Photo above: Chairman of the Board Bruce Rosenblatt, Professor John C. Daidola, and SNAME President Martin Toyen.

On October 23, 2017, Webb Institute Professor of Structural Engineering, Professor John C. Daidola, P.E., received The David W. Taylor Medal at this year’s SNAME Maritime Convention in Houston, Texas.

The David W. Taylor Medal is the highest award SNAME confers. The award is named after the man who built the first experimental towing tank in the United States, recognizes contributions to the development of future maritime systems through the creation of technology based on research. Professor Daidola was selected for this year’s medal for his notable achievements in naval architecture and marine engineering.

In addition to receiving the David W. Taylor Medal, Professor Daidola presented a paper at the convention on pontoon boat instability in waves. In his paper, Dr. Daidola investigates the stability of pontoon boats running in waves utilizing a quasi-static analysis considering the conditions for stable equilibrium and the limits where instability can be expected.

The variables include the wave environment as well as the principal characteristics of the vessels themselves. The procedure identifies limiting conditions as well as providing a basis for developing vessel proportions appropriate for expected wave conditions. The procedure is applied to several vessel design conditions. The results of this study should be useful in considering both the design of these vessel types as well as identifying limitations for their application.

About Professor John C. Daidola, PhD, P.E:

Dr. John C. Daidola, P.E. is a graduate of University of Michigan and Stevens Institute in naval architecture and marine engineering. He has authored over 80 publications on a variety of subjects of interest to the industry. Dr. Daidola is a licensed engineer, currently registered in eight states. He has been employed by Newport News Shipbuilding, the naval architecture and marine engineering firms of M. Rosenblatt & Sons, Inc., and successors as well as John J. McMullen Associates, and as an Adjunct Professor at Stevens Institute and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Currently, Dr. Daidola is an Assistant Professor of Structural Engineering at Webb Institute and the President of his own naval architecture and marine engineering firm, AENY. He is a Fellow of SNAME and has been active in the organization, including as its first Vice President Technical.

*Photos courtesy of SNAME