PROFESSOR SOUPIOS RETIRING FROM WEBB
Late last semester Professor Michael Soupios announced that he would retire from Webb, effective as of the end of the fall semester. His teaching the freshman Introduction to Political Philosophy and the junior Development of American Government courses has been fundamental to the Humanities program at Webb for twenty-three years. No one who had him for these courses can forget his incredible breadth of knowledge, his clear and effective explanation of material—and his meeting classes in the Cuneo Courtyard or on the lawn behind Stevenson Taylor Hall.
Please enjoy his farewell Zeien Lecture that was presented to the Webb Community on March 18th, 2021:
ABOUT PROFESSOR SOUPIOS
Professor Soupios, Professor of Political Science at LIU, C. W. Post Campus, came to Webb as an adjunct professor in the spring of 1997 at which time he, remarkably, had four master’s degrees and three doctorates; in the time he has been at Webb, he completed yet another doctorate. During his “spare” time he has also managed to publish five books and numerous articles on ancient Greek thought and European political theory. On another note, students who have visited his home have seen his impressive copies of ancient Greek statues and, of course, his Galápagos Island tortoises.
Professor Soupios no longer runs 100-mile marathons, but he is now engaged in some serious mountain climbing. In 2019 he reached over 18,000 feet on Mount Everest; in 2020 he climbed to the top of Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest mountain in Africa; and in January this year, he climbed six mountains in the Andes, including Mount Ojos del Salado in Chile. His next scheduled climbs are Mount Maunakea in Hawaii this spring and Mount Fuji in Japan this summer.
Professor Soupios’ colleagues, former students, and the Webb family thank him for twenty-three years of teaching excellence at Webb Institute and wish him all the best in his further adventures.
If You Can Design a Ship, You Can Record an Album
By Luke Herbermann ’21
When I came to Webb in the fall of 2017, I knew I would love my major and meet some great friends. I did not know that, in addition, I would find the time to record and produce my first musical album titled Take N One.
The story of the album begins before Webb, in my home state of Rhode Island. I started writing music in high school and formed a band with two friends. They were able to help me write supplemental parts to the songs I had already written for me and my guitar. Together we learned how to use proper equipment to record and produce music entirely by ourselves.
When I got to Webb, I thought I would have to put music on the back burner for a while. There is no doubt it was always second to academics, but it was not until recently when I looked back on my time at Webb that I realized how few sacrifices I was forced to make. Webb offered me convenient, yet formal, musical outlets with groups like the WooFS (Webb Family Singers) and the Webb jazz band. For our humanities elective, some of my classmates and I chose to take a music composition elective. It was in this course where I composed a “Study in Em,” the opening track to my album. In the fall of my sophomore year, I went abroad to the University of Southampton. While in England, I audited a class in songwriting and joined several music clubs to become a more polished guitar player. While doing my sea term aboard the M/V Yorktown Express, I recorded the ominous sound of crashing waves on the ship. This would be another track on my album.
Out of all of the places Webb has taken me to, the most important musical space for me has been the Webb auditorium. The auditorium is where I spend time writing music and reflecting on days both difficult and joyous. Webb has become embedded in my life and consequently in my music as well. In the fall of 2020, I managed to find a few spare minutes to set up equipment and focus on finishing recording some tunes. What ensued is a modest album that I am very proud of.
Listen to the album here:
A Message from President Michel to the Webb Family
Like so many of you, I am shocked and shaken by the horrific events that occurred in our nation’s capital on January 6th. It seems unfathomable — that a mob of U.S. citizens, incited by our own President, could desecrate the Capitol building with the intent of negating a legitimate election and thwarting the peaceful transition of power. Furthermore, the racist motives underpinning this attack on our democracy are egregious and disheartening.
We can take solace in the coming together of our Senators and Congressmen, demonstrated by their perseverance and resilience that evening as the electoral votes were counted and President-elect Biden’s election confirmed. Our Founding Fathers reminded us that a democracy is not an entitlement, that it is difficult to establish and easily lost. We have witnessed the fragility of our democracy this past week and now must work together in the continuous process of creating a “more perfect union”.
As educators, we have a responsibility to instill in our students the notion that democratic processes are the proper means for resolving differences. We have a duty to provide students with the experiences needed to become effective advocates for positive change and thereby stewards of our democracy. Our free society depends on these efforts.
These times are challenging but the future remains bright. Webb has long fostered a culture of respect and care for others. Let’s build upon these attributes and continue to make a difference.
With my best wishes,
R. Keith Michel
President, Webb Institute
Long Island-based Robert D.L. Gardiner Foundation partners with Webb Institute to enhance campus-wide access for disabled persons
Photo caption: Webb’s idyllic campus, with the Couch Academic Center in the foreground and Stevenson Taylor Hall in the background
Glen Cove, NY – On November 20, 2020, the Robert David Lion Gardiner (RDLG) Foundation awarded Webb Institute a $299,250 grant to support the construction and installation of an ADA compliant elevator in Webb’s flagship building, Stevenson Taylor Hall (STH, formerly a Pratt family vacation retreat), and an ADA compliant vertical platform lift linking the college’s newly constructed Couch Academic Center (CAC) to the historic STH. This grant was provided as a 1:1 match, whereby Webb Institute is responsible for the remaining funds to complete the project. Construction is scheduled to be completed by March 1, 2021.
Webb Institute is a small, top-ranked undergraduate engineering college located in Glen Cove, New York. Webb provides a full-tuition scholarship for all its students for all four years as they earn a BS degree in naval architecture and marine engineering. While the full-tuition scholarship assists students tremendously in affording a Webb education, many students and their families are challenged to pay for room and board and other expenses. This unmet need has been typically covered through student and parent loans. The RDLG Foundation previously (2018) provided Webb with a generous grant, that when combined with Webb’s existing scholarships, enabled Webb to meet the demonstrated financial need of all current and incoming Webb students. This successful scholarship program removed barriers of entry to Webb for underrepresented minority students and diversified Webb’s student body. Through this partnership, Webb also joined a list of approximately 70 colleges and universities in the United States that meet full demonstrated need.
“We are thrilled to extend our partnership with the Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation through this important infrastructure enhancement,” said Webb President R. Keith Michel. “While both the Couch Academic Center and Stevenson Taylor Hall (STH) can be accessed from outside entrances separately, the current layout did not present a path for persons with disabilities to seamlessly maneuver between the college’s main buildings, and STH lacked an ADA compliant elevator. Thanks to our partnership with the RDLG Foundation and the vision of Webb’s Board of Trustees, we will enhance connectivity and seamless passage through two key buildings on Webb’s campus while we preserve the historical character of the Pratt mansion.
About Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation:
The Robert David Lion Gardiner Foundation, established in 1987 primarily supports the study of New York State history, with an emphasis on Suffolk County. Robert David Lion Gardiner was, until his death in August 2004, the 16th Lord of the Manor of Gardiner’s Island. The Gardiner Family and their descendants have owned Gardiner’s Island since 1639, obtained as part of a royal grant from King Charles I of England. The Foundation is inspired by Robert David Lion Gardiner’s personal passion for New York history.
About Webb Institute:
Founded in 1889 by New York-based ship builder William H. Webb, Webb Institute is a top-ranked undergraduate institution specializing in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. Webb is the only full-tuition scholarship, private undergraduate program of its kind in the United States, with a maximum of 28 students being accepted into the program each year. Webb Institute’s beautiful, waterfront campus is located in Glen Cove, NY, on the North Shore of Long Island.
For additional information regarding this partnership, contact:
Anthony R. Zic
Director of Development
ude.bbew@ciza
516-641-6372
For general media inquiries, contact:
Kerri Allegretta
Director of Communications
ude.bbew@attergellak
516-403-5392
###
Webbies Preserving the Past: Steamship Restoration Project
by Ian Cosic ’21
On November 19, Webb seniors Ian Cosic and Cross Weeks had the unique opportunity to conduct an inclining experiment aboard the USCG Lilac. Constructed in 1933, the Lilac is the last steam-powered lighthouse tender in the United States. For the last 17 years, she has been maintained and exhibited to the public as a museum ship by the Lilac Preservation Project, a group of dedicated volunteers working to restore the vessel and preserve her rich history.
The experiment, conducted as part of their senior thesis, consisted of a calculated series of weight shifts across the deck of the vessel to induce an angle of heel. This was then measured with three different pendulums. Before the actual shifting of the weights, Ian and Cross explored every space on the Lilac to catalogue the weight and center of gravity of every moveable object aboard the vessel. Using the data from the experiment, the students will be able to determine the vessel’s current vertical center of gravity and assess her intact stability. They hope to assist the vessel’s owners in developing a plan to modify the Lilac for eventually carrying passengers. Their thesis advisor, Professor Bradley D.M. Golden ’99, was present to assist and to provide guidance on the experiments.
Winter Work Term 2021
During Winter Work term, our students spread out across the globe to gain real-life working experience.
Freshmen work alongside ship fitters and welders in shipyards. Sophomores serve as student observers aboard ocean-going ships to gain hands-on understanding and appreciation for the relationships between the marine environment, the shipping industry, the ship’s operators, and the ship’s design. Juniors and seniors network and apply themselves in design and engineering offices around the world.
Many thanks to the Webb alumni who reached out and offered jobs for Webb’s upcoming Winter Work Term. The upperclassmen were able to secure either remote or on site work, and all of the freshmen were placed in shipyards. The sophomores will not be sailing until the summer of 2021, but a good number of them were able to find work this winter in the maritime community. Thank you Jake Genauer ’10 and Vicky Dlugokecki ’88 for all your efforts.
See where our Webbies are this Winter Work Term!
Winter Work Blogs:
Stuck in San Diego: COVID Edition ’21
The following blog describes the not-so-spontaneous adventures and learning experiences of Dillon Esposito-Kelley ’21, Daniel Desio ’21, and Ioana Mirica ’22 while they intern at General Dynamics NASSCO in the winter of 2021.
Follow Jacob Dillistin ’23, Luke Kiely ’22, and Nathaniel Philips ’23 as they set out overseas to spend their Winter Work term at Metal Shark in Croatia.
This blog documents the experience of eight freshmen who will be working in two shipyards, Marine Group and General Dynamics NASSCO, in San Diego. Kohta Erdos, Kadi Zheng, Margo Bourn, Miguel Sanchez, Zach Doerr, and AJ Mills will be working at NASSCO, assigned to different departments. Tim Lazouski and Payne Donaldson are interning at Marine Group, a smaller shipyard that focuses on vessel repair.
Read about Alex Koziol ’21, Ben Hunt ’21, and Juliette Lehman’s ’22 Winter Work Term in Seattle, Washington. Ben and Alex will be working in the marine engineering and marine construction departments at Glosten, a marine consulting firm. Juliette will be working at Elliott Bay Design Group, which specializes in marine transportation.
Winter Work Term Companies:
Class of 2021
| BMT Designers & Planners, Inc. | Arlington, VA |
| Boksa Marine Design | Tampa, FL |
| Bruce S. Rosenblatt & Associates LLC | Newport News, VA |
| Colonna’s Shipyard | Norfolk, VA |
| Eagle Bulk Shipping | Stamford, CT |
| Excelerate Energy | The Woodlands, TX |
| GD NASSCO | San Diego, CA |
| Gilbert & Associates | Lenox, MA |
| Glosten | Seattle, WA |
| Herbert Engineering | Alameda, CA |
| HII Newport News Shipbuilding | Newport News, VA |
| Hinckley Yachts | Portsmouth, RI |
| International Seaways, Inc. | New York, NY |
| Martin Defense Group | Honolulu, HI |
| Northstar Midstream | Houston, TX |
| Oceaneering International, Inc. | Hanover, MD |
| University of Maine | Orono, ME |
| Vigor | Seattle, WA |
Class of 2022
| American Bureau of Shipping | Houston, TX |
| Aurora Marine Design | San Diego, CA |
| Bristol Harbor Group | Bristol, RI |
| DLBA Naval Architects | Chesapeake, VA |
| Elliott Bay Design Group | Seattle, WA |
| GD NASSCO | San Diego, CA |
| Gibbs & Cox | Arlington, VA |
| Great Lakes Shipyard | Cleveland, OH |
| Gulf Marine Repair | Tampa, FL |
| Hockema Whalen Myers Associates | Seattle, WA |
| Hydrocomp, Inc. | Durham, NH |
| Mercury Marine | Fond Du Loc, WI |
| Metal Shark Boats | Jeanerette, LA |
| Metal Shark Boats | Rijeka, Croatia |
| Murray and Associates, Inc. | Fort Lauderdale, FL |
| Northstar Midstream | Houston, TX |
| SERCO | Arlington, VA |
| Stolt-Nielsen Limited | Houston, TX |
| ThayerMahan | Mystic, CT |
| Universite de Pau et Pays d’Atours | Anglet, France |
| U.S. Marine Inc. | Gulfport, MS |
Class of 2023
| Aurora Marine Design | San Diego, CA |
| Bruce S. Rosenblatt & Associates LLC | Newport News, VA |
| Bruce S. Rosenblatt & Associates LLC | Newport News, VA |
| Global Secure Shipping | Old Town, ME |
| Matson | San Francisco, CA |
| Metal Shark Boats | Rijeka, Croatia |
| NEEC | Glen Cove, NY |
| NETSCo | Tampa, Florida |
| Persak & Wurmfeld | Brooklyn, NY |
| Quantum Marine Stabilizers | Ft. Lauderdale, FL |
| Shipwright LLC | Ft. Lauderdale, FL |
Class of 2024
| Austal, USA | Mobile, AL |
| Brookin Boatyard | Brooklin, ME |
| Caddells Shipyard | Staten Island, NY |
| Colonna’s Shipyard | Norfolk VA |
| GD NASSCO | San Diego, CA |
| Gulf Island Shipyard | Houma, LA |
| M. Rybovich & Sons | Palm Beach Gardens, FL |
| Marine Group Boatworks | San Diego, CA |
| Metal Shark Boats | Jeanerette, LA |
| Safe Harbor New England Boatworks | Portsmouth, RI |
| St. Johns Shipbuilding | Palatka, FL |
| Steigercraft | Bellport, NY |
| U.S. Marine, Inc. | Gulfport, MS |
The Class of 2021 Thesis Titles and Posters
In no particular order.
The Effect of Shape Change on the Added Mass Generated by an Axisymmetric Body
Jack Becker and Maggie Maguire
Added mass is the added inertia produced in a system when an accelerating body displaces the surrounding fluid particles as it moves through the fluid. In general, to achieve the added mass effect, the fluid or the object must accelerate, or the object must change shape. Cephalopods, such as octopi, can quickly and efficiently escape predators by expelling water through a cavity. This expulsion of water changes the shape of the body; moreover, it allows the creature to recover some of the generated added mass energy otherwise lost to the flow. The objective of this thesis is to analyze how shape change affects the added mass generated by an axisymmetric, deformable body to understand the performance capabilities of cephalopods.
An Investigation of Transom Stern Flow: An Evaluation of the Impact of Transom Radius
Alec Bidwell and Oscar Como
In the small-craft industry, a commonplace design standard has been to emphasize making the trailing edge of the running surface as fine and as hard-edged as possible. While it is time and cost intensive to laminate hulls with hard-edged running surfaces, it is understood that this characteristic greatly improves the handling of the vessel. On the contrary, rounding the trailing edge of the running surface has been understood to reduce performance characteristics of small-craft planing hulls. While these design characteristics are relatively known and understood within the industry, there has been no systematic testing on the topic. Additionally, the relationship between the transom radius and vessel performance has not been investigated in the context of larger, commercial vessels. We will be conducting a systematic series of experimental testing that will look at three different transom edge conditions in the application of a transom stern vessel. The three transoms include one with a 3/16” radius, one with a 1/8” radius, and finally one with a straight-edged transom. The stern wave profile and ventilation Froude Number will be determined for each transom plate, so that the effects of the various transom edge configurations can be accurately compared.
USCG LILAC Renovation: Developing a Plan to Carry Passengers on a Historic Lighthouse Tender
Ian Cosic and Cross Weeks
The USCG LILAC is a steam-powered lighthouse tender built in 1933. She is currently under the ownership of the LILAC Preservation Project which has shown interest in returning this historic vessel to service, utilizing her original equipment, to carry paying passengers on day trips up and down the east coast. Our task is to evaluate the vessel’s current intact and damaged stability and make recommendations on the least intrusive means of bringing her up to modern passenger vessel requirements for stability. This process will involve a full inclining experiment to be conducted on the LILAC. We will also evaluate the potential updates to the structure, firefighting, and lifesaving systems on board the vessel.
Airport Ferries: Feasibility Study and Concept Design of a New York Airport Ferry
Daniel Desio and Lina Tenenbaum
As a hub of commerce and traffic in the United States, the New York metropolitan area sees a large population that commutes in and out of the city. Timely and inexpensive transportation to airports is a necessity for commuters, and in New York City and the tri-state area, the travel to airports such as John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia, and Newark can be long and tedious. At the same time, the US market has become more favorable to ferry transportation. Given the higher demand for ferry transportation and the overall inefficiency of airport transportation, New York City could benefit from the inclusion of a streamlined and direct ferry service to the airports. Furthermore, our design can potentially incorporate onboard check-in and security before reaching the airport, which would provide timesaving benefits. This thesis will determine whether a ferry from New York City to one or more of the region’s airports is viable, both in terms of its cost and its timesaving capabilities. The results of the feasibility study will become requirements for a concept design.
Simulated Optimization and Feasibility of a Thermoacoustic Engine in the Marine Environment
Dillon Esposito-Kelly and Bret Sharman
Energy recovery systems have been attracting more and more attention over the past couple of decades. As technology has advanced, different methods, have been thrust into the spotlight. However, in recent years, focus has begun to shift towards the ecological footprint that these systems leave. With this focus in mind, a push towards a clean alternative of waste heat recovery has been in the forefront of future innovation. Thermoacoustic systems are one such method to achieve an environmental waste heat recovery system. We will be developing a computer-simulated thermoacoustic engine that will be applied to shipboard use to measure the efficiencies and compare the thermoacoustic engine with other waste-heat recovery systems.
The Design and Validation of the Equations of Motion of a Point-Wave Energy Converter Buoy
Ryan Flanagan and Inga Johansson
The demand for energy has been steadily increasing as global trade and the economy grow. Global interest in alternative methods of generating energy has been exponential in the 21st century. The next form of alternative energy generation to gain traction, as is apparent by the prototypes being launched in the United States today, are wave energy converters (WEC). According to the US Energy Information Administration, the approximate upper limit of energy potential in wave energy in our waters is 2.64 trillion kW-hr. The principal objective of this thesis is to validate the methodology developed in the thesis titled An Improved Methodology for PWEC Control System Design (Danilczyk and Petersen, 2007) This will be done by building and testing a linearly scaled buoy model in the Robinson Model Basin, using the wavemakers.
Design and Testing of Navigation Software for a Small Autonomous Surface Vessel
Max Haland
Autonomous Surface Vessels (ASVs) conduct missions with little to no direct human guidance. This is currently a very important field of development in naval architecture and marine engineering and will completely change the industry over the next several decades. One particular area of focus is the development of surveying and data-collecting ASVs. Small ASVs are ideally suited for many missions of this type. Using them can lead to huge reductions in cost and staffing, and swarms of ASVs coordinated by a staffed mothership are currently being developed and tested by several different groups. Webb Institute has a very small ASV built by Isaac Kremers for his 2017 thesis. So far, the Webb ASV has not been developed sufficiently to use as equipment for other theses. The objective of this thesis is to develop navigation software for the Webb ASV so that it can be used for future theses.
The Viability of Compressed Natural Gas as Fuel: The Installation and Emissions Testing of a Dual-Fuel System for an Electronically-Timed High-Speed Diesel
Sean Healy and Luke Herbermann
In recent years, strict emissions regulations have created a challenge for the shipping industry. One of the ways to help ships abide by these regulations is to convert an existing engine to run on dual fuel. Running on dual fuel in our case means running on a mixture of about 30% diesel and 70% compressed natural gas. Our thesis is a continuation of several theses that attempted to convert an existing diesel engine to run on dual-fuel. The objective of this thesis is to use this engine and run emissions testing on it to see how well the dual-fuel system works.
Metaheuristic Algorithms in Concept Design: Optimization of Marine Electrical Systems
Ben Hunt and Alex Koziol
Ship designers have long used experience and standards to guide their solutions to problems. Automation and modern optimization software, despite their limited exposure in the maritime industry, could significantly reduce this effort, as well as help designers make trade-offs between new technologies. We are developing software that will transform an Electrical Plant Load Analysis table into a fully-defined One-Line Diagram with distribution components. From this base, algorithms are developed to optimize system layout and power production techniques for fuel use and emissions with respect to various operating conditions. This design tool will prove valuable for the Concept Phase of ship design, allowing engineers to draft and evaluate options quickly and easily.
Ride the Wind: A Seakeeping Study of the Gyroscopic Effect of the Wind Turbine Rotor on a Moored Tension Leg Platform
Jackson Juska and Addie Lindyberg
A Tension Leg Platform is a floating platform that provides stability using tensioned tendons anchored to the ocean floor. Offshore wind turbines use these because they are considered very stable; however, the gyroscopic effect of the turbine rotor introduces a new inertial element on the platform, which is not yet fully understood. The objective of this thesis is to study the inertial effect that the rotating blades of a wind turbine will have on the motion of a Tension Leg Platform in incident waves. To do this, we will design, build, moor, and test a turbine in the Robinson Model Basin.
A Preliminary Design of a Navy Hospital Ship to Include Epidemic/Pandemic Rapid Response
Shannon Liu
In the fight against COVID-19, the US government employed as many techniques as possible, including the deployment of the Navy’s two hospital ships to each coast. These ships were designed decades ago to provide tactical medical support, but since have been used more often for humanitarian aid and disaster response missions. The Navy has been working on replacements for these vessels, and such a design should reflect the new types of missions that Navy hospital ships have been completing. This thesis will include a design that supports rapid response for infectious disease control and treatment.
An Experimental Analysis of the Effect of Moonpool Recess Geometry on Added Resistance
Robert Maes and Henry Rouland
Moonpools are openings in ship structures that provide access to water from inside the ship. Added resistance from a moonpool is generated when a ship has forward velocity. In 2012, Samsung Heavy Industries (SHI) received a patent describing four different geometries for aft moonpool recesses designed to reduce the added resistance in a 96,000 DWT deep-water drillship. In 2019, Will Harris used a series of numerical simulations on a Series 60 hull fitted with a moonpool to derive values for the resistance reduction of each SHI moonpool geometry over a range of Froude Numbers. The objectives of this thesis are to investigate the effects of moonpool recess geometry on added resistance and to validate Harris’s analyses. Using Harris’s test matrix, experimental values for the resistance reduction will be derived through model testing in Robinson Model Basin. In addition to providing experimental data, the results of the experiments will be compared to Harris’s numerical results, providing insight into relationships between numerical and experimental evaluations of moonpool resistance and behavior.
Big Winners and High Rollers at Casino Night
by Reed Stevenson ‘24
The 2020 Webb Institute Casino Night was filled with big winners and high rollers. Despite the restrictions in place due to COVID-19, the Student Social Committee (SOCO) was able to once again turn Stevenson Taylor Hall into a roaring casino, filled with plenty of games. Many students made thousands off their original 500 Webb bucks, a currency inspired by our wonderful faculty members, in games such as blackjack, poker, horse racing, roulette, and Plinko.
The evening made its way outside to the Webb tennis courts where the annual three-person horse race took place. Each class put forth a team to hopefully take home first place. With all bettings closed, the horse race began. Immediately out of the gate, the sophomore class took the lead, followed shortly by the juniors and seniors with the freshmen bringing up the rear. Each team but the sophomores had troubles keeping their horses intact, allowing for the sophomores to keep up their lead. They ended up blowing away the competition with the seniors coming in a distant second and the freshmen not far behind them. The juniors stumbled across the finish line well after the other teams had finished.
The next event was run by the seniors, where they attached a spring and handle to an oil drum to create a makeshift mechanical bull. Many tried and were flung away by the bucking oil drum. Luke Sullivan ‘23 used a unique tactic of holding on to the rear of the “bull” to secure the longest time.
The next event of the night was the arm-wrestling competition. Many competitors lined up to show off their physical prowess and prove their might in the tournament. David Ockers ‘22 secured the title of Webb arm-wrestling champion in a stunning display of strength.
Overall, casino night was a great success. Many students were able to win big and spend their winnings on the silent auction held throughout the night which would not have been possible without SOCO.
Setting a New Fundraising Record!
by Jake M. Neuman ’93
Chairman of the Webb Alumni Fund
This year’s Webb Alumni Fund (WAF) total of $2,588,845 raised surpassed our previous record giving of $2,561,658 in 2019-20, the final year of the Campaign for Webb. We achieved 70.3% participation, after some strong outreach at the bitter end. We accomplished this unprecedented giving level despite a strong headwind—the ExxonMobil Foundation ended their matching program which provided approximately $190,000 in WAF 2018-19. Well done Webb alumni! A special thank you to Exxon/Mobil employees who contributed above and beyond their usual contribution levels to maximize the final year of the ExxonMobil Foundation match.
We, as an alumni body, have to encourage our classmates, colleagues and fellow alumni to contribute annually, and keep up our nation-leading, “eye popping” participation rates, so that other foundations, corporations and other philanthropists are inspired to make similar investments in Webb. Keeping our participation at 70% in recent years has been very challenging.
Class Agents demonstrated their dedication by participation in the 2024 Class Agent Forum, which took place during Webb’s Homecoming Weekend. 27 Class Agents joined in person or via Zoom on Friday, May 17th & Saturday, May 18th. Several topics were covered, including Class Agent outreach that worked well, and identifying ways to customize communications where a “one-size approach does not fit all.” After all, Webb has approximately 1,100 alumni who are diverse in age and geographic location. One point of focus was the “Week for Webb” giving concept that is supported by many and has growing support.
A huge thanks to the Class Agents and the Development Office for their time and efforts dedicated to the Webb Alumni Fund; students for their outreach during the thank-a-thon and phone-a-thon; and spouses and honorary alumni. The success of the WAF truly is a team effort, thank you!
In 2024-2025, our WAF goals are to collectively contribute $2,500,000 from 71% of alumni. This is an achievable goal given that our all-time highs—an average gift of $2,587 and 76.4% participation—were both recorded during the past 10 years. Meeting these goals will mean that we not only commit by making a gift, but also inspire fellow alumni to give.
Some of the key ingredients that helped to make the WAF 2023-24 a success were special class/reunion fundraising initiatives including:
- Class of ′23: all but one senior participated by contributing room security deposits to assist relocation of the laundry room into the STH blue room
- Class of ′63: (two-year project): has secured $30,030 to in restricted gifts for the establishment of a room and board scholarship fund
- Class of ′73: (two-year project): Over $151,000 has been received by Webb to date; renovations are targeted for Summer 2025
- Class of ′74: led by Class Agent Steve Judson, raised $25,740 to sponsor the recently completed Art Preservation Project
You can have a big impact on the future of our fundraising success by:
Maximizing your current giving levels – The WAF average gift is $3,136 and the median gift is $1,000. Maybe these are goals you can strive for or comfortably exceed, depending on your circumstances. Are you giving “a Week for Webb?” If you already are, would you consider increasing your gift?
Giving EARLIER in the giving year – Too many alumni wait until the end of the giving year, creating significant peak work for Class Agents, the Development staff and myself. Consider giving by or before Webb Giving Day (Homecoming). This will streamline our workload AND we can raise more money by focusing on alumni that either don’t give regularly or have not yet given at all.
Serving as an ambassador for the WAF and Webb – Help your fellow Class Agents by encouraging classmates to maximize their giving, and to give as early in the giving year as possible. Sharing your giving strategies (monthly giving, gifts of stock, gifts leveraging donor advised funds, charitable distributions from your IRA, etc.) may inspire a new gift or new giving levels from your peers!
For the PDF File, Click Here | Did You Know?
For the PDF file click here | 2023-24 Webb Alumni Fund Class Giving Summary P.1 
For the PDF file click here| 2023-24 Webb Alumni Fund Class Giving Summary P.2
Four Webb Students win the Dr. James A. Lisnyk Student Ship Design Competition
(Pictured left to right: Benjamin Hunt, Oscar Como, Luke Herbermann, Alec Bidwell, and Professor Bradley D.M. Golden ’99)
By Professor Bradley D.M. Golden ’99
It is our pleasure to announce that Alec Bidwell, Oscar Como, Luke Herbermann, and Benjamin Hunt have won first place in this year’s SNAME Dr. James A. Lisnyk Student Ship Design Competition for their design of an LNG Bunkering Vessel. The vessel was originally designed for last semester’s SD1 course and, with only a few minor additions to their analysis, they were able to submit the same design for the Lisnyk competition.
A challenging enough project during a “regular” semester, all six groups successfully completed their designs while scattered across the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and all of them did very well. Alec, Oscar, Luke, and Ben went above and beyond and put in the extra effort that was required to meet the demands for the SNAME competition, and I’m very happy to see that all their hard work paid off.
According to the SNAME website, “The Lisnyk Student Ship Design Competition challenges groups of young people to design theoretical but practical cutting-edge vessels. Open to the world’s colleges and universities supporting maritime careers, the program has fostered teamwork and learning through competition.”
Dean Werner would like to add, “Congratulations to the Team, Professor Golden, and the industry advisors. The design and its presentation were very well done and quite worthy of the honor. It is always rewarding when outside groups recognize the excellent work of our talented Webb students. I hope that members of this year’s junior class see this as inspiration to enter their SD1 designs in one of the various design competitions available.”
To make this award even more special, Dr. Linsnyk was a Webb graduate from the class of 1963.
4,200 M3 LNG Bunkering Vessel
About Dr. James Lisnyk ’63 (Portions from “A Centennial History of Webb Institute of Naval Architecture”)
Born in Jamaica, New York Dr. Lisnyk was a graduate of Webb Institute of Naval Architecture. Attended MIT as SNAME Scholar receiving a MS in Naval Architecture in 1964 and joined BuShips. He earned a D.Sc. degree in Engineering Management from George Washington University in 1977. Then transferred to MARAD as Program Manager for Advanced Ship Systems then becoming Acting Director, Office of Maritime Technology in MARAD’s Office of Research and Development. Authored numerous technical papers for ASNE and SNAME; served on SNAME and ASNE governing boards; was Chairman of SNAME’s Chesapeake Section and VP of that Society. Elected VP of the Webb Alumni Association. Returned to NAVSEA in 1980, as Chief Naval Architect and Deputy Director, Hull Division. Awards include, the Department of Commerce Bronze Medal and SNAME Spring Meeting Paper Award 1979. Dr. Lisnyk was honored posthumously by having an ASME scholarship named in his memory; the Chesapeake Sect. Established the James A. Linsyk Student Design Competition Award; and NAVSEA’s Association of Senior Engineer’s named its award for its outstanding young engineer after him. Married Bridget DiGesu in 1964; two children Linda and Amy.
Tragically, he and his daughter were killed on August 1st, 1984 in an automobile accident. Dr. Lisnyk’s wife Bridget and another daughter were injured in the accident but survived.
About the Junior Class Small Vessel Design Project (SD1)
As a part of Professor Bradley D.M. Golden’s ’99 Ship Design 1 (SD1) class, the juniors spent the first two-and-a-half months of the spring semester preparing their first complete concept designs.
Using the knowledge they’ve gained in their nearly three years studying at Webb and the experiences from their winter work periods to date, this was the students’ first opportunity to apply the naval architecture and marine engineering principles they’ve studied including stability, ship’s structures, main machinery systems, auxiliary systems, resistance and propulsion, and electrical engineering.
Working in small groups of three and four, the students selected one of the vessel types and took their first couple of spins around the design spiral to prepare vessel concept designs. To help make the project as realistic as possible, members of industry familiar with each of the vessel types helped prepare the statements of design requirements that each of the designs had to meet. To challenge the students even further, one or two “curveballs” were thrown into each design statement to make the students think long and hard about how they would achieve their objectives.
At the end of the spring semester, the students presented their final designs to their fellow students, faculty, and members of industry who served as part of an evaluation team. After three years at Webb, the Junior class can now say with confidence that they’re familiar with the design process and are well on their way to joining the fields of naval architecture and marine engineering.
About SNAME:
The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) was organized in 1893, to advance the art, science, and practice of naval architecture, shipbuilding and marine engineering. SNAME is an internationally recognized non-profit, professional society of individual members serving the maritime and offshore industries and their suppliers. For many, SNAME has been absolutely essential to career development and success in the industry. With more than 6,000 members around the world in 95 countries, SNAME is THE International Community for Maritime and Ocean Professionals! For more information, please visit: https://www.sname.org/