisconsin-Superior has commissioned naval architecture firm Incat Crowther to design a new low-emission battery hybrid research vessel.The aluminum-hulled vessel will be built by Louisiana shipbuilder Midship Marine for expected delivery in spring 2024.Described as a ‘floating classroom’, the 65-foot USCG-certified catamaran will support the university’s on-water education and research and features proven parallel…

When he served as the commander of NWSC Carderock, Mark Vandroff woke every morning knowing that his counterpart in China had just gone to bed and had spent that day trying to make China’s Navy superior. His job, he figured, was to “get cracking and work to make our Navy even better.” Now the CEO at Fincantieri Marinette Marine (FMM), Vandroff brings that passion for navy shipbuilding – and delivering on the new USN Constellation-class frigates contract – to work every day.Introducing a new class of warship usually comes with a heaping helping of pain, from cost overruns to technical glitches.

A preponderance of climate studies on the Great Lakes predict a trend toward reduced ice cover. Ice is expected to form later and melt earlier. With Wisconsin Sea Grant funding, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Superior (UWS) are looking into how this might impact the shipping industry on the Great Lakes.Richard Stewart, director of the Transportation and Logistics Research Center at UWS, is undertaking the yearlong study with Daniel Rust, UWS assistant professor of transportation and logistics.

Brunswick Corporation, in a move to to build on its ACES (Autonomy, Connectivity, Electrification & Shared Access) strategy to develop solutions to further improve boater experiences, named Jason Arbuckle to a newly formed role of Marine Autonomy Technology Lead. Arbuckle joined Mercury Marine in 1997 and has since advanced through the company, working to lead some of the company’s many award-winning innovative technology solutions. Throughout his career, Arbuckle has been instrumental…

WAGO announced Barry Nelson is the newest addition to its Marketing Communications team. Nelson will take the reins as the company’s public relations coordinator overseeing publicity, editorial content, social media and other written material.Nelson received his bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh with an emphasis on radio/TV/film. He brings to the role a background in media, including news anchoring and sports play-by-play on WTMJ and ESPN radio in Milwaukee.

Retired Vice Adm. Richard Hunt will assume the position of president of the Surface Navy Association (SNA) at the association’s annual symposium in January. Hunt succeeds retired Vice Adm. Barry McCullough, who has been president since 2013.Hunt is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and was commissioned in February 1976 through the Officer Candidate School program in Newport, R.I. He attended Naval Post Graduate School, receiving a Master of Science in Telecommunications Systems Management in March 1988.He has served in USS Sampson (DDG 10), USS Underwood (FFG 36) and USS Roark (FF 1053), and has commanded USS Crommelin (FFG 37) and USS Philippine Sea (CG 58).

A recent study on nonindigenous species of plankton in ballast discharges from U.S. and Canadian lakers to western Lake Superior documented five species of nonindigenous zooplankton not yet established in western Lake Superior, including Hemimysis anomala (“bloody red shrimp”), in ballast water discharged there. It also detected, in uptake water, a species of zooplankton (Paraleptastacus wilsoni) that had not previously been recorded in the Great Lakes.Some of the species, including this one, live in harbor sediment and may have escaped routine surveillance to date.

The board of directors of Twin Disc, Inc. has elected Jeffrey S. Knutson to the position of chief financial officer and treasurer effective June 22, 2015 in addition to his current roles as vice president of finance, corporate controller and secretary. "Jeff has done a fantastic job since assuming the interim chief financial officer role in February," stated John H. Batten, president and chief executive officer. "Jeff's experience and contributions to Twin Disc since joining the company in 2005 make him uniquely qualified to step into the chief financial officer position. His strong global financial experience and deep understanding of our business and culture are valuable assets to Twin Disc.

Mike Detmer has been appointed to the position of chief operating officer at New Nautical Coatings, Inc. Based at the company’s headquarters in Clearwater, Fla., Detmer will report to Erik Norrie, co-founder and chief executive officer at Sea Hawk Paints. His responsibilities will include overseeing day-to-day operations as well as executing key strategic growth initiatives. Prior to joining New Nautical Coatings, Inc. and the Sea Hawk brand, Detmer spent two years as president of the Niles division of Nortek, Inc.’s AVC Group.

Jeanne Usher has been named managing director of the Sperry Marine business unit, effective immediately inform Northrop Grumman Corporation. Usher succeeds Alan Dix, who recently retired following a distinguished career with the company spanning 33 years. In her new position, Usher will have responsibility for all Sperry Marine's commercial and defence programmes and products worldwide. With its headquarters in New Malden, the Sperry Marine business unit operates in more than 15 countries and is a leading global provider of navigation solutions…

Ellicott Dredge Enterprises announced two personnel changes to its senior management team. Gert de Vries has joined as Senior Director of Engineering, in which capacity he will be supporting the engineering departments of all of Ellicott's brands, principally Ellicott and Rohr-Idreco. He will also be mentoring the company’s engineering teams. Additionally, Rob Schettle has been promoted to General Manager at Ellicott's subsidiary Liquid Waste Technology. He will now be responsible for running Ellicott’s plant in New Richmond, Wisconsin.

The American Association of Port Authorities’ (AAPA) 2013 Maritime Economic Development Workshop in Chicago, June 27-28, will explore the factors driving today’s investments in seaport and related infrastructure. The program's speakers will analyze the risks and rewards for undertaking such investments, reveal how capital improvements propel business development decisions and discuss what influences intermodal connection improvements with ports. Addressing the issue of what is…

The U.S. Senate confirmed William J. Mielke and Arthur H. Sulzer as members of the Saint Lawrence Seaway Development Corporation Advisory Board on January 1. William J. Mielke is Chairman of the Board, President and CEO of Ruekert/Mielke, a consulting engineering company located in Pewaukee, Wisconsin. He has been a Director of Bank Mutual Corporation since 2000 and its subsidiary, Bank Mutual, since 1988. Mielke is also a Fellow of the American Consulting Engineers Council and has served as a diplomat of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers. From 2006 to 2007, he was a member of the Special Committee on the Great Lakes Water Resources Compact.

With the goal of enriching students’ educational experiences and enhancing the research capabilities of marine scientists on the Great Lakes, Collins Engineers, Inc. (Collins) has donated a Phantom-300 remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to the University of Wisconsin—Milwaukee School of Freshwater Science (SFS), located at the Great Lakes WATER Institute. The cost of a similar ROV purchased new would range between $25,000 and $35,000. “The SFS offers interdisciplinary graduate-level training and provides a variety of marine research opportunities…

OceanServer Technology, Inc. has recently received AUV orders from NOAA and the University of Wisconsin for use in scientific research and mapping applications. The new order from NOAA represents the federal agency’s second Iver2 vehicle purchase. NOAA’s Chesapeake Bay Office is developing an operational capability to observe and monitor habitat restoration and quantify environmental conditions in restoration areas. The Iver AUV will play an important role in pre- and post-restoration…

The Great Lakes Maritime Research Institute (GLMRI) has been awarded a $750,000 U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Region 5 Midwest Clean Diesel Initiative Grant to help reduce air emissions from a 1,000-ft Great Lakes ore carrier. Dr. Richard Stewart, GLMRI co-director, said the grant enables Key Lakes I, Inc., a Great Lakes vessel operator to repower the M/V Edwin H. Gott during the year-long project. The main engine installation will take place at Bay Shipbuilding in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin, concurrent with the vessel’s winter layup and drydocking. GLMRI and Key Lakes I, Inc., are partners in the project that will significantly reduce the air emissions for the M/V Edwin H.

•    Frances G. •    Terry D. •    Cherry A. The bipartisan Commission, established through an Executive Order, is tasked with providing recommendations on how we can prevent – and mitigate the impact of – any future spills that result from offshore drilling. The Council is co-chaired by former two-term Florida Governor and former U.S. Senator Bob Graham and former Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency William K. Reilly. Frances G. Frances Beinecke is currently the President of the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), a non-profit corporation that works to advance environmental policy in the United States and across the world. Ms. Beinecke has worked at NRDC for 35 years, serving as executive director, associate director and deputy executive director.

Marine Travelift, Inc. announced the promotion of Erich Pfeifer to Vice President of Business Development and Marketing. Pfeifer will be responsible for all industrial and government sales, as well as marine sales in the Americas. He will also oversee all Marketing efforts and activities for the company. Pfeifer was hired by Marine Travelift in 2004 as a Sales Engineer. He was appointed Manager of the Americas in 2006, and promoted to Director of the Americas and Marketing in 2009. Pfeifer was the 2008 recipient of the Marine Travelift President’s Award of Excellence, an award recognizing extraordinary achievement on behalf of the company. Pfeifer delivered the first order for a 1000 ton boat hoist, the largest boat hoist in the world.

Enrollment is now open for the online Applications of Modern Shipbuilding Design (AMSD) course offered by the University of Wisconsin – Marinette. This 60 hour, online course will be offered February 8 thru April 30, 2010. The course offers training in a new career in the shipbuilding industry, or an opportunity to increase your current 3D AutoCAD design skills as you learn the basics of ship design using ShipConstructor Software, a 3D product modeling and production planning tool. The online AMSD course is delivered asynchronously, so it can be accessed at anytime from anywhere in the world. No software purchase is necessary, as ShipConstructor Software is accessed remotely through UW-Marinette. Students need only high speed internet access.

The National Shipbuilding Research Program (NSRP) Modern Shipbuilding Design project team has completed and delivered five continuing education marine design courses: Basics of Electrical System Design, Basics of HVAC Design, Basics of Pipe System Modeling, Basics of Structural Modeling, and Design for Production. Funded by the Navy and industry through the NSRP collaboration, the project was planned and facilitated by a 17-member team led by Bender Shipbuilding and Repair with significant support from the University of South Alabama and the University of Wisconsin—Marinette. Designed for on-line or in-class presentation as part of the continuing education programs at those universities now…

The Navy will commissioned the newest San Antonio class amphibious transport dock ship Green Bay during a 10 a.m. PST ceremony Jan. 24 in Long Beach, Calif. The ship is named Green Bay to honor the nation's Midwest "city by the bay." The city of about 100,000 residents was founded in 1634 by French explorer Jean Nicolet, and is the oldest community in Wisconsin. Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon England delivered the ceremony's principal address. Rose Magnus, wife of the former Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps, Gen. Robert Magnus (ret.), served as the ship's sponsor.