Webb News - Summer 2014 by Webb Institute

WebbNews The Webb Institute Magazine

Homecoming Takes the Cake:

Celebrating 125 Years Looking Good: Lenfest Gallery Gets a Facelift Regional Events Make Winter Work Wonderful

www.webb.edu

S u m m e r 2 01 4 Volume 26 Issue 1

IN THIS ISSUE FEATURES

1 From the President

118th Commencement Exercises Celebrating 125 Years: DC Alumni Gather

6 Homecoming 2014: 125th Anniversary Celebration

9 Quadcopters: Elevating Photography through Engineering

The Dean’s Corner: Webb in the World

Webbies “Chill” on Founder’s Day

14 Rosenblatt Elected First Non-U.K. President of RINA

New Director of Development

Dates of Interest

15 Spring Semester Brings Five International Students to Webb 16

Mausoleum Clean Up

R. Keith Michel ’73 PRESIDENT

George Campbell, Jr. Chairman oF the Board

Richard P. Neilson ’70 Dean and Professor of Naval Architecture

Supervising Editor: Gailmarie Sujecki

Alumni Association Report

Freshmen Finesse Firefighting Skills

Webb Admits a Record Number for 2018

25 Adventures in Offshore Technology: OTC in Houston 26

Webb Winter Work: A Unifying Tradition

S.O. President: The Spirit Of Webb At Work and At Play

Generous Pledges for Phonathon 2014

In Memoriam

Class Notes

45 Heritage Society

Volume 26 Issue 1

WEBB INSTITUTE

20 Robotics, Recruitment and Webb

DEPARTMENTS 30 Campus News

Summer 2014

Kerri Allegretta

29 “We’re Baaack!” Webb Institute Reprises Role as Wayne Manor

WebbNews

18 Looking Good: Upgrades to Lenfest Gallery and Tea Room 21 Webb on the Web: Website Upgrade Update

M I S S I O N S TAT E M E N T

To prepare graduates for prominent careers by: • Providing a rigorous education in the principles of engineering and a broad-based knowledge of the fundamentals of naval architecture and marine engineering • Developing skills that will enable graduates to become leaders in and make significant contributions to their chosen profession, and to the social environment in which it functions • Instilling in our graduates the highest ethical standards and sense of professionalism; cultivating curiosity in the arts, sciences, and humanities, and providing the background and encouragement necessary to support life-long learning • Perpetuating the legacy of William H. Webb

Director of Media Relations & Communications

Executive Assistant to the President & Director of Alumni Relations

Editor: Christine Slattery Editorial Contributors: Kerri Allegretta Kathleen Cain ’07 John R. Carlson ’14 Jay P. Carson ’73 Nolan B. Conway ’15 Hampton K. Dixon ’11 Richard C. Harris Photo Contributors: Kerri Allegretta TJ Brackin ’16 Gill Photography Jennifer E. Lorenc ’16

John A. Malone ’71 R. Keith Michel ’73 William G. Murray Richard P. Neilson ’70 Gailmarie Sujecki Matthew P. Tedesco ’91 Matthew B. Weklar ’15 Kelly O’Brien ’16 Anthony Pizziatolla Gailmarie Sujecki

Design: Lum & Associates Webb News is published semi-annually in the Summer and the Winter by Webb Institute, 298 Crescent Beach Road, Glen Cove, NY 11542-1398 1-866-708-9322 (Webb) www.webb.edu

W E B B N E W S

from the President fter my first year as Webb Institute’s President, there is a lot of exciting progress to report. First, I would like to congratulate the class of 2014. Their hard work and perseverance has finally paid off, and they will be looking forward to bright futures. Peggy and I hope to see them back on campus and hear about their professional ventures. While partaking in campus activities—Founder’s Day, the Gatsby’s Party, sporting events—I was taken aback by the spirit and dedication of the student body, faculty, and staff. Homecoming was a significantly special event that gave me and the students the opportunity to speak to and learn from our amazing pool of alumni. The 125th celebrations were a great success. Visitors were able to see the renovation of the Lenfest Gallery and other campus improvements. Additional improvements and upgrades are underway, and I look forward to more alumni making plans to visit Webb soon! I would like to thank John Ferrante and his crew for their hard work and talents. As part of the 125th Celebration, “The Webb Institute: 125 Years of Excellence‘’ book is now complete and can be ordered through the student store, http://shop. webb.edu/. Jay Carson ’73 and his team have worked hard on this project, and Webb Institute greatly appreciates their efforts and will treasure this new addition to the Webb book collection. This past semester we were visited by special guest, Congressman Steve Israel. The Congressman was impressed by the students and the beauty of our campus. There are plans in the works for the Congressman to present a possible Zeien lecturer. Webb has been appearing in the news a bit more. Recently, we were rated #2 in Money magazine’s “Best Colleges for you Money” list. Professional Mariner created a short film about the Robinson Model Basin. The production includes interviews with Professor Rick Royce and Dean Rick Neilson. Webb is also featured in a special 75th Anniversary June issue of Maritime Reporter and Engineering News. This video is available on our website. Webb was featured in The Princeton Review book, “The Best 379 Colleges,” where we were ranked #3 as Easiest Campus to Get Around and #4 as Most Accessible Professors. Among the ratings in the Webb Institute profile are scores of 98 for academics and 95 for quality of life. I am happy to report Webb Institute is once again Wayne Manor. Fox Network filmed their new show “Gotham” at Webb this spring, and a photo of Stevenson Taylor Hall can be found in the July 25th edition of “Entertainment Weekly.” I would also like to welcome the Webb Class of 2018. This is Webb’s largest freshman class — 28 students in total.

R. Keith Michel ’73 President

“ Homecoming was a

significantly special event that gave me and the students the opportunity to speak to and learn from our amazing pool of alumni.”

Class of

Sunny Skies for 118th Webb Commencement

Commencement Awards and Prizes KEELER MEMORIAL PRIZE highest average in mathematics Amy M. Zahray SAMUEL D. McCOMB MEMORIAL PRIZE second highest junior & senior average Amy M. Zahray

The 15 graduates of Webb’s Class of ’14 graduated on pictureperfect Saturday, June 21, with clear blue skies, temps in the low seventies, and the extraordinary beauty of Webb’s campus as a backdrop. This year, Webb honored Mr. Richard A. Goldbach ’58, retired CEO of Metro Machine Corporation in Norfolk, with an honorary doctor of commercial science degree. Dr. Goldbach delivered the principal address, pointing out that, “American workers have always been the foundation of America’s greatness.” Smithtown native John Carlson ’14 presented the student farewell—and he made a bit of a splash, comparing commencement to one of his favorite hobbies, diving. “So here we are, all geared up and sitting on the ledge, just waiting,” said Carlson. “All that’s left to do is find our buddies, take a deep breath and take the plunge.” And with that, and the ceremonial firing of the cannon, Webb’s Class of 2014 went out into the world with smiles on their faces, as the upbeat song “Lose Yourself to Dance” by Daft Punk rang out into the sunny summer day.

Dr. Richard A. Goldbach

J. Lewis Luckenbach Memorial Prize highest general average in four year course Amy M. Zahray SEARIVER MARITIME AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ENGINEERING DESIGN Eric S. Harris PATRICK S. MATRASCIA GOOD SHIPMATE AWARD Eric S. Harris American Bureau Of Shipping Prize highest junior and senior average Eric S. Harris Stevenson Taylor Memorial Prize for excellence of a thesis in any field Samuel M. Granger and Randall P. Neureuter Charles A. Ward, Jr., Memorial Awards highest average in naval architecture curriculum Eric S. Harris second highest average in naval architecture curriculum Amy M. Zahray Chaffee Memorial Prize best all around record Henry G. Jansen PAUL E. ATKINSON MEMORIAL PRIZE IN ETHICS for ethical behavior Henry G. Jansen RIchard A. Partanen HuManities Award Kirsten E. Wunder Lewis Nixon Memorial Prize for excellence of a thesis in naval architecture David S. Smith and Amy M. Zahray Connecticut Maritime EDUCATION FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP demonstrating academic excellence with intent to pursue a career in the maritime industry James F. Codega, Samantha J. Griswold and Eric S. Harris

President Michel, honored guest Dr. Richard A. Goldbach and Chairman of the Board, Dr. George Campbell, Jr.

Thesis Titles Connor Bennett & Samantha Griswold: A Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of Bottom Contours on High-Performance Surfboards John Carlson & Eric Harris: Rolling in the Deep: An Investigation Into the Effects of Trimaran Side-Hull Position and Geometry on Roll Damping James Codega: Gone With the Wind: Developing a Velocity Prediction Program Using an Artificial Neural Network

The Graduating Class of 2014

Post Graduation Plans Connor Bennett: Working for MiNO Marine, LLC, New Orleans, LA John Carlson: Working for General Dynamics NASSCO, San Diego, CA James Codega: Considering options Nathan Fast: Considering options Matthew Graham: Working for Ship Architects, Inc., Daphne, LA Samuel Granger: Working for The Glosten Associates, Seattle, WA Samantha Griswold: Working for Vigor Fab, Seattle, WA Eric Harris: Working for Metal Shark, LLC, Jeanerette, LA Henry Jansen: Working for Seaspan Shipyards, Vancouver, Canada Randall Neureuter: Considering options Conor O’Sullivan: Working for Herbert Engineering Corp., San Francisco, CA David Smith: Working for General Dynamics Electric Boat, Groton, CT Rachel Walker: Working for Elliott Bay Design Group, Seattle, WA Kirsten Wunder: Working for General Dynamics Bath Iron Works, Bath, ME Amy Zahray: Working for STX US Marine, Houston, TX

Nathan Fast: A Computational Fluid Dynamics Analysis of VerticalLift Producing Daggerboards for High-Performance Sailing Yachts Matthew Graham: The Effects of Turbercles on Wind Turbine Blades Samuel Granger & Randall Neureuter: A Comparative Analysis of Low-AspectRatio Conventional and Single-Slotted Circulation Control Foils Intended for Marine Hydrodynamic Applications Henry Jansen: Development of a Dual Fuel System for the Detroit Diesel Series 60 Diesel Engine Conor O’Sullivan & Rachel Walker: An Economic Feasibility Analysis of Arctic LNG Projects David Smith & Amy Zahray: Structural Analysis of Various Stool Configurations on FPSO Topside Modules Kirsten Wunder: Simulation of Autonomous Robots Laying Underwater Pipeline

CELEBRATING 125 YEARS: DC ALUMNI GATHER

On the evening of April 5, 2014, the DC Area Alumni Association held a special gathering at the Fort Myer Officer’s Club in Arlington, VA to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of Webb Institute. The event was well attended, with 45 alumni and guests representing graduating classes from the mid1950s to 2013 in attendance. This was a great regional event—very much enjoyed by all.

President Emeritus Ron Kiss was the MC for the evening, and he added his own insights on Webb and about the speakers he was introducing—not that anyone needed introduction.

Former student, professor and Dean Emeritus Roger Compton ’61, PG ’64 spoke about things that have changed at Webb and things that have stayed very much the same during his long relationship with the school. It was a presentation that resonated with alums both old and young, a very appropriate topic for the occasion.

President Keith Michel ’73 gave a very exciting and informative presentation about current happenings at Webb as well as future plans.

– Kathleen Cain ’07 DC Area Alumni Coordinator

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What a wonderful weekend it was...

The weather, the campus, the alumni, and the student volunteers all made for a perfect gathering, and all of the planning and preparation for this special 125th Anniversary celebration was very much appreciated by all who attended.

The campus community attended the Friday Symposium, which included presentations by Professor Richard Harris on “The Remarkable Mr. Webb;” Dean Richard Neilson ’70 on “Webb Institute, the Earlier Years;” past chairman, Joseph Cuneo ’57 on “Webb’s Academy, Fordham Hill to Webb Institute, Glen Cove—Highlights of the Early Voyages;” and Dean Emeritus Roger Compton ’61, PG’64 on “Webb Institute: A View from the Deanery.” All presentations were preceded by a luncheon in the Visconti Reception Room. The Michels hosted a dinner at the President’s House for 67 members of the Heritage Society. It was a scrumptious meal, prepared and served by Peggy Michel with Webb student volunteers assisting. President Michel ’73 toasted those in attendance, and congratulated the Class of 1954 for achieving 100% class participation in the Heritage Society while encouraging other classes to do the same. continued on next page

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Celebration continued from previous page

Saturday’s activities included a variety of lawn games as well as a standing room only performance by the WooFS, and Winter Work presentations by members of the freshman, sophomore, and junior classes. The Alumni Association’s Annual Meeting was held, and Jennifer Kollmer ’91 was elected as the WAA’s new president (more about that in a separate article). Fifteen seniors and four Southampton exchange students were elected into the Alumni Association during the meeting.

The student jazz band played during the cocktail reception, and the Constitution Jazz Band played after the special dinner, prepared for 180 people. Dessert was a 3-D cake of Stevenson Taylor Hall which included three different fillings, and Gailmarie Sujecki (Hon.), executive assistant to the president and director of alumni relations, was asked to make the ceremonial first cut of the cake, accompanied by President Michel ’73 and Chairman of the Board George Campbell. 8

Proclamations were presented to President Michel by the Nassau County Legislator, Delia DeRiggi-Whitton, and Glen Cove’s mayor, Reggie Spinello. The highlight of Saturday night was the spectacular Grucci fireworks display—special thanks to members of the Class of 1989 for their donation to this perfect ending to the evening. A brunch cruise aboard the Skyline Princess on Sunday was attended by 106 people. Departing from the Glen Cove Ferry Terminal, the guests saw Glen Cove Harbor, Manhasset Bay, Hart Island, City Island, Kings Point, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Fort Totten, Stepping Stones Lighthouse, Execution Rocks, Sands Point Lighthouse, Webb Institute, and other mansions and marinas.

Quadcopter- Webb Terrace (Port and Starboard Navigation Lights)

Quadcopters:

Elevating Photography Through Engineering T

Kimberly Point Lighthouse, Neenah, Wisconsin—sunrise

he media has been flooded recently with stories of drones and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and their multiple uses ranging from search and rescue missions to aerial package delivery. This past Winter Work term I dove into the world of drones for a different reason: aerial photography. Drone has become a word synonymous with military aircraft flying over enemy lands, but I want to present the other, much less menacing side of the drone world. A quadcopter is essentially a helicopter with four separate rotors: two rotors spin clockwise and two spin counterclockwise, eliminating the need for a tail rotor, while a compact Arduino-based flight controller controls the quad’s four motors to propel it in any direction. The quad can be controlled by a remote control or move in a fully autonomous flight mode. Its varying levels of autonomy allow the pilot to focus less on keeping the vehicle in the air and more on the composition of the photograph or video being captured. For me, the experience of “flying” over Webb, above beautiful rivers in Tennessee, or around my hometown’s lighthouse has been breathtaking. This fresh perspective on how to view new and old sights truly shows the potential for this technology, and I hope the industry continues to grow and become more accepted throughout the country. – Matt Weklar ’15

Lake Watauga River Falls, Butler, Tennessee

W E B B N E W S

The Dean’s Corner:

Webb in the World: Adventure, Academics, and a Sense of Responsibility s I sit here, spring has sprung and the cherry trees look remarkable. Spring fever has hit Webb; I guess that’s why the seniors are walking around looking red-eyed. It can’t be lack of sleep, not at Webb. You might notice a slight modification to my picture at the head of this column. After the Founder’s Day dinner, several students asked Denise and me to go with them downstairs. With some trepidation, we went. On the wall of the TV room, between the chemistry and physics labs, was the painting you see on the above right. I was speechless, not a common occurrence. When I told my brothers about it, they pointed out that the “Godfather”

TJ Brackin ’16 in Antartica

reference can be taken in more than one way. I’ve decided not to pursue that. The students’ return to Webb after Winter Work brought energy back to the campus. As always, tales of their two-month sabbaticals leave us either awestruck or incredulous. Once again, the highlight among the sophomore sea terms was a trip on the Maersk Peary. This year two students flew to Greece to catch the ship, went through the Suez Canal, on to Diego Garcia, then to Antarctica before sailing to South Korea, disembarking, and flying home. A year and a half before catching the ship, those two students had graduated from high schools in Delaware and Kansas,

Richard Neilson ’70 Dean

respectively. When they hit McMurdo, they knew they weren’t in Kansas anymore—or Delaware either, for that matter. Winter Work remains the single most broadening experience of a student’s time at Webb. The exchange program with the University of Southampton lives on. Three sophomores spent their fall semester in the UK, and four Southampton students are at Webb this semester. While we have had some potholes in the road regarding the exchange, we have managed to navigate around them. We plan on sending three sophomores to Southampton this coming fall, and Dr. Stephen Payne is once again offering his assistance in allowing them to make their eastbound passage on the Queen Mary 2. In addition, we have a Brazilian student on campus for the first time (see article on page 15). He has joined the junior class and will be with us for a year under a program sponsored by the Brazilian government. He has acclimated very well and especially enjoys the more practical approach a Webb education offers. The seniors have selected three courses for their elective this semester. As usual they have chosen Professor Gallagher’s Machine Shop and Manufacturing Processes

class, but have identified two new subjects. Professor Williams is teaching “Planetary Fluid Dynamics/Climatology” and I am leading three Webb seniors and two Southampton students in “An Introduction to Space Technology.” This is definitely not my area of expertise, but the students have agreed to handle the course in a seminar format, so they are doing research on their own and reporting back in class. I’m also trying to take advantage of the resources available locally through the Cradle of Aviation Museum, a series of lectures related to space being given through the AIAA and presented at Hofstra, and one of our alumni, Joe Burns ’62, who has his Ph.D. in space mechanics from Cornell. Dr. Burns is currently professor and dean of the faculty at Cornell, and has extensive experience working with the imaging teams for the Galileo, Rosetta and Cassini missions. He graciously offered to give two lectures to the class. I’m learning a lot; I hope the students are, too. Work-term activity in the offshore industry continued to increase, with 12 of the 35 juniors and seniors taking jobs in Houston this winter, where they either worked directly for that segment or touched upon it. The juniors and our exchange students thoroughly enjoyed their trip to the Offshore Technology Conference in May. Once again Tom Koster ’67, arranged a series of presentations from a variety of offshore experts specifically for our students, and Lowell Dickerson ’10, hosted the group at Chevron for a presentation on offshore drilling. The entire week is eye-opening for the students, regardless of whether they intend to work in the offshore

“ This year two students flew to Greece to catch the ship, went through the Suez Canal, on to Diego Garcia, then to Antarctica before sailing to South Korea, disembarking, and flying home… When they hit McMurdo, they knew they weren’t in Kansas anymore— or Delaware either, for that matter. ”

industry or not. The juniors’ Ship Design I projects cover a wide range, with more related to offshore than ever before. They are wrestling with the design of a semisubmersible production platform, a heavy lift ship, an anchor handling tug, and a fast support and intervention vessel, in addition to a frigate and a waterborne ambulance. I am very grateful to the industry mentors, without whom this variety of vessels would not be possible. The annual New York SNAME section Student Papers Night was held at Webb on May 1. Students from Kings Point, Stevens Institute, and Webb made presentations. Webb senior Nathan Fast’s paper was titled “CFD Analysis of a Marine Propeller Open Water Test,” and was based on work he had done for CDadapco during his winter work term. He really did a nice job representing Webb. Next year’s juniors have selected their non-technical electives for the fall semester. We will have a reprise of the courses in Egyptology from Dr. Bob Brier and modern architecture from Ms. Carol Bentel. They have also requested Professor Harris teach creative writing.

The students continue to amaze me with the breadth of volunteer and extracurricular activities in which they participate. One example is the trip to Woodlawn Cemetery to clean up the gravesites of William H. Webb and Stevenson Taylor on April 6, as discussed on page 16 in this issue. The staff at the cemetery were so impressed with the enthusiasm and dedication of our students that they issued a special invitation to all Webb students, faculty and staff to attend a very special free concert at the cemetery on the evening of June 11 by The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis. They want us to drive the Webb vans and wear Webb attire to highlight us, with the hope it will inspire other organizations to help care for the graves of their benefactors. Don’t tell them, but sometimes the students inspire us, too. The beat goes on. We look forward to graduation and the respite of summer, but even more so to the excitement of the next batch of Webbies arriving in August.

Webbies “Chill” on

Founder’s Day April 4, 2014, will be remembered in part as the coldest Founder’s Day in quite some time. The long winter simply wouldn’t let go; the weather had been so cold, in fact, that the planting projects, which are a standard activity each year, had to be cancelled—not because April 4 was chilly, but because the nurseries didn’t have any plants. Despite the weather, however, Webbies once again took part in a wide range of activities designed to “give back to Webb” in appreciation for all that Webb gives us. The celebration began right after lunch on the main deck of Stevenson Taylor Hall, with Professor Harris’s reading of The Shipwrights’ Testimonial. This commendation was originally presented to honor Mr. William H. Webb on May 5, 1894, at the dedication of Webb’s Academy and Home for Shipbuilders. The teams of students, faculty, and staff then reported to their work stations to take on the tasks at hand. During the afternoon, Mr. Barry Rivadue toured the work sites recording the activities. The showing of his DVD during the dinner was one of the highlights of the celebration, as Webbies got to see themselves, for better and for worse, doing different kinds of hard work—well, most of them were. The Founder’s Day speaker was Dr. Jennifer Waters ’91, who is now Associate Dean for Academic Affairs at the United States Naval Academy. She spoke about some of the most important lessons she learned during her years at Webb, and explained how they have been applied in her career since graduation. As always, Peter Morris and his crew produced a delicious dinner. John Ferrante and his crew once again were commended for their help in making the work day possible. Finally, special thanks go to John Carlson ’14 and Erin McElroy ’15, the leaders behind the scenes, who did so much work to organize and coordinate the events of the day. – Richard Harris

Rosenblatt Elected First Non-U.K. President of RINA

Webb Welcomes New Director of Development The search for a new director of development has successfully ended.

The Council of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) has elected Bruce S. Rosenblatt (Hon.) as their 31st President, effective July 1, 2014. Rosenblatt, the third generation leader of one of the United State’s largest naval architecture and marine engineering companies, joined M. Rosenblatt & Son, Inc. in 1983 as a naval architect after graduating from the University of Michigan, and became president of the company in 1995. In 2008 he founded the naval architecture and marine engineering company Bruce S. Rosenblatt & Associates, LLC, of which he is currently president. A past president of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), Rosenblatt’s other appointments/honors include being named vice chairman of the Board of Trustees of Webb Institute, SNAME honorary member/fellow, SNAME Land medalist, past vice president of ASNE, member of the ABS Council and vice chairman of the Industry Partners’ Committee of the Shipbuilders Council of America. Rosenblatt is a fellow of RINA and a member of their council and board of trustees. He will be the first non-UK president of RINA since it was founded in 1860.

Anthony Zic joins Webb after serving the City University of New York (CUNY) for nine years, first as director of development at the We welcome Anthony Zic, shown here with his wife College of Staten Kelly, to the Webb family. Island and then as a campaign officer coordinating system-wide development and alumni affairs programs. Prior to his time at CUNY, Anthony provided fundraising counseling and management services to a variety of nonprofit organizations. He is a seasoned development professional with experience in capital campaign planning and execution, major gift solicitation, board development, annual fund solicitation, and planned giving. Webb is honored and excited that Anthony joined the team at Webb Institute as we celebrate our 125th anniversary. In his role at Webb Institute, Anthony will oversee all aspects of fundraising including our upcoming capital campaign. We are pleased to have him aboard.

Dates of Interest Freshman Orientation August 18, 2014 Start of the Fall Semester August 25, 2014 Family Weekend September 19-21, 2014 SNAME, Houston, TX October 22-25, 2014 Open House November 1, 2014 Fall Recess After classes on November 21-30, 2014 Grades Issued December 22, 2014 Start of Spring Semester March 2, 2015 14

Spring Semester Brings

Five International Students to Webb

s‌ part of the ongoing exchange program Webb has with the University of Southampton in England, Webb again was fortunate enough to have four men from the university join the senior class for the spring semester 2014. This year also brought our first naval architecture student Left to right: Adam Higgens, Edoardo Del Bino, Alex Iley, Leonardo Tinoco, David Jordan from Brazil, and he will be spending their sophomore fall semester as exchange spending an entire academic year at Webb. Leonardo Tinoco, a student at the University of Sao Paulo, Brazil, is the first student to take advantage of fully funded scholarships offered by the Brazil Scientific Mobility Program. He arrived at Webb for a full year of study. Given the Brazilian educational calendar, his school year encompasses the spring semester of Webb’s junior year and the fall of senior year. Leo’s interest in naval architecture came from his walks to school as a very young man. Each day he would pass the big ships lining up to enter the port of Santos, Brazil—and by the time he was 15 he decided that designing and building those ships would be his career path. Similarly, Alex Iley, from Ascott-under-Wychwood, UK, had a childhood experience that fascinated him and set him on a path toward learning all there was to know about the cruise ship industry. Edoardo Del Bino, a Southampton student from Milan, Italy, has been sailing since he was a small boy. Two other Southampton students, David Jordan of Leeds, and Adam Higgens of Coventry UK, say it is the embodiment of math, physics and design that brought them to the study of naval architecture. For three of our Southampton students, interest in a semester at Webb came about two years ago when they met Webb seniors Samantha Griswold and Amy Zahray, who were

students at Southampton. They realized that the chance to study abroad in their chosen field at a college that was so well respected in the industry was an opportunity not to be missed. All five students have thoroughly enjoyed being in the Webb environment, commenting on how much they have enjoyed the small class sizes, teamwork, and access to professors. They’ve been very impressed with the academic rigor and opportunities for students to interact with industry professionals during the semester. All five students joined the junior class this May at the Offshore Technology Conference. Of course, studying abroad also affords the exchange students an opportunity to see other parts of the United States. Besides the Houston trip and the opportunities throughout the semester to explore New York City, our visitors have also capitalized on their stay by visiting cities such as Boston, Fort Lauderdale, and Miami. Even if their travels end there, they have no complaints. As one of them put it, “The place is just great. We can benefit from the many facilities and the proximity of nature—and the view of the water makes it just perfect.”

L E A DER SHIP COM M IT TE E Mausoleum Clean-up

Honoring the Founder at Woodlawn Cemetery

n April 6, two days after Founder’s Day, Webb students gave back to their school and founder by cleaning up William Webb’s mausoleum and surrounding gravesite at the Woodlawn Cemetery in the Bronx, NY. Fifteen students spent their morning volunteering at the cleanup, raking and weeding the gravesite, and cleaning the exterior of the mausoleum. Some students also worked on cleaning Stevenson Taylor’s gravesite at the Woodlawn Cemetery. The main building on the Webb Institute campus is named after Stevenson Taylor, who was president of the board of trustees from 1900–1926. Woodlawn cemetery, established in 1863, spans 400 acres, and in 2011 was designated as a National Historic Landmark. Luminaries such as Elizabeth Cady Stanton, Herman Melville, Admiral David Glasgow Farragut, Joseph Pulitzer, Robert Moses, and Miles Davis are buried there. The Woodlawn Conservancy, which works to protect and preserve the cemetery, graciously provided a lunch for the student volunteers. Students picnicked on the grass in front of Webb’s mausoleum. After lunch Susan

Olsen, Woodlawn Cemetery’s Director of Historical Services, gave students a brief tour of William Webb’s neighbors at the cemetery and discussed one of Webb’s great interests—art collecting. Many students did not know this was one of his passions. Ms. Olsen was very knowledgeable, and students appreciated learning some of the cemetery’s history. Woodlawn cemetery, everyone agreed, is a fascinating place. After the cleanup two wreaths were placed, one at Webb’s mausoleum and the other at Taylor’s gravesite. The wreaths were kindly donated by Webb Trustee Jay Carson ’73. Jay Carson and John Costello ’89, another Webb Trustee, are raising money for a professional restoration of William Webb’s mausoleum. This would include fixing any structural issues, removal of small saplings and plants growing in stone joints in the roof, resetting and repointing of stone joints, and power washing of the exterior. They have created the Webb Mausoleum Restoration Reserve Account. If you are interested in making a donation, please contact President Michel ’73.

– Hannah Wistort ’17

Webb 125th Anniversary Book Available Online The new book, “Webb Institute: 125 Years of Excellence,” is now available at the school store, http://shop.webb. edu/. Numbered, personalized bookplates are available for an additional $25 donation.

SPECIAL Two-Book Offer: $25.00 in Savings

This special deal includes the new book, “Webb Institute: 125 Years of Excellence” as well as “A Centennial History of Webb Institute of Naval Architecture.”

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Looking Good: Upgrades to Lenfest Gallery and Tea Room

he Lenfest Gallery has recently undergone major and long-overdue renovations. In addition to the breath-taking drive through the main gates, the Lenfest Gallery is a visitor’s first impression of Webb Institute as well as the prime gathering place for students, alumni, parents and guests. Although Webb is an institution with roots dating back 125 years, its express purpose is to prepare young men and women for the future. When prospective students, parents, and visitors step into the Lenfest Gallery, they should be inspired by our legacy and at the same time get a sense of the dynamic future of the maritime and offshore industries that Webb alumni have helped to build and guide. The goal of the renovation of the gallery is to bring the past and the future together. The project is well underway. After two years of consulting with alumni, trustees, faculty, and students, the upgrades finally began in the spring, and a majority of the work was completed before the 125th Homecoming. Gallery walls were repaired and repainted, with all woodwork properly restored and finished. Newly polished half-models of ships built at Mr. Webb’s shipyard were arranged in chronological order, with text mounted under each model, explaining its history and significance. Large-screen monitors have been installed at each end of the 18

south (courtyard) wall. One monitor displays current campus events, information, and a live newsfeed. This will help the students stay informed about campus and world events while they’re waiting on line for meals or passing by on their way to class. The other monitor is a special touch-screen that displays the names of major giving group donors; until recently these names were mounted on a wooden plaque. This screen will be interactive, and users will be able to reveal a donor’s biography by simply touching the name on the monitor. The interior sections of the south wall will feature a display of artifacts, paintings, and technology exhibits that will change periodically. Future plans include the installation of contemporary models, one at each end of the gallery. In addition to ship models, there will be models of offshore platforms, drilling rigs, or offshore wind turbines—and a monitor will display a movie or other descriptive information for each of these technology exhibits. Beyond the gallery, other exciting upgrades have been made. The new OD (Officer on Duty) station will provide a place for our security staff, and serve as a spot to welcome visitors to Webb. In the Tea Room a monitor has been mounted above the fireplace; turning the Tea Room into a functional space that’s ideal for classes, meetings, and group presentations.

Qatargas LNG ship model generously donated by SeaRiver Maritime, Inc.

These changes are being funded by a combination of revenue sources: one is the fee earned for hosting the filming of the “Wayne Manor” scenes for the pilot of the Batman TV series “Gotham.” The large-screen

monitors and other technology-related items will be funded by the Richard B. Couch ’33 Ship Design Computer Lab and Enhanced Classrooms Fund. Special thanks to John Ferrante and his crew; Jay Carson ’73; Professor Richard Harris; Peter Miller; Library Director Pat Prescott, and the Media Relations and Communications team, Kerri Allegretta and Anthony Pizziatolla, for their diligent work on these upgrades, and for getting all materials and equipment ready just in time for the big 125th celebration. – Matt Weklar ’15

Robotics, Recruitment, and Webb W

ebb has continued its growth and involvement with robotics programs over the past three years, and

this year we again hosted the now annual FIRST robotics conference. This conference is intended for high school students participating in the FIRST competition, with free lectures that were attended by more than 100 participants. Volunteers mentor the high school students in the design and construction of a competition robot and can help introduce the idea of naval architecture to the high school teams—and over our Winter Work terms, some Webb students opted to volunteer with teams local to their internships. In March another group of Webb students continued our annual tradition of volunteering at the Long Island FIRST robotics regional. Students volunteered for three days, serving in vital roles like robot inspectors, and helping to disassemble the field at the events closure. This spring, Webb Institute started recruiting students at regional robotics events. Webb students teamed up with Webb alumni to attend several regional events in Boston, New York City, Houston, and Albany. At these events our student-alumni teams manned college fair-style booths and were given the opportunity to walk through the competition and interact with students to talk about Webb. 20

Top: FIRST robotics regional. Above: Tim Siepmann ’17 and John Roussin ’17

The robotics recruitment season culminated with three students attending the FIRST robotics World Championships. This event pulled together more than 12,000 high school students, all with some interest in engineering or science, to compete with their machines under the Edward Jones Dome in St. Louis. The students were graciously hosted by freshman Jon Roussin’s family. With so many students in attendance, the Webb pamphlets went fast. We hope that these events, and more like them in the future, will continue to build interest in Webb Institute across the country and even the world. – Nolan Conway ’15

SEO VIDEO

NEW FUNCTIONS

DESIGN REVISION PARENT PORTAL

USER EXPERIENCE The Website Committee has been hard at work on the redesign of the main Webb.edu site. Our goal is to enhance the user experience with a visually appealing site that is easier to navigate; one that will feature a newly integrated Merchandise Store and Alumni and Parents portals that will all epitomize the essence of Webb Institute. The Website Committee consists of a varied selection of members of the Webb community who have a strong interest in the development and re-branding of Webb.edu. Members include: Kerri Allegretta, Director of the Media Relations and Communications Department (MRC); Anthony Pizziatolla, Assistant Director of MRC; alumnus and Board of Trustee member, Wombi Rose ’09; alumni Hampton Dixon ’11 and Robert Reed ’89; and students Nolan Conway ’15, Satchel Douglas ’15, and Evan Wingfield ’15. This assortment of members represents all user groups. The newest member of the team, Anthony Pizziatolla, joined Webb in March. His previous experience in IT, website design and development makes Anthony an excellent addition to the team. Kerri and Anthony have mapped out the current site and worked with department heads to ensure all content is relevant and up-todate for the new site. The integration of video into the site is another

du e . b eb w @

primary objective for the committee, and Hampton, Wombi, and Robert created the script for a new video that will be debuting when the new website launches. A number of videos were proposed and are currently in different phases of production, some of which include the sailing team, Founder’s Day, Winter Work, and Monday Lectures. The MRC is going to work with the students to form new video ideas as well. The video will feature the cutting-edge technology at Webb and highlight the scenic sites of the campus as well as student research. Currently, the committee is working with web developers and designers to create a few mock-up sites. Once a company is selected, the committee will offer input and guidance during the design and testing phase. Another goal of the committee is to ensure that the new site will have search engine optimization (SEO). SEO is vital for a website, making it visible to search engines and in turn helping people find Webb online. Proper page titles, optimized page copy, and the overall structure of the site were topics that the group all agreed were essential items that need to be addressed in the redesign. The projected date for the launch of the new site is winter 2014. Please check our current website for updates!

Alumni: Are You Interested in Having a Webb Email Address? Your alumni email would be hosted by Webb. When corresponding with folks in the industry, it’s a great, inexpensive and personal way for alumni to advertise their association with Webb Institute. If you’re interested, please contact Peter Miller at pmiller@webb.edu

W E B B N E W S

Alumni Association Report:

What’s new with WAA

t is with great honor and pleasure that I assume the role of Webb Alumni Association president in this very special year of Webb’s 125th Anniversary. The work that was done by so many alumni to create such a special Homecoming was a true credit to all. I express the gratitude of all alumni when I thank the 125th Anniversary Committee for their efforts in putting together the truly spectacular celebration of Webb. Committee members included alumni Jay Carson, Rich Celotto, Roger Compton, Rob Conachey, John Costello, Joe Cuneo, Hampton Dixon, Todd Heidenreich, Ron Kiss, Michael Klein, Jeff Magrane, John Malone, Ian Mutnick, Jennifer Ryan, Gene Schorsch, Gailmarie Sujecki, Matt Tedesco and Matt Werner, as well as Kerri Allegretta. We are pleased to welcome new members to the WAA Executive Committee with this year’s elections held at the WAA Annual Meeting during Homecoming on May 17. Bringing new volunteers and new ideas to the Executive Committee is the only way to ensure that its mission of serving as a conduit between the school and the alumni remains viable and relevant. The elections were for the following officers, and the full committee is noted on the side bar. The WAA extends its sincere thanks to Matt Tedesco ’91, who will continue to serve on the WAA Executive Committee in the role of past-president, following his term as president. Matt has championed many efforts over the last few years, including the change

in by-laws to enhance the role of the regional coordinators. This action formalized much of what was occurring already, but has truly proven effective in helping to spread messages of particular importance to Webb. For the 125th Anniversary, this regional organization was a key factor in the ability to schedule alumni activities relevant to the celebration around the country. The WAA also thanks Rich Celotto ’73, who served as the past president member of the Executive Committee, following his second term as president (and who still continues to provide insight and guidance on WAA matters). The WAA was pleased to present the annual Athletic Awards to Ian Cho ’17 (Basketball, Volleyball), Ilya Mouravieff ’16 (Soccer, Volleyball), Connor Bennett ’15 (Soccer, Basketball, Tennis), and Chris Licato ’14 (Tennis, Running, Rock Climbing, Dalai Hockey). This past year the WAA played an integral role in the publishing of the update to the History of Webb. Answering a request from the committee led by Jay Carson, and with the approval of the WAA Executive Committee, the WAA was able to provide front money to the publishing effort, largely through the contributions from WAA Life Members over the years. The book has been submitted to the printer on schedule and will be delivered to Webb before graduation. The book is larger than expected, with 304 pages and 428 alumni biographies. The new book, “Webb Institute: 125

Jennifer E. Kollmer ’91

WAA President, 2014-2016

WAA Executive Committee Jennifer Kollmer ’91 President Peter Wallace ’93 Vice President Ian Mutnick ’96 Secretary Vicky Dlugokecki ’88 Treasurer Allan Childers ’12 Fifth Member Jennifer Ryan ’99 Sixth Member John Malone ’71 Chairman, Alumni Fund Stefan Wolczko ’09 Co-Chairman, Alumni Fund Matthew Tedesco ’91 Past President Matthew Werner ’95, PG’97 Historian Spencer Schilling ’82 Member at Large Joe Signorelli ’54 Member at Large Anthony Urbanelli ’75 Member at Large Dane Hendrix ’84 Audit Committee Sarah Wickenheiser ’08 Audit Committee Steve Pagan ’88 Nominating Committee Richard Kim ’11 Nominating Committee

Years of Excellence,” is now available in the school store for $75. Numbered, personalized bookplates are available for an additional $25 donation. Proceeds will permit the WAA to continue to fund efforts in support of Webb and our alumni. With that in mind, I commented at the Annual Meeting that the dues process is in review with the Executive Committee and the Administration of Webb. The collection of dues has always been inefficient, with funds being transferred repeatedly between Webb and the WAA. Many alumni have offered feedback that it is inconvenient to make two separate transactions to process dues and their annual donations. Each year, there are cases where dues and donations to the school are made through the wrong processing portal and need reconciliation.

Additionally, the WAA pays significant bank fees for the ability to collect dues via credit card online, in addition to the fees Webb pays to maintain their online processing system. At the annual meeting it was proposed the by-laws be modified to permit the WAA Executive Committee to elect not to collect dues separately and instead enter into a Memorandum of Understanding with Webb to fund the activities of the WAA directly from the Alumni Fund. The details of this proposal are being developed further based on feedback obtained at the annual meeting, and will be presented no later than the Annual Banquet in October, along with a ballot for any by-laws change. I look forward to seeing you at the Webb Alumni Association Annual Banquet in Houston on Friday, October 24, 2014.

A Global Leader • New Construction • Support Services • Repair • Conversions • Engineering

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Freshmen Finesse Firefighting Skills On June 4, the Class of 2017 participated in a basic firefighting training course at the Military Sealift Command Training Center East in Freehold, NJ. The course is intended to prepare students for the two months spent at sea during sophomore year. After a brief safety lecture, students were outfitted in full firefighting gear and taken to the section of the facility that the instructors call Fire World. The centerpiece of Fire World is a full-scale steel model of a ship’s deckhouse, designed to simulate the types of fires that typically occur at sea. The training began with a lesson on how to use one of the most important firefighting tools, the fire hose. Once this was complete, the real fun began: Equipped with oxygen tanks and air masks, students worked in teams of two to put out an oil fire in a machinery space, braving dark compartments and extremely high temperatures. Other components of the course included putting out grease and electrical fires, and the use of fire extinguishers and foam. The day ended with a challenging exercise in which students were tasked with putting out a deck fire on board the mock ship. Of course, before heading back to Webb, the students made sure to take plenty of photos in their firefighting gear!

Webb Admits a Record Number for Class of ’18

Come late August the freshman classroom will be bursting at the seams, as a record number of 28 freshmen descend upon the campus to begin their four years at Webb. Representing 17 different states and the nation of Turkey, this will be one of the most geographically diverse classes ever enrolled at Webb. Members of the class of 2018 bring with them many interests and extra-curricular activities that will help keep Webb a vibrant community. Almost all the members of the incoming class did community service projects at home, either through their schools or local community groups. Eight members of the class are active sailors at home—and our soccer, volleyball and basketball teams as well as our running club and the WooFS will also benefit when the new class arrives. This group of 28 was chosen from a pool of over 100 applicants, and each one brings the kind of academic record that is not just expected but necessary to handle Webb’s academic load and pace of work. We congratulate the incoming freshmen, and wish them the best. You will be seeing more of the class in our online newsletter and website this fall. We’re looking forward to their arrival.

Adventures in Offshore Technology:

OTC in Houston I

n the first week of May, the junior class, exchange students, and Professor Onas traveled to Houston for the 2014 Offshore Technology Conference. The trip was sponsored by the TK Foundation and by the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). We were grateful to be offered housing in beautiful apartments provided by ABS; as soon as we arrived in Houston, we held a class barbecue by the pool at the apartments. Early the next morning, we loaded into the vans and headed to the conference. We had been told stories that made the conference seem mythically large and awe-inspiring: all the stories were true. Booths of varying sizes filled the auditorium, and inside the booths there were models of all types, product samples, simulators and, of course, coffee. We spent most of Monday wandering around and attending technical sessions on different parts of the offshore industry. Many of my classmates had questions about ship design or thesis that they hoped to get answered by tech reps; with over 2,500 exhibitors present this strategy was very successful. On Monday evening, approximately half the group were able to attend a dinner hosted by The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) and met prominent naval architects and marine engineers from

around the world. Throughout the four days of the conference, students participated in a mentorship program sponsored by SNAME that paired students with mentors based on interests and specialties. The mentors then toured the conference and introduced students to company representatives and prospective employers. On Tuesday afternoon, Webb students were hosted by Tom Koster ’67 for a series of presentations by industry experts. The first presentation, from Bas Buchner of Marin, was titled “Testing of Offshore and Other Projects in the Deepwater Wind-wave-current Basin at Wageningen.” The second presentation, by Omar De Andrade of Sofec, was titled “Design and Installation of FPSO Deep Water Moorings.” The final presentation by Tom Koster was on “FPSO Structaural Analysis Including Topside Module and Deep Water Mooring Interfaces.” The presentations were informative, and afterwards all presenters

took multiple questions from the students. We finished off the day with dinner at the Flying Saucer with Professor Onas. Early on Wednesday, part of the group traveled to Chevron’s engineering offices for a discussion on drilling methods and engineering by Lowell Dickerson ’10 and his coworkers. The subject of drilling and completing a well is not part of the Webb curriculum, but it is useful knowledge for a naval architect planning to work in the offshore industry. In the afternoon, we continued to tour the booths and attend technical presentations. Returning to the conference on Thursday before our flight home, students had a final opportunity to talk to companies or tech reps as needed. A few ship design groups met with mentors to gather some final information and advice. We all made our flight with time to spare, and headed back to Webb tired but with a deeper understanding of the offshore industry—and a pocket full of business cards. We are very grateful to the TK Foundation and ABS for supporting our trip, and to Webb for allowing us to spend some time learning off campus. – Satchel Douglas ’15

Webb Winter Work: A A Texas-sized Gathering in Houston

Students in Houston Visit Battleship Texas: Houston Winter Work Gathering Part Two

This past February 6, there was an unusually large Webb presence in Houston. Thirteen Webb students in the city for Winter Work joined 22 Houstonarea alumni with eight spouses/ friends for an Alumni/Student dinner. Special guests included President Michel, who showed the new documentary about Webb; Dean Neilson, who gave an update of school and student activities; and SNAME President Peter Noble, who emphasized the importance of our professional society in the exchange of ideas and education. Other guests included Webb Trustee Bruce Rosenblatt and three of the workterm sponsors.

Tom Gillette ’52 gave six Webb students in Houston for their winter work terms a special tour of the battleship Texas, BB 35, on January 18. The Texas was built at Newport News in 1912, and was active through the end of WW II. Tom is the engine room and fire room docent on the Texas, which is now berthed at the San Jacinto State Park. “We spent the day given a tour around the Battleship Texas by Tom Gillette, with a special emphasis on the naval

architecture and marine engineering details of the vessel,” says Erin McElroy. “He also spent time retelling his experiences from Pearl Harbor on Dec. 7, 1941, as well as his involvements with the Exxon Valdez. It was an amazing time, and I think all the students were very impressed with Tom. It was humorous to see Tom being far more nimble than students from the Class of 2014 while climbing through lightening holes.”

Our Webb group in front of an A-type boiler on the battleship Texas. From left to right, are: Wesley Yland ’15, Erin McElroy ’15, Gabriel Poritz ’15, Tom Gillette ’52, Amy Zahray ’14, Ben Rockwell ’15, Michael Chen ’15, and Stefan Kuczera ’15.

At Home with the Malones

From left to right: Matt Tedesco ’91, Connor Bennett ’14, Jenna Ferrieri ’11, Lalena Janke ’17, Andrew Arnold ’17, Kyle O’Sullivan ’17, Brian Mills ’16, Zach Gilfus ’15, John Malone ’71, John Carlson ’14, Will Markuske ’10, and Dave Smith ’14.

Amy and John Malone ’71 hosted their annual Webb Interns Dinner at their home, February 1, 2014. As usual, there were a few alums present as well as the interns. The group enjoyed a variety of appetizers and a great dinner (Amy came through again!), but all were disappointed when a pump failure forced them to abandon the much anticipated post-dinner soak in the hot tub. Even with all that high-powered Webbie talent at hand, plus an emergency visit by John’s pool service technician, they were unable to fix the pump, as a new impeller had to be ordered. The timing of the pump failure confirmed the truth of Murphy’s Law.

A Unifying Tradition Fun Smaller Winter Work Gatherings in Southern Virginia Unfortunately, a large group event did not work out during winter work—but on the bright side, the Ryan family (Jennifer Ryan ’99) hosted the five local Winter Work students for dinner on February 23. A delicious dinner of spinach salad, steak, potatoes dauphinois, and dessert was served, and the Southern Virginia-based students declared that it was the best they had eaten during Winter Work! Additionally, the five Winter Work students employed at Newport News Shipbuilding joined up with the Apprentice School student section of SNAME to tour the NOAA ships Henry Bigelow and Reuben Lasker on February 19. These ultra-quiet vessels are used for fisheries surveys; the Reuben Lasker was brand new, just delivered in November 2013 and not yet commissioned. Thanks to Geoff Left to right: Chris Herrel ’17, Elli Wunder ’14, Spencer Boyd ’17, Isaac Wilkie ’82 at NOAA for providing contact information for the visit! Kremers ’17, Tim Siepmann ’17, Jennifer Ryan ’99.

ASNE Day/Winter Work Gathering in DC Area

Vince Wickenheiser ’08, Andy Lachtman ’11, Alana Duerr ’08, Phil Duerr ’09, Liz Singleton ’07, Sarah Wickenheiser ’08, and Kathleen Cain ’07.

Bryce Bartling ’13, Gerardo Nixon ’12, Ted Dickenson ’92, and Rich Celotto ’73.

Friday, February 21, 2014 marked the annual ASNE Day/Winter Work gathering for the DC Area Webb Alumni Association. One current student, working in the area for the winter, joined over 30 alumni and guests for a pleasant evening of socializing at the Crystal City Sports Pub in Arlington, VA. The group is looking forward to another event, on April 5, to celebrate the 125th Anniversary of Webb Institute at the Fort Myer Officer’s Club, also in Arlington.

John Hootman ’01, Scott Henry ’97, Perry Connell ’97.

W E B B N E W S

The Spirit of Webb at Work and at Play D

espite what friends and family insist on telling me, it still doesn’t feel my time at Webb is truly over. While my perception of time has never been the best, however, I think I speak for everyone when I say the semester has yet again galloped by at untold speed. As we lurch towards the summer with each passing day, I’m proud to report that the student body has stayed true to its energetic and active nature. It was quite a sight to watch classmates reunite in March after their adventures all around the world while stories were swapped and lost time made up. This energy flowed directly into our annual ski trip at the end of our first week back, as we rode up to Okemo Mountain in Vermont. We were fortunate enough to endure the weekend without any casualties, and then it was back to the Institute to truly begin the semester.

However, most interesting things we do typically occur on campus. Webb students have continued their tradition of mild athleticism this spring, with the juniors taking the 2014 Dalai Championship after a heated suddendeath game with the seniors. We’ve also been active in sports that the outside world recognizes, such as sailing, volleyball, basketball, and tennis. On a more creative note, freshman Hannah Wistort has started a Webb Jazz Band that played at our SNAME Student Papers Meeting on May 1. Despite temperamental weather this year, Founder’s Day was yet again a success, thanks to the efforts of every member of our Webb family whether they were students, faculty or administration. This spirit of giving back was shown yet again as student volunteers participated in the annual maintenance of William Webb’s Mausoleum in Woodlawn Cemetery.

John R. Carlson ’14 Student Organization President

The civic spirit typical to Webb students has also carried on through the variety of community service projects organized by our students, such as engineering workshops for Troop 6 of the Boy Scouts, a Nissequogue River cleanup, and cooperation with the Ronald McDonald House of Long Island. As tough as it is to move out of a mansion on the coast of Long Island, it is comforting to know that my colleagues and friends in the Student Organization are broadening their horizons and achieving new heights with every semester. It’s been an honor serving as the President of this organization, and I can’t wait to see what their future brings.

Webb Photo Contest Congratulations Matt Weklar ’15 whose photo entry of Homecoming won our contest.

Webb Institute reprises its role as Wayne Manor for Fox Channel’s fall TV show “Gotham” “Before there was Batman, there was ‘Gotham’.” “Gotham” is an original story about the great DC Comics super-villains and vigilantes, revealing an entirely new chapter that has never been told—and Webb Institute is once again starring as the backdrop for Wayne Manor. Indoor and outdoor filming took place here in March, and the production company hopes to return to film exterior shots in the future. While the filming took place in the student dining room, lunch was provided for the campus community in the Alumni Gymnasium, as was dinner for the students that night. The “Gotham” pilot will premiere in the fall on Fox, so check your local listings. Stars include Ben McKenzie, Jada Pinkett-Smith, Zabryna Guevara, Harvey Bullock, Robin Lord Taylor, Erin Richards and David Mazouz. To see the first trailer for “Gotham”, check out insidetv.ew.com/2014/05/05/gotham-trailer/

Generous Pledges for Phonathon 2014 The Class of 2017—22 in total—were able to ring up $121,000 in pledges at this year’s Phonathon, and this number is already increasing as those who made an unspecified pledge amount are sending in their generous gifts. Three sittings were held over two nights in early April, and the students securing the highest dollar amount in pledges were: Nick Ratinaud with $28,129, Ian Lawson with $13,975, and Ryan Fagan with $7,050. Special thanks to the students and to the many alumni, past parents and friends who so generously pledged.

campus news Winning Strategies: Spring Sports at Webb Tennis Team Courts a Crop of New Players Having lost many tenured players the previous year, the spring tennis team recruited new and aspiring tennis stars, and Flight One captain Chris Licato describes the 2014 tennis team as “a young, new, supple team.” Webbie freshman Nick “Shatinaud” Ratinaud, junior Evan “Just-a-glance” Wingfield, and Matt Graham began their tennis careers this spring with eagerness and energy, and their hard work seems to be paying off. Thus far, the Webb tennis team has claimed a solid win over Vaughn College and was just shy of a victory in a strong fight with Pratt Institute. A tournament was held on Saturday, May 3, where captain Licato expected many matches to be won. The team also looks forward to a Homecoming hitting activity with Webb Alumni.

Smooth Seas for Webb Sailing This semester has been very interesting for the sailing team, which is comprised mostly of freshmen and sophomores. An exceptionally long winter resulted in a slow start, but the opening regatta was a team race down at Washington College in Maryland, and it proved a great way to start the season. After this regatta, the team switched their focus to fleet racing in order to prepare for the qualifier that was a few weeks later. While practicing the team apparently did something right— because they qualified at Cornell for the Leroy Grant regatta! Since the qualifier, the team has gone to several regattas, and it’s been a very successful season overall. Our young, enthusiastic team sees the future looking very bright over the next few years.

Climbing Club Scales New Heights

Volleyball Team Serves Up Success The Webb volleyball team proved very successful this season, placing third in the HVIAC championship. The team is still in a stage of rebuilding after losing many valuable players the past two years. But upcoming talent from sophomores setter Ilya Mouravieff and hitter Brian Mills, as well as the skill of several juniors, led the team to multiple wins and defeating rival Sarah Lawrence in both matches. The volleyball team looks forward to an incredibly auspicious 2015 season, with a concrete team of experienced players that mean business. The Webbies end the season with a 3-7 record.

This semester, Webb Climbing Club has been charging hard at Island Rock Climbing Gym. They have been going once a week, with an average attendance of four climbers each week. We actually have ten students who are frequent climbers, but everyone knows how hard it is to schedule around the Webb workload. Some of our top climbers this semester have been Casey Brown ’12 and Andy Thompson ’13, who have been really killing some tough routes in the 5.10+/5.11 range. Zach Backas ’12 and Bree Louie ’17 have been very impressive in terms of consistent, steady improvement through the entire semester. “It’s really nice to be able to release some frustration with some challenging climbing,” says Webb senior Nathan Fast. “There’s nothing that compares to the feeling of ascending a tough route.” Every route in the gym has its own unique challenges—and everyone in the club has their own strengths and weaknesses, so we learn from and push each other a lot. Climbing is just as much about technique and strategy as it is about strength. “There are two goals I have when I go each week,” says Webb Climbing Club founder Thompson. “I want to climb better than I did last week, and I want to climb better than my climbing partner.” There’s always internal competition between everyone in the club, he adds, “but at its core climbing is still more of a personal journey. You always want to keep growing as a climber.” Overall, the Webb Climbing Club has had a lot of fun this year. Since the club is still in its infancy, its goals are to continue to grow—and to encourage some of the current underclassmen to do more with the club in the future, including outdoor trips or competitions. 31

campus news Gone Fishin’… and Skiing, and Dancing, and Partying, and to Broadway… Student Activities at Webb After doing some exceptional Winter Work at locations around the globe, Webb’s undergraduates have returned for an exciting spring semester. Webb students and alumni volunteered their time to attend various Robotics conferences throughout the country, including events in Boston, Houston, St. Louis, and New York. Their mission was to promote Webb Institute, and to introduce the world of boat designing to bright young engineering minds.

Snow Nice: Webbies Winter in Vermont Not ones to pass on a good opportunity, Webbies traveled to legendary Vermont where they tested their sticks on Okemo Mountain. More than 60 students participated in the field trip, taking a coach bus north to a lodge in beautiful Rutland. For some it was their first time on the mountain, others were seasoned veterans, but the conditions were great and allowed all the skiers and snowboarders to glide down the mountain like true winter sportsmen. The journey was punctuated by a dinner at the Ponderosa Steakhouse, where the students were able to soak up the energy needed to return to their studies. All in all, a winter success story!

Now Available…

2013 Binnacle at the Student Store

From Arty to Party For students who had enough of the long winter there was an outing to beautiful and warm New York City. “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow” was the theme as they attended “Sleep No More,” a retelling of one of Shakespeare’s most famous works, “Macbeth.” The play was staged at the McKittrick Hotel, where each room housed a different scene from the play. Those who still have the Broadway fever are in luck, as the there will be another trip in to New York to see “Les Misérables” in June of this year. “As engineering students, it is important that we expand our horizons and embrace that foreign concept that is the liberal arts,” says Elli Wunder, chairman of the Culture Club at Webb. “That’s where culture club comes in.”

Spring is a time of rebirth and celebration, and Webb is no stranger to good old-fashioned fun. The St. Patty’s Day party went off without a hitch, bringing green ale and clothing to the Pub—and the second installment of good times will arrive on May 3, where, if weather permits, there will be a party on the terrace to celebrate Cinco de Mayo. (Although Tres de Mayo seems more fitting.) Then of course there is Webbstock! This celebration has been woven into the very fabric of Webb Institute, and it’s a fine way to celebrate another year on Long Island Sound. This year’s performers included Joe Rock & the All-Stars, Polka Brothers, The Wayward Way, and our very own Webb Jazz Band, Connor O’Sullivan, Adam Higgens, and many more!

Going the Distance: a Webbie Completes the LI Marathon

Bodies in Motion It may seem like a stretch, but yoga has warrior posed its way onto the Webb campus. Under the direction of the wonderful Michelle Capobianco, students, faculty, and staff have been learning this ancient form of bending. Warrior One Webbies were able to hit the mats at yoga sessions every Monday from 4–5 pm in the Alumni Gymnasium or on the front lawn, and a balanced time was had by all. Even those with two left feet were able to get their groove on at a ballroom dance class held on May 9 in the main hall. Waltzing Webbies were everywhere—and we learned to do the salsa, fox trot and many other dances in preparation for Homecoming and Webbstock.

Webb Blood Drive The Webb Blood Drive took place on May 12 of this year. We received 21 pints of blood!

Gone Fishin’! The exclamation point of our Webb sentence will come with a fishing trip run by Professor Hennings. The trip took place on May 31, and has become as legendary as its leader. Webbies casted their lines in hopes of capturing a portion of the bounty that is Long Island Sound aquatic life.

On May 4, I ran the Long Island Marathon in East Meadow on Long Island. I was the fifth woman to cross the finish line, and I won my age group with a time of 3:27:48, but despite my wonderful time and place, I was in no way, shape, or form prepared for the race. Yes, I am a dedicated runner—but Webb seems to have a way of getting in the way of things. Between school work on the weekdays and sailing on the weekends, I found it hard to fit in long runs. And if I wasn’t prepared enough already, I developed shin splints about a month before the race. It got to the point where I couldn’t run and could barely walk! Fortunately, I stayed relatively in shape with swimming, lifting, and yoga, and before I knew it, it was finally race day. The morning of race day, however, built upon my series of unfortunate events: I couldn’t sleep, I forgot my race pins, and I lost some of my energy gels. Despite all the setbacks, I finally made it to the starting line, and at 8 am the gun went off, and I was off, too. As I began to move, all of my worries, concerns, and pains faded away. It was just the road and me out there, and one by one the miles went by. Songs entered and left my head. I felt at peace. And although the last few miles were a little rough, I finally saw the finish line. With the last of my energy, I ran across it. On the other side, I was greeted with food, water, the ground, and a place for my feet to rest. –Erin A. Hub ’16

FACULTY POSITION AVAILABLE AT WEBB INSTITUTE PROFESSOR OF STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING—SHIPS AND OFFSHORE VESSELS AND PLATFORMS The ideal candidate will have: The successful candidate will be expected to maintain, and • A master’s degree in a relevant discipline, doctorate preferred teach sessions in, the structural engineering laboratory as well • A minimum of five years’ experience in structural design and as provide classroom instruction and be available for student analysis in the offshore industry consultation on a regular basis. Faculty members are free to • Extensive knowledge of ship structures perform research or consulting engineering during the winter • Familiarity with the rules of at least one major classification and summer breaks, as well as during the semester provided the society work does not conflict with their teaching load. • Expertise in the use of finite element analysis software Please send a cover letter and resume via email to • Five years teaching experience jobs@webb.edu, reference “Professor of Structural Engineering”. • Experience in the design of appropriate laboratory experiments 33

W E B B N E W S

alumni news

in memoriam

1940

Captain Richards T. Miller, USN (Ret), a retired naval architect and engineer died December 7, 2013 at the age of 95.

He was an honorary member of the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1941. Commissioned as an ensign, CC-V(S), USNR on graduation from Webb, he was called to active duty, September 1940. During WWII he served as assistant hull superintendent, building the battleships Iowa and Missouri at the New York Naval Shipyard in 1940–41, and as assistant supervisor of shipbuilding in Annapolis, responsible for inspection of the construction of submarine chasers, PTs and other small craft in ten yards in the northern Chesapeake Bay and lower Delaware Bay areas in 1941–45. After the war he transferred to the regular Navy, and his tours of duty included serving as planning and estimating superintendent at Boston Naval Shipyard; head of the preliminary design branch, Bureau of Ships; commanding officer and director of the Mine Defense Laboratory, Panama City, FL, and director of ship design at the Naval Ship Engineering Center. After retiring from the Navy in 1968, he was a fellow engineer at the oceanic division of Westinghouse in Annapolis, and a consultant with Gibbs and Cox in New York on a destroyer design from 1969 to 1970. From 1970 to 1979 he was an engineering manager with Westinghouse. He retired from Westinghouse in 1979, and until recent years served as a consultant for various ship design and engineering projects and as an arbitrator of admiralty cases concerning ship building and repair contracts. He wrote a number of articles on ship design matters, co-authored a book on sailing yacht design, and was co-founder of the Chesapeake Sailing Yacht Symposia. His memberships included SNAME, of which he was a life fellow and honorary vice president; the American Society of Naval Engineers; the United States Naval Institute; the Society of Sigma

Xi; the Christie Society of the Maryland Board for Professional Engineers; the NY Yacht Club; and the Annapolis Yacht Club. He was awarded the Webb Alumni Association’s William Selkirk Owen Award in 1983. He married his first wife, Jean Spear Miller, in 1941, and lost her to cancer in 1983. He is survived by his second wife, Alice Houghton Miller, whom he married in 1984; two daughters from his first marriage; a stepson and a stepdaughter from his second marriage; grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. A memorial service was held December 13, 2013.

1943

Henry B. Suydam passed away peacefully at home on January 10, 2014 at the age of 92. After graduating from Webb he worked at Marinship and then at the hydrodynamics division of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics, where he designed and tested models of seaplanes and supervised full-scale tests of B-24 bomber aircraft to improve crew survival in emergency ditching. He then worked at Grumman Aviation as a flight test project engineer. He eventually was promoted to deputy director of operations analysis, and was responsible for day-to-day operations of the organization, which carried from 70 to 135 senior analysts. Outside of his professional career he was involved as a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts; an elder and chairman of the board of Old First Presbyterian Church in Huntington, Long Island, and chairman of the Cold Spring Harbor School Board. After serving the Village of Lloyd Harbor for five years as trustee and one year as deputy mayor, he retired from Grumman in 1984. It was then that he and his wife moved back to Montgomery, NY; they eventually moved to Virginia to be closer to their children and grandchildren. Mr. Suydam is survived by his wife of 70 years, four children, seven grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren.

Philip Thiel passed away peacefully at home at the age of 93 on Saturday, May 10, 2014, surrounded by family and friends. Professor Emeritus of Architecture and Urban Planning at the University of Washington, Naval Architect and community activist. Thiel was born in Brooklyn, NY. He received BS and MS degrees in naval architecture from the Webb Institute and U. Michigan (1948) respectively, and a BS in Architecture from MIT (1952). He taught Naval Architecture at MIT (1949-50), Architecture and Design at UC Berkeley (1954-60), the UW (196191), the Tokyo Institute of Technology (1976-78) and the Sapporo School of Arts (1992-98). He authored three books, Freehand Drawing (1965), Visual Awareness & Design (1981), People, Paths & Purposes (1997), and co-founded the magazine Environment & Behavior (1969). In his retirement, Thiel revisited his naval architecture roots, designing a series of pedal-powered wooden boats and became more involved in community activism, spearheading efforts for people-centered urban design, including the current effort to create a public plaza as part of the U.District Sound Transit station. He is survived by his wife of 59 years Midori Kono, son Kenji, daughters Tamiko and Kiko, his sister Janet Bachman, and granddaughter Ravenna. His other son Peter Akira died in 1978.

1950

Robert V. Pierce, 84, of Niantic, CT, died on November 30, 2013, in YaleNew Haven Hospital. He married Marie Filskov on May 2, 1953, in South Amboy, NJ. He retired after a long career as the director of quality assurance at Electric Boat in Groton in 1992. He served as chairman of the board of education in East Lyme from 1962 until 1971. Mr. Pierce is survived by his loving wife Marie, his four sons, six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

PG’53

William Wegner of Fredericksburg, VA, passed away on April 18, 2014 at the age of 87.

After an interesting and challenging childhood, Mr. Wegner graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1948. After graduation, he served on a light cruiser and an aircraft carrier, eventually rising to the rank of commander. Over the years, he received Master of Science degrees in naval architecture and marine engineering from Webb Institute, and a Master’s degree in nuclear engineering from M.I.T. In 1956, Adm. Rickover, the “father of the nuclear Navy,” selected him for the Navy’s nuclear program. He served for 16 years as Adm. Rickover’s deputy director. He received distinguished service awards from both the Defense Department and the Atomic Energy Commission, and an exceptional service medal from the Department of Energy. In 1979, Mr. Wegner retired from the government and formed Basic Energy Technology Associates with fellow naval reactor retirees. They provided technical services to more than 25 nuclear utilities, and to other commercial and governmental organizations. From 1989 to 1992, he provided technical assistance on nuclear matters to the secretary of energy. He served on the Detroit Edison board of directors from 1990 to 1999. He also served on the NASA Review Group, which performed an independent assessment of NASA’s “Return to Flight” efforts following the Space Shuttle Columbia accident. Mr. Wegner was a devoted family man throughout his life. He took great pride and interest in all of his children’s activities and professions, and was especially involved in his sons’ bronze art-casting foundry, Wegner Metal Arts in Fredericksburg. He was also an accomplished artist himself. Besides painting and etching, his other favorite activities included ship-model building, boating, fishing, reading and spending time with

his family in the Northern Neck. Mr. Wegner was married to the late Jane Rory Wegner for 59 years. He is survived by five children, 17 grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren. One son, Mark, died in 2007. A private memorial service was held, followed by interment in the U.S. Naval Academy Columbarium at a later date.

1954

Robert Louis Williams, 82, passed away on April 17, 2014. He was preceded by his wife, Beverly, and is survived by his children Bryan and Larissa, and nieces and nephews Kathy McGill, Jim Ammen, Lynne Bryant, Sue Ammen, Lee Ammen, and Loni Jeffery. Born in Missoula, MT, Robert graduated from Webb Institute in 1954 with a BS in naval architecture and marine engineering. His career started with General Electric, first at the aircraft gas turbine division in Cincinnati and then in compressor design and cycle analysis at the small engine division in Lynn, MA. After working for two years, he embarked on a nine-month bicycling and hitchhiking European tour in a quest for adventure. After his return to the US as a seaman on a tanker, he worked as an aerodynamic engineer designing jet engines at Marquardt Corp. in Van Nuys, CA. It was there he met Beverly Ann Cottrell, and they were married on March 4, 1961. Again, with a mutual yearning for adventure, they set out on an 18month European trip in a VW camper bus, ending with a five-month stay on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain. On their return, he started a 30-year career with Lockheed Missiles and Space Company in Sunnyvale, CA, where his work included analysis, design and testing of PolarisPoseidon-Trident Missile systems. He also earned an MS in aeronautics and astronautics at Stanford University. After retiring from Lockheed in 1995

he said: “The best part of the missile program was we never had to use them.” Beyond work, Bob engaged in research and advocating of both solar energy and advanced transit. He worked closest with the Modern Transit Society, specializing in personal rapid transit systems. Bob and Bev never lost their sense of adventure and fun. They took their young children on many camping trips across the US, their favorite spots being Morro Bay and Yosemite. They traveled many places near and far. In Bob’s own words: “Children: two; states visited: 50; provinces: 10; countries: 56.” They passed their love of life and joy on to their children, who wished they could have had many more years with their devoted and loving parents. Robert was interred at Alta Mesa Memorial Park, joining his beloved wife in the Redwood Grove.

1959

Donald J. Szostak passed away in his home on January 14, 2014 at the age of 79.

After high school, he worked as an apprentice electronics mechanic at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard before earning a prestigious entry to Webb Institute, from which he graduated in 1959. He worked at Lockheed Missiles and Space Company in California, briefly before marrying Patricia Monahan in 1962. He was hired by General Dynamics, and they moved to Connecticut for a short time. Don moved on to a job with Marine Transport Lines in NYC, and settled in Chatham Township, NJ, where they raised 4 children. During his 13-year tenure at MTL, Don shifted his focus from engineering and technical work to business and operations management, attaining the position of VP of Operations. From there, continued on next page

W E B B N E W S

alumni news

in memoriam

he joined Navios Ship Management Services and Navios Corporation as VP of Operations, and within five years became President of that firm. In 1982 he moved on to Energy Transportation Corporation, and was President & COO there when he retired in 1992. In the almost 20 years preceding his retirement, Don also served as an arbitrator in marine, commercial and investment disputes. He was a member of the Society of Maritime Arbitrators, The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, the Royal Institution of Naval Architects, and the American Bureau of Shipping. After almost 30 years, Don and Pat moved to Maine and he started his own independent maritime consulting and arbitration firm. He and Pat lived in Maine for seven years before settling in Exeter, NH in 1999. He expanded his arbitration work, which he continued to enjoy until just a few months before his death.

In his younger years, Pat enjoyed hunting and fishing, and throughout his life he instilled his love of the outdoors in his children. Despite his busy career, Don always made lots of time to take them fishing, hiking, camping, and traveling. He also was fond of playing card games, and all his grandchildren loved to join in. He is survived by his wife of 51 years, Patricia; his stepmother Vera Szostak (age 100); a brother; his four children, Christine, John, Matthew, and Elizabeth; and his seven grandchildren ages 11 through 18.

1960

Clifford P. Meyer of Georgetown, DE, and formerly of Wakefield, RI, died at home surrounded by family on January 12, 2014 at the age of 74.

He was active in his church congregation, the Lutheran Church of Our Savior in Rehoboth Beach, DE. He was an avid collector/trader of US naval covers as a member of the Universal Ship Cancellation Society. Cliff had a passion for sailing, shipbuilding and the ocean. He worked his entire career for the electric boat division of General Dynamics. Cliff is survived by his wife of 51 years, Ann E.C. Meyer; children, Susan, Nancy, and Barbara; six grandchildren; and a brother and sister. He was predeceased by his brother, Keith. A memorial service was held on January 18. Interment was private.

1971

Philip J. Sims of Arlington, VA, died suddenly on March 10, 2014.

After graduating from Webb Institute of Naval Architecture, he received his MS in naval architecture from MIT in 1977. Upon graduation from Webb Institute, he joined the staff of the preliminary design division of the Naval Ship Engineering Center (NAVSEC) in July of 1971. Mr. Sims devoted his next 38 years to naval ship and systems design and development at NAVSEC and its successor organization, the Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). He was very proficient at developing naval ship concept and preliminary designs. As an indication of his talents, he updated the Navy’s destroyer-cruiser early-stage

design procedures and design studies for the CGN 42, the reserve FFX, and the DDX (later DDG 51) projects, as well as being involved in the feasibility and preliminary designs for the DDG 51 Class and many other combatants. He became the team leader on surface ship concept formulation (CONFORM) studies of new ships such as a heavy combatant and a survivable cruiser. These studies required evaluation of ship size, complexity, cost, survivability and overall mission effectiveness in a battle group context. Mr. Sims was the lead naval architect for the Iowa Class battleship modernization/ reactivation program, and later its ship design manager. As a member of the surface ship early-stage design group, Mr. Sims collaborated many times with the NAVSEA submarine design community on items of mutual technical interest. Mr. Sims created the first early stage aircraft carrier design synthesis computer program and performed aircraft carrier design studies as part of the sea-based air master study and CVV design. Later he participated in the CV(X) and CVN(X) cost and operational effectiveness analysis (COEA). He became the Navy’s expert on command ships, based on the numerous studies he conducted over the decades. Upon his retirement from NAVSEA in 2009, he joined the staff of CSC Advanced Marine Center, conducting feasibility studies and preparing guidance documents on the early stage ship design process. Mr. Sims was an esteemed member of SNAME and ASNE. In March 1995, he joined the newly formed marine forensics panel (later the marine forensics committee) where he contributed his talents as a naval architect and marine historian. He was chairman of the new investigations panel (MF-4) and later the secretary of the marine forensics committee as well as the April 2012 international marine forensics symposium until his untimely death in March 2014. For that international symposium, he authored the important paper “U.S. Navy WWII War Damage Reports.”

Besides all the specific ship design projects, Mr. Sims was always ready to apply his talents to his former co-workers, who may remember him best as the go-to person for all kinds of information about ships and ship design, including little-known and obscure information. For those who knew Phil well, he had avid interest in trains, planes and ships. He traveled around the world to further his interests in railroads and gun emplacements of historical importance. Phil is survived by his only sister, Suzan Hudgens of Fort Worth, Texas, and by two nieces, one nephew, and one great niece. The family plans to have Phil buried with his parents in Boerne, Texas and are planning a small graveside service with the immediate family sometime in June. If anyone chooses to make a contribution, they wish that the donation be sent to Webb Institute, Development Office, 298 Crescent Beach Road, Glen Cove, NY 11542-1398. Gifts should include a note: In memory of Philip Sims ’71.

1974

Steve Slaughter passed away on May 15, 2014 at the age of 62.

Steve worked at MCA since 1992, and partner/ co-owner of MCA since 2002. Naval architecture was his passion but he had a keen interest in finding practical solutions; he often referred to himself as a blacksmith.

1977

Douglas McLeod Wolff, Born on July 12, 1955, Douglas passed away on March 21, 2014.

His memorial service was held on March 29, and was well attended by co-workers from Foss Maritime Company, where Doug led the engineering department, as well as many others from Seattle’s marine industry who had worked with him over his long career. There were hundreds in attendance to pay tribute from the Boy Scouts, his church, to his family and friends. Doug returned to his Lord after losing a struggle with pancreatic cancer. He lived a strong span since he was diagnosed over a year-and-a-half ago. Doug was a lifelong naval architect and had a passion for maritime history. During his career at Marco Seattle, Elliott Bay Design Group, and Foss Maritime Company, he designed and supported operations for fishing vessels, tug boats, barges and ferries. Blessed in many ways, Doug felt a calling to service. He volunteered for many years as a Boy Scout leader and trainer, a youth soccer referee, and as a Stephen Minister at his church. While healthy, he donated

more than 400 units to the Puget Sound Blood Center. If anyone needed a helping hand, Doug was one of the first to offer. Survivors include his devoted and loving wife of 36 years, Sue; children, Matthew, Beth and Sally; and his two brothers, Steve and Rob. In addition to Doug’s family, many others will miss him deeply. Nonetheless, we rejoice with him in the promise of life everlasting. In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Fire Mountain Alumni Association (www.firemt.org) or Webb Institute (www.webb.edu). As mentioned, Doug was active in many areas and his love of the outdoors led him and his family this past December to go to the Bahamas where they were able to enjoy a week at the Webb time share. As recently as this past January, he and Sue hiked the three-quartermile Big Four Ice Caves trail at Monte Cristo in Washington state. He was very involved in his church and played an important part in its lay ministry. Doug was a good father, classmate and friend and will be missed by all. He was strong and positive in mind and spirit up to the end, and was frequently the one to offer support to those who called on him, rather than the other way around. He was an inspiration to all!

Over the last 20 months, Steve fought hard and overcame lung cancer, but when it developed into an aggressive form of leukemia shortly thereafter, the fight became unfair, despite the help of modern medicine and Steve’s resolve to find a solution. He is survived by his daughter, Anna.

alumni news

class notes

1950

Whitey Laurier writes: “The Class of 1950 has little to report other than that Al DelliPaoli, Dick Lagner, Dave Purdy, Niel Spillane, Charlie Zeien, and I continue to try and stay in touch via the telephone plus some email. (Yes, a few of us old timers use email sometimes.) Niel still volunteers at the Mystic Seaport and the local senior center, and I am still somewhat involved at the Watermen’s Museum in Yorktown, VA. However, old age and some health problems have slowed all of us down somewhat. My book, Greenway, Glass Marine and Chesapeake Fiberglass Workboats has been published and while available on Amazon, is certainly no “best seller.” (I am personally my best customer, and if any Webbie might want a copy, I will send them a free copy.) We all do hope to make Homecoming 2015 for our 65th Class of 1950 reunion!”

1954

Frank Falci reports: “I finally shut down the consulting business, International Energy Consultants, Inc., which I started in 1993, immediately after retiring from the US Department of Energy. The shutdown occurred in 2010, after a successful operation of 17 years. Since then, more of my time has shifted to family, friends, and trying to enjoy life. “Our daughter Jill continues to be active in telecom and information technology as a marketing specialist. She currently works for Verizon Enterprise Solutions, and is focused on the expansion and consolidation of Verizon technology services globally to large enterprise companies. Our youngest son, Craig, is currently with Ball Aerospace and Technologies Corporation, which has a legacy of supporting space and Earth science, national security, and intelligence programs. Ball has major specialties in sensors, signal processing, and control systems, and Craig is very active in these areas. Among these activities,

Craig is currently coordinating Ball programs in these technical specialties with his brother, Scott, for neurosurgical applications. One such application is the development of control systems for the operation of a racecar by a quadriplegic. Our oldest son, Scott, a neurosurgeon in Denver, CO, continues to be active in his practice and has recently expanded his activities to include a new biosciences company with a mission to explore the possibilities for the relief of pain for spinal-cord-injured patients. He is currently very active in the examination of sample tissue from his patients who have experienced severe pain, in coordination with a drug development company. He has also entered into the development of adaptive technologies for the benefit of paraplegics and quadriplegics. One of these activities is the assembly of a team of engineering and electronic companies (Arrow Electronics and Ball Aerospace, major electronic and surveillance contractors to DOD) to build a racecar that can be driven by a quadriplegic. Scott is doing this to raise the spirits of people in the paraplegic and quadriplegic communities. He has just launched a website (falcimotorsports.org) which covers his newly-established organizations to develop adaptive sports for paraplegics and quadriplegics. The website explains: Falci Adaptive Motorsports (FAM) is one of the world’s premiere adaptive sports organizations dedicated to the high-speed world of auto racing. Founded by Craig Hospital’s renowned chief neurosurgeon, Dr. Scott Falci, FAM has brought back the speed and the passion for both paraplegic and quadriplegic race car drivers, breaking through barriers for the entire handicapped world. Falci Adaptive Motorsports continues to push adaptive technology forward using our cars and drivers as the platform to advance the possibilities of adaptive motorsports. Wanda and I are trying our best to enjoy life and our memories.”

1958

Pete and Nancy Hall enjoyed a two-week South American cruise from Rio, Brazil around Cape Horn up to Valparaiso, Chile with many shore excursions. They didn’t get to Antarctica to complete being in all seven continents over the years. Webb started Pete with the sophomore cruise to Africa. Robert Goldbach introduced his recent book Siaman’s Tale: an Amazing Bahamian Adventure in the Bahamas last winter and received gratifying reader reviews. Siaman’s Tale targets pre-teen and early teen readers, and tells of a true 1979 kidnapping of the family cat to a remote island. Sale proceeds go to charities favored by Rob, and anyone wishing to send him a tax-deductible check for $20 made out to Webb Institute will receive a personalized copy mailed at his expense. He can be contacted at rdg@genesysassociates.com.

1959

Our class was saddened by the passing of our good friend Don Szostak last January. He was an amazing man who chose an amazing woman, Pat, to be his life partner in a flourishing marriage. Don’s professional career took him to the top corporate levels, yet he always was unassuming and friendly in his many relationships. Please read more about him on the In Memoriam page of Webb News. Pete and Jo Gale, and some others of our class, attended the Webb 125th Anniversary Homecoming this May. In addition, we all supported this important anniversary by submitting our “brief life” biographies for publication in the Webb 125th Anniversary Book. Bill Hurt retired from Boeing in June. He and his wife Ruth are still settling into their old Seattle home, which they rented out during their twenty years in England and Germany, and have an “infinite list of house

repairs.” Bill is eager to get back to his musical interests, especially playing the organ at St. Mark’s Cathedral. The Class of ’59 still lives in the afterglow of their reunion in Newport, RI last October. Diann Shope stepped up to the plate as editor and publisher of a book to commemorate this festive gathering, and it will be published before this issue of Webb News. Thanks Diann! We all have been impressed with the evolving development of Webb since our graduation. Now we’ve had a chance to be involved in the formative stages of the new Webb Strategic Plan, a bold vision for the years ahead. We wish good fortune and success to those who labor to raise funds to match their vision.

1963

Bill Birkhead wrote: “It has been a busy year for the Birkhead family. My second son, Will, and spouse, Jenn, have presented us with a second grandson, Reid, born in January. In the meantime, my oldest son, Clay, who married Charlotte in September, has a grandson, to be named Henry Clay Birkhead V, due in July. Except for Jenn, who was in her third trimester, the whole family made another trip to our favorite villa in Barbados last December. I still maintain my office with my law firm, and am still working with Bay Diesel and several affiliated companies for fun and profit. Marion and I spend several weeks each year in our place in Sarasota, where we enjoy the fruits (from our orange and lemon trees) of our labors.”

Ron Kiss wrote: “…pleased to report oldest grandchild graduated from high school on May 17 in Bristol, TN. Son, Captain Tom, moved from Command of USS Monterey to Chief of Staff at Naval Warfare Development Command in Norfolk. I’m still consulting, and racing my Flying Scot.”

1967

John Sirutis writes that he and Barb are back in San Diego after three exciting months camping in Australia. Grandchild number three arrived in time for the Hawaiian New Year’s Celebration. They’ll be in Sequim, WA for much of the summer, enjoying the Northwest and catching up with family and friends. “Give us a call, Mate.” continued on next page

continued on next page

alumni news

class notes

Bob Hall sent greetings from Amsterdam. At the time of writing he and Joyce were cruising the Danube and Rhine on a ship 410 feet long with a draft of five feet. Tom Koster helped host a Houston Alumni-Student-Employers dinner for 49 on February 6, during the time when a dozen Webbie students were in Houston for their winter work term. President Keith Michel, Dean Rick Neilson, and Trustee Bruce Rosenblatt also attended. Tom also represented Webb at the Memorial High School Science Fair, where he met Chris Licato ’15 and spoke to Nolan Conway ’15. They encouraged us to attend these fairs in our own neighborhoods as fertile grounds for Webb recruitment. Wayne Martin, on the occasion of the death of surfing and sailing guru Hobie Alter, claimed that he came in second only to Hobie in a race that featured all 16s except for Wayne’s 14.

Kit Ryan just came back from Maine seeing the christening of his last major ship project with the Navy: the USS Zumwalt, the “huge and wild-looking stealth destroyer.” He reported that Cathy is retiring at the end of the summer, which means a “little winding down,” then to Spain in October.

1972

Jim Antrim gave a talk to the Webb student body on “The Life of an Independent Yacht Designer.”

1977

Thomas A Wheaton wrote: “I retired in 2013 after over 35 years with various affiliates of a great company, ExxonMobil. My wife Jean and I are doing some traveling (Florida, Malaysia, Japan, Sri Lanka) and enjoying the

free time this last year. We moved to Houston from Virginia in 2011 and plan to continue to live here for the time being. My wife does some volunteering at a library downtown, and I am on the board of our Homeowners Association. Our two children, Christopher and Marissa, are both a couple of years out of college. Chris is a pharmacist in New Jersey and Marissa is currently working for SAP near Philadelphia.”

1988

Mitch Dmohowski and his wife Maria moved to Hawaii to work on their tans. Vicky Dlugokecki spent eight weeks during the spring with Larry Schober ’89 at a Gulf Coast shipbuilder, working on a new offshore construction vessel design. Larry and Vicky reminisced about their earlier days at C.R. Cushing and Co., working on a class of Del Monte reefer

vessels—Larry at the shipyard in Spain, working on a computerized spare parts system, and Vicky riding the ships after delivery, installing and setting up a computerized Planned Maintenance and Condition-Based Monitoring System. Vicky almost got to see Stevo (Steve Matz ’88) during her trip to ASNE in DC, but there was more DC traffic on a Friday than she planned, and at the last minute she bailed on him and his wife Lisa, who were very gracious about it.

1997

John Mixon wrote: It finally happened. I got married on May 17.

2001

Gwen and Jamie Benoit have lots of travel in and on the books, with Jamie recently completing trips to western PA and Ireland. Gwen is due to visit Germany and Italy this summer. The Benoits recently hosted a visiting John Hootman who is travelling the nation pushing his current hootch… a “country club spritzer drink” with champagne. Steve Geiger is happily engaged with plans to get married in New Jersey later in the year. No word if Steve will pull double duty and perform with his ska band at the reception. Patrick Hester recently completed a text book on systems engineering with a colleague that should be available through the publishers soon. He was also excited about taking a kid-less Memorial Day weekend trip to Montreal with Kasey. Elizabeth Jeffers just completed three full-time semesters and is now a certified secondary math teacher. After completing substitute teaching in the spring, she will be teaching at a few summer camps, including a “Float Your Boat” session centered on boat design principles for grade school students. She is looking forward to getting her own classroom this fall. Nate and Carrie Smith, along with daughter Nora, welcomed a daughter/

little sister to Door County in February. In between show shoveling, Nate was able to discuss optimum spider plant gardening techniques with Steve Van Denburg in March, as Steve and the kids visited while Heidi was completing a few months of work in Sturgeon Bay with Palmer Yachts. Steve recently celebrated his fifth wedding anniversary… it’s hard to believe it’s been five years since classmates were jumping off the roof into the pool while still wearing wedding attire!

2008

Porter Bratten reported: “Kami and I went on a sailing vacation to Thailand in February and had a great time. My Webb education played a key part in determining optimum sun tanning angles and implementing iterative optimization practices for happy hour. Morale was excellent, even when the boat developed a shaft seal leak and the bilge pump broke on the same day!”

John Sullivan and wife, Val, recently welcomed Mary Claire Sullivan to the world on April 21. After shredding the slopes (and his elbow) at Grand Targhee and Powder Mountain this past winter, Jason Updegraph is looking forward to spoiling his nephew and niece in Disney World in May and then taking an early autumn trip to Yosemite National Park with Rachel.

2003

Tom and Elizabeth Edwards are proud to announce they have been blessed with a little baby boy, their first. Aidan John Edwards was born November 1 at 6 lbs. 13 oz. and 21 inches long.

Johanna (Lee) and Mark Exner Johanna (Lee) Exner married Mark Exner on February 1, 2014, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. =

2006

Steve Stone got married on June 28, 2013 to Blaire Lorenz. They met at a sailing program when they were kids! There’s a whole lot of new babies in the Class of 2006! Jason and Lin Minett: Henry Louis Minett was born at 2:16 pm January 5 at 6 lbs. 1 oz. and 20 inches. Taylor and Becky Herinckx: Hudson Matthew Herinckx joined the human race early on April 15, at 7 lbs., 13 oz., 20-1/2 inches. Cyrus and Erika Lawyer: Sydney May Lawyer was born on December 29, 2013. Daddy’s birthday is December 23, so Christmas week is going to be a very busy time for Erika.

Johanna (Lee) and Mark Exner Sarah (Patrick) Wickenheiser is now a civilian naval architect at the U.S. Coast Guard Yard in Baltimore, Maryland. Leah Sosa graduated from the Delft University of Technology upon completion of her thesis on Magnus effect rotors. She has relocated within the Netherlands to Maastricht, where she will continue her career with Quantum as a hydrodynamic research engineer. continued on next page

alumni news

class notes

2009

Diana Look and her fiancé just bought a house and are excited for their wedding in July. “Recently, I ran a snowshoe 10k and didn’t die. So that was nice.”

article and am awaiting reviewers’ comments. I am working on a second article, and hopefully will be able to put out a third by the end of the summer. Also, I am very much looking forward to what will generally be considered the most amazing Class of 2009 reunion, celebrating graduating from Webb five years ago!” Josh McMinn and Elisti are moving out of Korea after three and a half years and heading to South Africa. “But ‘shhh’ because we are surprising Elisti’s family when we arrive July 5.”

Diana Look ’09 and her fiancé James Brown are pictured here on a drive down to Great Wolf Lodge in Virginia for their friend’s birthday party. Robert Carelli is just finishing up his deployment in the western Pacific and will be returning home to Oahu just in time to pack up and move to Bahrain for his next assignment. After the Wolfpack reunion and some rest on the East Coast, he and Lindy will be moving to Bahrain by way of Japan, China and the Trans-Siberian Railroad. Thesis, thesis, thesis! That’s all that’s on Phil Duerr’s mind. “The spring semester came and went very quickly. I have submitted one journal

Austin French continues to work at Electric Boat doing oddball jobs that he somehow finds himself involved with. Outside of work, he spends his time playing floor hockey, soccer and paintball. He just closed on a house where he hopes to plant apple trees and find a four-legged friend, once he finds someone to finance a fence. It’s Webbie wedding season! Much of Rorie Zuzick’s time during the next few months will be spent celebrating the marriages of recent Webb grads. “I attended Steve Cullity ’07’s wedding in May, and I’ll be the maid-of-honor in Diana Look ’09’s wedding in July, and a bridesmaid in Kathleen Cain ’07 and Steve Minnich’s ’08’s wedding in October. I’m thrilled for each of these brides and grooms and wish them all happy and healthy futures!” Bret Smart is still slaving away in the student life in the MBA program at INSEAD, Singapore. It has been

Webbies and friends from every continent but Antarctica gathered in Thailand last November for two weeks of bareboat cruising on a 46' Moorings catamaran named Ying Yang. Pictured above, here off Ko Hong from left to right are: Daniel Vieira, Andrew Cross, Jon Ward ’09, Mina Karakyriakou, Candice Nagel, Ryan Alexander, Jon Dowsett ’09, Niko Martecchini ’09, Barbra Rudolph, Lauren Bender, Bret Smart ’09, Stefan Wolczko ’09, and Michelle Krell.

tough: All the work-required trips to Nepal and Japan, plus his continued presence at Malt Mondays and Pub Quiz Wednesdays, and constant visits to the Singapore beach. Jon Ward finally started building the boat that he’s been working on for what feels like forever. “I’ve been travelling between Portland, OR and the East Coast lately. I’m looking forward to the Class of 2009 reunion.” Laura Patterson is getting close to finishing her PhD and is job hunting at the same time. Stefan Wolczko is working on completing his fifth year at Guido Perla and Associates, travelling frequently, and adding business development to his skill set. “I’m looking forward to the summer, and to the Class of 2009 reunion!” “I’m busy with two startup companies while studying for my MBA” says Wombi Rose. “John Wise and I founded LovePop Cards (www.lovepopcards. com) and are selling spectacular 3D pop up cards, including some great tall ship pop ups. We’re hoping to get on “Shark Tank!” I’m also working on a marine photo tagging application called Ship-Pix (www.ship-pix.com) to make it easier for marine professionals to find and share photos they take as part of their daily work. Webbie support from Niko Martecchini, Josh McMinn, Stefan Wolczko, Hampton Dixon ’11, Kyle Manis ’12, and Mark Martecchini ’79 has been incredible. I’m really looking forward to the ’09 reunion in a few weeks!” John Wise is staying very busy wrapping up the first year of his MBA program and is excited to be working on his startup, LovePop, with classmate Wombi Rose, over the summer. His main focus will be bringing the design and small scale production inhouse while building a sustainable international supply chain. He’ll be doing a good bit of travelling this summer, starting with the ’09 reunion in New York, working with suppliers in Vietnam, and training for

the Red Bull Dolomitenmann in South Carolina before competing in Austria! Andrei Mouravieff recently accepted a new position at NAVSEA. “I’m enjoying it so far!” Lauren Moeller is missing! Lauren, if you’re reading this, please get in touch with the Class Agent so that we can stay in touch with you. Jon Dowsett returned from a business trip to India, and a few days in the Maldives with friends tacked onto the end. He’s getting more involved in Maersk’s offshore business, and working very closely with Maersk Drilling on some of their newbuilds. He had a great time sailing in Thailand with friends from Webb and Cambridge back in November, and has been using a lot of his free time to work on the 125th Anniversary Webb Book, which is due out late this summer, and on organizing events for the newly established Shipping Professional Network in Copenhagen. “I’m getting excited for Homecoming, the ’09 reunion in upstate New York, a trip to Cancun with my brothers and sister, and a trip to Turkey with friends in the early fall.”

Freedom in for a two-week docking this April at Grand Bahama Shipyard. At the time of writing, the ship was in dock and Niko was busy dealing with a surprise stern tube repair. Things should be cooled down by next month, just in time for the Class ’09 reunion.

One of Niko Martecchini’s ships, the Carnival Freedom, in for a very busy two week docking at Grand Bahama Shipyard.

2010

Jacob Genauer has reverted to naval architecture. He moved to Houston and joined Braemar Engineering where the focus is on LNG. Nithiya is finishing her degree in Singapore and plans to join Jacob in Houston in 1Q 2015.

Rachel Sawyer and her husband recently adopted a dog, Seiji, who is a 5-year old red-sesame shiba inu.

Amanda Malarkey-Nair and Anil are living in Houston where they stay busy with equestrian pursuits and hiking.

Dan Wilson went to Nicaragua for Thanksgiving to enjoy some warmer weather and hike up some volcanoes. “Then I went to New Hampshire in February to ice fish and appear in a Nat Geo reality TV show in our moon base with Austin French ’09, Jon Ward ’09, Niko Martecchini ’09, the Business Associates (John Wise ’09 and Wombi Rose ’09), and Brendan Carr ’07. I’m looking forward to our five-year reunion, and can’t wait to see everyone!”

Will Markuske is living in San Diego with Jenna Ferrieri ’11, trying to sail their I-14. This fall he will be starting a new master’s degree in applied mathematics. He’s totally bro now and will bro it out at SDSU: Go Aztecs!

Andrew Harville completed his first Adventure Race recently. “Michelle and I are busy preparing for a mission trip to Kenya, to share our faith with the communities and connect people with their local churches.” Niko Martecchini has been really busy preparing to take the Carnival

Lowell Dickerson is planning deepwater completions and workovers for Chevron and is now able to spend more time at home in Houston with Christine. They recently welcomed Jacob to the area with a traditional tea ritual. Doug Slocum is still alive, sailing, and has refrained from punching any trees while mountain biking since Webb. Since becoming engaged, healthy doses of wedding planning have been thrown into the mix as well. Strangely, planning out Webb’s 125th Anniversary Celebration seems easier.

After three years at MIT, Simmy Willemann graduated in February with a dual MS in transportation and mechanical engineering and now consults at Marsoft while continuing to play violin, most recently in a hip-hop band. This summer she will be moving out to the Bay Area to join Apple as a Technical Program Manager in Operations, overseeing robotic innovation for the manufacturing of high-precision new product components. She looks forward to learning what ships and iPhones have in common.

2011

Ben Fisher is busy creating plans for a series of sea trials on the first hull of the U.S. Navy MKVI Patrol Boat program, on top of helping Maria chase a very mobile Rebecca around the house to stop her from putting everything in her mouth. He also can’t believe she was a year old in May! Time is really passing quickly for Hampton Dixon these days in the sandbox. As he approaches his one-year anniversary as Operations Manager, and with the successful completion of the BigOrange 25 DP project behind him, he is still looking for that spare time that was expected “next week.” After sailing from Rio de Janeiro to Cape Town in the Clipper Race, Jenna Ferrieri is looking for any excuse to get out of office life. She recently started teaching for JWorld Performance Sailing, but still pays the bills with engineering. Jenna and William Markuske ’10 got engaged while traveling in South Africa after the Clipper Race this past November. Since graduation, Joshua Lambertsen has been living and working in the beautiful city of Seattle. He will be applying to graduate schools in the next few years, and most likely will be moving back to the East Coast to attend school. He looks forward to spending more time with his family, continued on next page

W E B B N E W S

alumni news

class notes

and with his love, Laura Patterson ’09. In the meantime, he has taken up flag football, archery, and painting.

Justin Klag is still at Gibbs & Cox in Arlington, VA, working on projects for the US Navy. He married Katrina Zook on March 16, 2014, after buying their first house together in December, just in time for the worst winter in recent history. Andy Lachtman is working as a naval architect for Bruce S. Rosenblatt & Associates in Arlington, VA, while also working towards a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from UCLA. Katie Whalen is enjoying life in Amsterdam, working full-time and pursuing production of the product she developed for her Master’s graduation. She’s spent a great deal of 2014 in the UK, presenting at the International Materials Education Symposia at the University of Cambridge, the Resource Event in London, and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation’s Re-Thinking Progress event at the University of Bradford. When her work in Hamburg, Germany was done, Lidia Mouravieff travelled around Scandinavia with Schuyler Needham ’12. After seeing Copenhagen, Stockholm, Helsinki and Saint Petersburg, they chased the Northern Lights in Tromso, Norway, where Schuyler proposed! Now Lidia is in New Jersey working for BMT Designers and Planners and planning the wedding. Lindy (Deal) Carelli is cramming everything Hawaiian into her last few months on Oahu by learning to surf and finally getting her PADI. In July, Lindy and Robert Carelli ’09 are moving to Bahrain via Japan and the Trans-Mongolian railroad. In the meantime, she is in the process of applying to Master of Public Health programs and is spending too much time relearning algebra for the GREs. Still in Southampton, UK, Marion James is enjoying working for British Swimming and Speedo where they’re developing how to enhance the performances of British Swimming elite swimmers at the next Olympic Games. Besides enjoying

the sight of Olympians bodies, she is pursuing a PhD in hydrodynamics with an expected graduation date in the last quarter of 2015. She is making the most out of travelling opportunities, such as going to a conference in Australia and touring Adelaide vineyards in April/May. Ruth Taylor is currently on the graduate scheme at Babcock International, working at Devonport Dockyard in Plymouth with the Royal Navy’s submarines and warships. She is approaching the two-year point in the graduate scheme, when she will begin a fixed role of responsibility, hopefully in warships. Otherwise Ruth has been busy travelling to Prague, Norway and France, as well as surfing, sailing and snowboarding when she can. Zak Harris continues to take classes at Johns Hopkins, where he is slowly starting to accept that abstract mathematics may have practical applications in maritime robotics. Zak was recently awarded the National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellowship; he can’t wait to finish classes and start research. In his spare time, Zak attempts to train for the day he can return to the mountains.

2012

The biggest news since the last Webb News is the return of our classmates working over in Hamburg. Kyle Manis swung through the states for a short month or so before accepting a job in Shanghai where he hangs out eating what “I’m convinced are 100-year old Chinese eggs.” Dale Pederson has joined the class group in Alameda working for Herbert, and he hangs out with JC Morgan, Nick Walker, and Claire Spilde when he can. Schuyler Needham has returned to New York to work at a marina on Shelter Island and gear up for his wedding (!) to his lovely fiancée, Lidia Mouravieff ’11. Speaking of New York, Steve Guglielmoni is still the hottest

celebrity in the Manhattan party scene, and he recently got to hang out with Andrew Lum, who’s living in Brooklyn and saving up for a new car. Looking north from NYC, Mike Cheng recently did some work in Norway and is now back in Connecticut, and Sean Doran is still k-rockin’ around Rochester, and working on his newly acquired 1984 Datsun. Heading south, BJ Walling graduated with his master’s from Stevens and is now back at home in New Jersey. He spends most of his time designing circuits for ride control systems and installing them on Rob Talarico’s boat. Jack Oczeretko recently bought a Catalina 30' and is getting her in shape for some Polish-style sailing. Matt Groff is also in Pennsylvania, living a life of banjos and horse races. A tad further south, Nathan Tyler Hagan is still grad schooling and playing with his new dog, Ringo. Allan Childers is still living in Virginia and working at Alion, while Nick Delgatto can finally put his fancy car to good use at the racetracks while living in Annapolis. On the Gulf Coast, Stacey Bishop is still learning to be Cajun down in Houma, and John Fleming has settled into his job at Cameron in Texas. Last up are the Seattle classmates. Jared Harlan now has a puppy named Poppy, a working moped, and a new job at Guido Perla & Associates. Lee Boltz, in the meantime, rounds out the class list of 2012’ers who can say they’re engaged!

If you have any individual notes you wish to publish in the next Webb News Magazine, please send them to Gailmarie at gsujecki@webb.edu

W E B B N E W S

heritage society Looking Back, Looking Forward:

Paul Hayes ’54 on Webb Heritage Society

n December 10, 1949 the Saturday Evening Post published an article, “America’s Toughest School,” and that was my introduction to Webb Institute. I applied, was invited to Glen Cove for the incredibly difficult entrance exam, and—to my surprise—was accepted. In the second semester of freshman year, the academic routine was broken when the Webb administration decided that all freshmen and sophomores would join the Naval Reserve to avoid being drafted for the Korean War. Instead of taking a boiler design job with Babcock and Wilcox upon graduation in 1954, I was commissioned in the Navy and assigned to NAVSEA’s Nuclear Propulsion Division. I stayed with NAVSEA until my retirement in 1988. After leaving NAVSEA Curran ’25 solemnly had each class member sign I worked for about ten years on various engineering 20 promissory notes for $25 each. The effort to tasks for the commercial nuclear power industry. receive $500 from each graduate was known as the As the school celebrates its 125th anniversary, Webb Appreciation Fund. Upon recognition that and the Class of 1954 celebrates the 60th alumni could be much more supportive, the Webb anniversary of its graduation, I have been reflecting Appreciation Fund was replaced by the Webb Alumni on the changes that have taken place since my Fund. Under the leadership of our class agent, Tom own student days. Buildings and grounds are still Manuel ’54 regularly achieved 100% participation recognizable, but many improvements—the library in annual giving to the Webb Alumni Fund. The and the auditorium, for example—have been made. pattern of giving at the 100% level has continued Students no longer receive free room and board. for the several years I have been Class Agent. Winter Work assignments appear to be similar To celebrate the 60th anniversary of the to those of the fifties, but the specific projects graduation of the Class of 1954, classmates are that students work on have evolved. I suspect striving to achieve 100% membership in the Webb there are fewer steam turbine propulsion plants Heritage Society. Providing a legacy gift is an on ships than in the fifties. Women are now part appropriate finale to the pattern of annual giving of the student body, and current students appear that has been established by class members. to be more engaged in community service and Legacy gifts through the Webb Heritage Society club activities outside of academics. can be set up in a variety of ways to suit the The Honor System still appears to be As we went to print, particular circumstances of the donor. One example robust, and, based on the information is that a legacy gift may go first to a surviving I obtain from Webb News and from we are pleased to spouse and then to Webb when the spouse dies. The attending Homecomings and Class report that the class flexibility of legacy giving through the Webb Agent meetings, Webb seems to be on has achieved 100% Heritage Society makes this an appropriate gift track for another 60 or 125 years. option for all alumni. The Class of 1954 is hoping to For alumni, the call for financial participation in the achieve 100% participation in the Webb Heritage support is loud and clear. Our class first Heritage Society. Society, and also to nurture a “Bandwagon” effect heard the call in the senior classroom. for other classes. Naval Architecture Professor Tom The Webb Heritage Society was formally established by the Webb Board of Trustees in 1991 to honor those who have displayed generosity and foresight by taking steps to remember Webb Institute in their estate planning. There are currently 187 members. To learn more about the Heritage Society, please contact the Development Office at (516)759-2040. 45

298 Crescent Beach Road Glen Cove, NY 11542-1398 1-866-708-9322 (Webb) www.webb.edu

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