The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) announced that a program dedicated to the training of future naval systems engineers will soon be realized. A $3.2m contract awarded May 6 from the Naval Sea Systems Command, which includes five additional years of optional extensions that could add up to $49.9m, will establish a Naval Engineering Education Center (NEEC) Consortium in partnership with fifteen leading US colleges and universities, SNAME and the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE).
For over a century SNAME has been the international society for practitioners of the maritime arts and sciences. The Society has long supported educational opportunities to advance the state-of-the-art in naval architecture, marine and ocean engineering, and shipbuilding through research projects, professional development and certification activities, student scholarships and mentoring, and international partnerships.
The NEEC will educate and develop world-class naval systems engineers for the Navy's civilian engineering, acquisition, and science workforce. SNAME, and its cooperative partner, ASNE, played a key role in the realization of the NEEC and are vital parts of its organizing consortium.
“The goal of the Naval Engineering Education Center (NEEC) Consortium is to provide real, hands-on experience to graduate and undergraduate students of naval architecture and marine engineering in preparation for minting US Naval leaders”, said SNAME President Keith Michel. “SNAME and ASNE serve as the points of inspiration and introduction. Through our K-12 outreach efforts such as SeaPerch, SNAME sparks the interest of young people. We then provide the support and resources to help students realize maritime careers and become full members of the Society.”
President Michel continued: “The NEEC meshes precisely with SNAME’s current program offerings for youth and college students. The Society has Student Sections established at the many of the participating colleges and universities. We are very excited to play a vital role.”
Robert G. Keane, Project Director for joint ASNE/SNAME NEEC efforts, has established the NEEC Leadership Team. In partnership with designees from ASNE, the SNAME representatives serving on the Leadership Team are Paul Cojeen on mentoring, Bill Cowardin on certification and continuing education, and Susan Nelson on outreach. Paul Roden, chair of the joint SNAME/ASNE Education Committee, will lead the program in which SNAME and ASNE members provide mentoring to students as they work on design projects at the participating colleges and universities.
Colleges and universities included in the NEEC consortium include the University of Michigan, Virginia Polytechnic Institute, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Pennsylvania State University, the Georgia Institute of Technology, Webb Institute, Florida State University, Florida Atlantic University, Old Dominion University, Tennessee State University, Stevens Institute of Technology, the University of New Orleans, the University of Iowa, the University of Texas-San Antonio, and the University of Washington. The US Navy Center for Innovation in Ship Design located at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division, will also support the NEEC.