When art meets engineering, unexpected harmonies emerge. Luke Herbermann ’21 found the balance in blending a rigorous study of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering with a deep passion for music and classical guitar.
But how did music and marine engineering coexist? Luke credits Webb for instilling discipline, positive study habits, and creative thinking. Whether playing music or working on the NYC Ferry system, Luke proves that creative hobbies like music not only enrich life but enhance professional skills. Read on to get a glimpse into a life that nurtures two worlds.
Can you share how you developed an interest in music and how this coexisted with your studies at Webb? (Was it difficult?)
I had the most amazing classical guitar teacher growing up. His name was Joe Smith and he was a phenomenal storyteller and musician. Ironically, I’d often be a bit reluctant to go to my lessons, but when I got there he found a way to inspire me. Joe Smith only once performed solo at those guitar ensemble recitals and I think that one solo performance was the first time I was ever really moved by music. I had no idea he could sing, but he got up and sang “Send in the Clowns” with a classical guitar accompanying him.
While at Webb it was easy to see how studying music years before shaped my positive study habits and my creative thinking. I was lucky enough to have several classmates also interested in music. We’d play in the Webb Jazz band together, sing in WooFS together, and sometimes we’d procrastinate by jamming out late at night. We also organized one of our humanities electives to be a Music Composition Class. Between the music I was playing on my own, the clubs I was in, and the composition elective, it almost felt like I was pursuing a minor in music. I wouldn’t say keeping up with it all was easy, but it definitely was worth it.
What did you plan to do with your degree from Webb?
I wanted to work for a firm that operates and maintains vessels. I also wanted to be around NYC for its iconic music scene. I recently hit the jackpot and landed my dream job working for the NYC Ferry system. I am forever grateful for the valuable skills, connections, and life lessons Webb taught me. Without Webb, It’s hard to say if I would be as excited about my career as I am now.
How is it balancing your passion for music and your education in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering?
The truth is, I do prioritize my career over my music. Luckily, because of the nature of the music industry, I rarely have to sacrifice musical opportunities. My rehearsals and shows are nearly always at night. Also, my musical inspiration often comes alive late in the evening, which is when I write and record. I do have to be careful about burnout. I’ve learned to schedule breaks in my musical activities to fully recuperate before diving back in.
What role do you feel Webb played in shaping your journey as a musician or individual?
Webb taught me that many things that seem impossible, are not. Having that recognition is key to learning new things and getting better at what you do. I wrote a lot of bad songs when I first started and I was worried I’d be a bad songwriter forever, but with practice and patience my songwriting definitively improved over the years. At least I like where my songwriting is headed, but maybe others disagree. That’s another thing I learned while living and working in a tight community. You’ll never get everyone to completely agree on something. This is especially true in the music world where things are subjective.
What advice do you have for Webb students on life after graduation?
What’s been surprising to me are the number of similarities between life as a student and life in the workforce. If you want to get to know people, join a social club. If you want to learn, be curious and ask questions. In other words, the behaviors and habits you foster in school sometimes carry through into your adulting life.
Class of 2025 Recreates Famous Artwork
Each year, Professor Richard Harris’s Western Culture II class participates in an art project that challenges students to recreate an illustration or painting.
This year, the Class of 2025 recreated artwork from the post-Impressionist period or later from artists such as Franco Costa, Marc Chagall, and Henri Matisse. The class is designed to help students develop their critical eye and appreciation for art and the sense of composition and color.
Students carefully study the original work, break them down and recreate them using their own techniques and understanding. They paid attention to details that might otherwise be overlooked – translating into their own creative process.
Upon completion, the students’ work was exhibited in the Visconti Reception Room during graduation week, June 12-19. The exhibit was a testament to their creativity and hard work.
Winter Work Term: Andrej Klema ’25
Where are you working for the Winter Work term?
I have taken a year off from Webb to do ten months of “Winter” work. This includes one sea term and one office term. My office term is at the United States National Ice Center in Suitland, Maryland. My sea term is on U.S. Coast Guard Cutter POLAR STAR for Operation Deep Freeze 2023. We started our deployment in November, leaving from POLAR STAR’s homeport in Seattle, Washington. Our port calls so far have included: Pearl Harbor, Hawaii; Sydney, Australia; Hobart, Tasmania; and McMurdo Station, Antarctica. Upcoming ports include Punta Arenas, Chile; Valparaiso, Chile; and San Francisco, California.
Naval Architect in the Making: Andrej stands in front of the beautiful architecture dome of the Sydney Opera House, working alongside the U.S. Coast Guard Operations team throughout the summer.
Why are you interested in this company?
I have always been drawn to military service. One of the reasons why the Coast Guard appeals to me is the domestic focus of the missions. I appreciate how the Coast Guard missions are focused on serving the American people in a variety of ways from SAR to drug interdiction. I also appreciate how the Coast Guard is involved in action every day. Yes, some days are training missions, but between commercial, recreational, and illegal activity in our nation’s waters, airspace, and 360 ports, every day presents new action and an opportunity to make a significant difference in the lives of everyday Americans. This does not even cover Coast Guard operations OCONUS, like the one I am a part of. Another reason why the Coast Guard appeals to me is its size and the opportunities that come with it. The Coast Guard is a small branch, and as a result, the community is tightly knit. In addition, the small size of the service means that there are many leadership opportunities for junior officers. In no other branch have I found that a Lieutenant Junior Grade can be a commanding officer. Finally, I have been raised to be a steward of the environment, and the Coast Guard’s missions for environmental protection and law enforcement are something that I take very personally and take great pride in being a part of. I am grateful for the opportunities the United States Coast Guard presents to help protect my homeland, take care of our environment, and save lives.
What was the most challenging task you faced during your internship, and did you overcome it?
The most challenging task I have faced during my internship so far has been creating an integration between our satellite data processing software and the ship’s navigation system. I was able to overcome this challenge by creating a diverse team of subject matter experts from a variety of different agencies and the software contractors. Together, we were able to de-bug the integration and use it during our operations in the Antarctic region. I will be continuing work on this project when I return to the U.S. National Ice Center in April.
What is the most memorable moment of your internship experience?
The most memorable moment of my internship experience has to be taking the Con of POLAR STAR as we turned on to an ice navigation trackline that I made from my software integration project.
Where do you see yourself after this internship (or after graduation)?
After graduation, I see myself commissioning into the Coast Guard on a career path towards becoming an Engineering Officer Afloat. I intend to do a full twenty years at minimum.
Conquering Icy Seas: Andrej is sailing aboard the heavy icebreaker, USCGC Polar Star, in support of Operation Deep Freeze.
Winter Work: Jonathan Allen ’23 – Webb Senior Ready to Conquer the World
Welcome to the exhilarating world of Webb Senior, Jonathan Allen, who is on the journey to international success, one adventure at a time- beginning with New Zealand. Jonathan is an ambitious go-getter who utilized his opportunity to intern globally through Webb’s Winter Work internship program.
With his eyes set on the prize – his career and freedom – to go where the journey takes him, he shares his experiences and lessons. Jonathan offers advice on how to secure an international internship as well as dares us to dream bigger.
Throughout it all, Jonathan remains grateful to Webb for pushing him to embark on an unforgettable journey that shaped his future.
Where are you working for the Winter Work term?
I am working this winter/summer in sunny Auckland, New Zealand. The company I am working for is called Marine Industrial Design (MID), a subsidiary of Babcock International, a multinational engineering solutions company based in the UK. Babcock provides defense and specialized technical expertise to several countries across the globe, including the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), which is one of the main customers MID serves. I work at the Devonport Naval Base, across the bay from downtown Auckland. It has beautiful views of Auckland and the surrounding sprawling volcanic hills that dot the landscape.
Why are you interested in this company?
I was interested in working for MID for two main reasons. The first was MID is an established Naval Architecture/Marine Engineering firm. This being my senior year, I felt it was important to experience a traditional office job before I graduate and decide my future. I have been privileged to have unique work experiences my freshman and junior years, but this job closely mirrors the expertise I have learned at Webb. The second, and pretty obvious one, is that New Zealand in the summer is a huge draw. I love to travel, see the world, and would eventually like to live internationally. This two-month internship gives me an opportunity to try living independently in new surroundings, while also knowing if I don’t love it, I’m not stuck here. So far; however, I have loved being here.
How is the work environment?
The work environment has been fun, inclusive, and flexible. Gram Schweikert, Webb Class of 2002, is my manager and has made me feel at home while away from home. He even very kindly let me stay with him the first few days I was in New Zealand before my Airbnb house opened up. The other employees and interns I have met at MID have all been really nice and welcoming. I have not been stuck on a problem that someone hasn’t been able to happily help me with. The work schedule at MID is flexible too which has been a really nice thing. Employees are required to work from 9am to 3pm, but can make up their hours earlier or later to meet the 40 hour workweek as they see fit. Although I don’t plan on utilizing it, MID also is very flexible about working from home. This is a Babcock policy they call Agile, and it seems to be a very popular, person-oriented one.
Embracing Adventure: Jonathan takes in the breathtaking view of New Zealand and believes that the world is really his oyster.
What skills are you learning at the company?
As I mentioned previously, MID is a Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering company. I get to utilize all of the skills I have acquired through the 11 NA/ME courses I’ve had so far. It feels surreal to say I have had 11 NA/ME courses. It seems like just yesterday I was in ME I. For example, two of the projects I am working on now use skills I’ve learned at Webb. While I cannot get into specifics, for one project I am using CAD software to find solutions on how to improve the stability of a class of vessels. In the other, I am using the strength and materials knowledge and skills to ensure that implementation of new equipment is safe to implement. Without Webb, I would be lost when trying to find solutions to these critical aspects of ship design.
Why are you the best candidate for this internship?
While I cannot claim that I am somehow “the best” or “better” than other candidates for this internship, I was the one who put in the hard work to make it happen. With the pandemic raging, finding an international internship, especially one on a carefully-guarded island nation like New Zealand, was very difficult. What I was able to do, and what I would encourage all Webbies seeking new, exciting, and extraordinary internships to do is utilize Webb’s amazing alumni network. I found this internship by perusing the Webb community portal. There you can find all Webb alumni, where they live, where they work, and if they are open to helping students. In my experience, Webbies are a friendly bunch and often go out of their way to help others, especially Webbies. That is what Gram Schweikert did for me. While MID usually has two interns a year from Australia/New Zealand, he was able to secure a third spot for me. I had to do the hard work of visa paperwork, security clearances, and travel logistics, but without a Webbie on the inside like Gram, it would have been nearly impossible to come here to Auckland. I would encourage Webbies to seek out these types of jobs as early as possible. It has been more than two years since I learned about MID and more than 14 months since I first contacted Gram asking about the possibility of me working for MID. Get your foot in the door early, follow up promptly, and you will find yourself with amazing opportunities. I sure did.
Where do you see yourself after this internship (or after graduation)?
After graduation, I plan on working, uh, somewhere haha. I am not at this point committed to any particular direction. I do not plan on living and working at the same place my entire life, and I plan on determining what I want to do with the next phase of my life when the time feels right. Mostly, I want to work somewhere that challenges me professionally, supports me financially, and excites me when I wake up in the morning. If I can find a job that does that, I think I’ll be alright.
Standing Tall: Jonathan immerses himself in New Zealand’s culture and gives respect to its rich history
On Top of the World: Jonathan is a Senior this year, and he soaks up the sun as he self reflects.
Nature’s Temptations: Jonathan admires the serene beauty of New Zealand’s waterfalls and environment yet resists the urge to take that plunge.
From New York to New Zealand: Webbies embrace the adventure of exploring the world while finding a home in a historic mansion in Glen Cove, New York.
Winter Work: Paul Ferragu ’26 – A Freshman’s Voyage to a Shipbuilder’s Dream
Webbies are taking on their Winter Work internships fearlessly, and they have started a blog to share their experiences and insights with us.
The blog will cover a range of topics from the skills they have learned to the personal growth they have experienced throughout their time in the program.
Our first blog post is written by Paul Ferragu, a Freshman at Webb who is currently at the prestigious Chantiers de l’Atlantique for his Winter Work internship. Paul shows us that no matter where you are in life, with the right mindset, you can do anything and go anywhere.
Follow along with us on the journey!
Where are you working for the Winter Work term?
I’m spending my freshman Winter Work Term at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique in Saint-Nazaire, France.
Why are you interested in this company?
I was originally interested in this company because they design and build the world’s largest cruise ships for leading cruise lines and are at the front of innovation toward sustainable shipping. Although I don’t have a passion for cruise ships, their complexity is certainly fascinating. Everything I learn here will be applicable in almost every other sector of the industry. My personal favorite project they are working on is the Solid Sail.
How is the work environment?
I am part of an outfitting supervising team. I joined a team of 7 who specializes in supervising the outfitting of anything welded or attached to the metallic hull of the ship. This includes life-saving apparatuses, strategic fire-fighting equipment, mooring decks, hydraulic doors, machinery, and balconies. During my winter work term, I will be supervising the installation of some life-saving apparatuses.
What skills are you learning at the company?
I am learning technical French terminology and the logistics behind such a large and complex shipyard – there can be up to 8,000-10,000 personnel in the yard at a time and up to 4 ships under construction. There is activity 24/7 in the yard, and thousand-ton blocks are being lifted on an almost daily basis. I am also taking this opportunity to ask questions about the design process of ships. It takes 500 engineers and technicians to realize all the different ship’s plans fully. I am able to help my team with translating English to French and teaching them English terminology to ease their communication with contractors.
Why are you the best candidate for this internship?
I showed interest in learning from the world’s leading passenger ship shipyard and my French language skills enabled me to do my job in the language spoken daily within my team and with contractors. Some overseas shipyards can accommodate English speakers but that is not standard in French yards.
Where do you see yourself after this internship (or after graduation)?
As I am only a freshman, I will return to Webb after the winter work term to explore more sectors before deciding on one to pursue during my early professional career. I do hope to come back to this shipyard in my junior year to work in the design offices of their new sail and Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) -propelled ships.
Winter Work Term: More than a Robotics Company
by Jonathan Allen ’23
I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “Good things come to those who wait”. When finding winter work spots, I wouldn’t recommend it, but I got lucky for my junior year internship. I still did not have a job lined up in early December when Professor Golden sent out an email saying an underwater robotics company was looking for two interns. A cover letter, interview, and acceptance letter in a couple days and I had booked my ticket for the sunny shores of central Rhode Island. Three months later and I had completed my favorite internship on the chilly shores of Key West.
The Global Foundation for Ocean Exploration (GFOE) is more than just a robotics company. They design, build, maintain, and operate some of the most sophisticated remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) in the world. They run expeditions across the seven seas searching for some of the world’s most isolated plants, animals, and shipwrecks. Capable of going 6000 meters deep, almost four miles, deep, GFOE has explored areas such as the Hawaiian Islands, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and Marianas Trench.
I did my internship with Evan Spalding, a sophomore who, like me, absolutely loves to ski. We went skiing several times in Vermont and his home “mountain” of Yawgoo on a powder day. I also took trips to Newport, Maine, and Boston. Weekends were always fun to explore the Northeast in the winter for a Florida man.
I worked at GFOE’s main workshop in Quonset, Rhode Island for seven weeks. While there, I got to go hands-on almost every single day with their two largest ROVs, Deep Discoverer (D2) and Seirios. From the first day, they had Evan and I working on the different systems. The first week we completely took apart and reassembled the rock boxes and drawers on D2. After that, I worked on the hydraulics system, tracing out the different components and adjusting the manifold settings so the speeds were correct. Then using Solidworks I made from scratch an adapter piece for the new PDM cable on D2 that was put out for order a week later. One of my favorite things was to restore an old mini-sub that used to dive in Narragansett Bay. It will now be on display at the Mystic Seaport Museum. These are just a few of the things they had Evan and I doing, and we never found ourselves without meaningful and interesting work.
The highlight of the internship; however, had to be my 10 days going from Pascagoula to Key West on a “shakedown cruise” aboard NOAA’s Okeanos Explorer. All of the mission systems on board were rigorously tested to get ready for their spring and summer expeditions. I shadowed all the different team members from the deck hands, navigator, co-pilots, and winch team. I quickly fell into a pattern on board and enjoyed life on the water.
I liked it so much, I went back. This summer I was part of their expedition to the Azores Islands off the coast of Portugal for 28 days. I’m especially thankful to Professor Golden for connecting to me to this great company filled with awesome people. Even if I had to wait for it.
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:
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.
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.
