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Impact of the NNRNE program on ocean engineering education Abstract

National Naval Responsibility for Naval Engineers (NNRNE) program was established by the Office of Naval Research in 2001 to help ensure the future US capability to develop creative and innovative ship designers and designs to effectively meet defense needs and commercial market opportunities. It was also recognized that the universities need to sustain an adequate research expertise, through working on long-term problems of importance to the Navy, so that an adequate pipeline of new researchers, engineers, and faculty exists to meet these anticipated future needs and opportunities. The program led to the formation of several university consortia for participation in the program.

The focus of the Florida Atlantic University NNRNE Consortium was chosen to be hull design and shipboard automation for future ‘mission effective’ Navy support ships that would be categorized as fast, responsive and automated. Principal thrust of the program has been education and training of students who will make up the next generation of ocean engineers and foster the development of novel uninhibited ideas. Over the duration of the program, ship systems specific to development of the SeaBasing concept and associated technologies were considered. The emphasized areas have been (1) seakeeping, (2) dynamic stability, (3) drag reduction and propulsion, and (4) shipboard automation and control. The goal of the program is the development of conceptual designs of mission effective ships and onboard systems involving minimal manning and optimized for operation in high seas in conjunction with education and training of undergraduate and graduate students in naval engineering. The specific technical objectives of the effort were identified as: (i) development of innovative design of ships and mission effect surface crafts, (ii) development of design algorithms for hydrodynamic analysis and dynamic control systems, (iii) predictive tools for propulsion, and (iv) the development of on-line and web-based tools for research and education.

The FAU consortium has included UC Berkeley, who have been developing prediction tools for the hydrodynamic performance of different hull forms, and UT Austin, who have developed predictive tools for the design and matching of propulsion systems. FAU maintains close collaboration with the Center for Innovative Ship Design, NSWC-CD (CISD) in directing senior student design projects and through internship participation.

The education and training activities associated with the program, specific to ship design and naval engineering, has involved (i) assignment of pertinent senior design projects requiring designing, building and testing of ship systems, (ii) summer internships at CISD and related industry that provide practical training and motivation in support of the NNRNE program, (iii) graduate courses, theses and dissertations, (iv) program enhancements, (v) outreach to high school and undergraduate students, (vi) career placement upon graduation. These activities are conducted in collaboration with CISD personnel. The 10-week summer internships at CISD really motivate students in the program. The impact of these activities on ocean engineering education is assessed. At FAU, 23% of graduates participating ocean engineering graduates over three years took up careers in Navy laboratories and ship related marine industry. Overall, 17% of all students interning at CISD over five years took up jobs at Navy laboratories.

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Dhanak, M., & Yeung, R., & Kinnas, S. (2009, June), Impact Of The Nnrne Program On Ocean Engineering Education Paper presented at 2009 Annual Conference & Exposition, Austin, Texas. 10.18260/1-2--5830