Webb Appoints New Director of Research

November 4, 2016

RoyceWebb is proud to announce that Dr. Richard A. Royce, Webb’s James J. Henry Professor of Naval Architecture, has been appointed as Director of Research at Webb.

During the upcoming months, Prof. Royce will work with faculty and the Board of Trustees to develop a plan to facilitate more research on campus.

“I’m both honored and excited to help bring research back to Webb,” explains Prof. Royce, “We intend to pursue both private and governmental funding opportunities. This effort will enable our faculty to participate in current research projects and present their work at prestigious conferences. But most importantly, this effort will provide opportunities for our students to work on research that is relevant to the U.S. Navy and private industry.”

“Prof. Royce was an excellent choice for this position due to his extensive research in naval architecture and marine engineering both on and off campus,” said Dean Neilson.  “The level of research he brings on campus enriches the students’ learning experience greatly, and by re-establishing a research function here, we can expand the faculty providing additional breadth of expertise.”

Since 2011, Prof. Royce has overseen an Office of Naval Research (ONR) grant that provided Webb the funding necessary to significantly upgrade our testing facilities. Some of the more significant upgrades include:

  • New 8 paddle wave-maker
  • Under-water viewing window
  • New circulating water channel
  • Particle image velocimetry system
  • Exhaust gas analyzer
  • Dual-fuel conversion for Detroit Diesel Series 60
  • New Instron material and structural test equipment
  • Ultra-high definition 3D printer
  • Power conditioning and UPS for Robinson Model Basin

Through ONR, Prof. Royce received additional research funding for Webb through the Atlantic Center for Innovative Design and Control of Small Ships (ACCeSS) consortium. This consortium includes academic institutions and industry partners with the goal to support research related to unmanned surface vessels, trimaran performance, and educational exchange.  Through this consortium, Prof. Royce has performed research at University College London (UCL) and participated on PhD dissertations at Stevens Institute along with guiding Webb students in their ACCeSS related research since 2004.

Stay tuned for news on upcoming projects from our new Research Department. 

royce images

Prof. Royce with students in the Hydraulics Lab.