Battelle News

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) announced that Adm. Kirkland H. Donald, U.S. Navy (Ret.), has been elected to its Board of Directors, effective Jan. 1, 2017. Donald retired from the U.S. Navy in 2013 after 37 years of service. In his last assignment as the director, Naval Nuclear Propulsion, he was responsible for the safe and effective operation of the Navy’s nuclear propulsion program, which today includes all submarines and aircraft carriers. After retiring from the Navy, Donald joined Systems Planning and Analysis, Inc.

A new camera developed by Battelle aims to reduce the time, effort and expense needed to create complete 360-degree viewpoints in the depths of the ocean or in other hard to reach places. The HorizonVue M360 Deep combines Battelle’s history in maritime engineering technology with RemoteReality’s specialized optic designs and software to create a unique instrument capable of providing continuous 360-degree video feed at the ocean’s surface or depths of up to 10,000 ft., the manufacturer said.

Fred Byus, a U.S. Navy retired Rear Admiral, has been named General Manager of Battelle’s Maritime Systems business unit. Byus joined Battelle in December 2007 as Vice President of National Security’s Navy Market Group after a distinguished 31-year career in the U.S. Navy. His Navy experience included leadership positions in nuclear engineering, submarines, and command and control of fleet and joint forces. Byus also has served as Oceanographer and Navigator of the Navy, Commander Naval Forces Korea, Commander Submarine Squadron Seven and Commanding Officer of USS Tautog.

Olgoonik/Fairweather, LLC, in conjunction with a team of scientists from the University of Alaska Fairbanks, the University of Texas at Austin, the Florida Institute of Technology, Battelle Memorial Institute and Kinnetic Laboratories, Inc., has been awarded the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) contract to continue environmental monitoring research in the Beaufort Sea. The project is titled Arctic Nearshore Impact Monitoring in the Development Area (ANIMIDA III). ANIMIDA…

Bluefin Robotics, a provider of Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs), announced that it has acquired SeeByte, Ltd., a provider of autonomous platform software that enhances the user experience and the capabilities of underwater sensors, vehicles and systems. SeeByte, headquartered in Edinburgh, Scotland, will operate as a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bluefin. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Bluefin is owned by Battelle, an independent science and technology organization committed to solving some of the world's toughest challenges in national security…

Five-year contract provides environmental expertise for maintaining the nation's waterways. Battelle has won a five-year, $15 million contract to support and consult with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), New England District, North Atlantic Division.Battelle will provide technical expertise in support of the District's mission for maintaining the nation's waterways, specifically focusing on contaminated sediments, restoration, and remediation. The indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for USACE also calls for Battelle to support environmental assessments and policy decisions and help with resource management in the North Atlantic Division.

Governor Chris Gregoire announced the designation of 11 Innovation Partnership Zones in Washington, geographic areas that will promote and develop the state’s regional economies. Innovation Partnership Zones build on the success around the world of “research parks,” such as the Research Triangle in North Carolina and Torrey Pines in California and bring together research and higher education opportunities, innovation and economic activity to be a strong engine for regional economies. “Washington is home to some of the greatest innovations in the world and I am excited to support the continued success of our state’s world-class companies,” said Governor Gregoire.

Industry Weekly reported that in 2006, R&D funding should hit $329 billion, up from $320 billon in 2005, according to Columbus, Ohio-based Battelle-R&D Magazine's annual forecast. Industrial expenditures are expected to reach $211.9 billion in 2006, an increase of 3.5% over the $204.8 expended in 2005. A trend of note is the difference between how much industrial support will increase and how it is distributed between domestic and foreign performers. Major increases in the funding of offshore R&D performance, coupled with the expansion of offshore facilities, will have an impact on the U.S. R&D enterprise. While earlier data showed a…