FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE July 22, 2022
Release #2241 Point of Contact—Jeffrey Prater (401) 832-2039
NUWC Division Newport scientist, engineers win Assistant Secretary of the Navy Dr. Delores M. Etter awards
A Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport scientist and several engineers were recently recognized as Assistant Secretary of the Navy Research, Development and Acquisition (ASN RDA) Dr. Delores M. Etter Top Scientists and Engineers for the Year 2022.
These prestigious Navy awards recognizes technical superiority, innovation, technical merit, operational impact, and applicability to ASN RD&A priorities. This is the third consecutive year for Division Newport personnel to win this award, which is a Navy-wide competition.
Dr. Lauren Freeman, an oceanographer in Division Newport’s Ranges, Engineering and Analysis Department, is a winner in the Individual Scientist category for her outstanding contributions as the principal investigator on a team that developed passive sensing capabilities to detect ultra-quiet unmanned vehicles through the analysis of cues from nature.
Working with the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency, Freeman developed and leads a program known as Passive Acoustic Detection through Reef Ecological Soundscapes (PADRES). Analyzing the natural bio-acoustic response to disturbances in the ocean, Freeman’s system offers a stealthy and robust method for passive acoustic monitoring, and offers future-looking, ultra-quiet vehicle detection capabilities that has been successfully demonstrated in various environments. PADRES incorporates the idea of using animals in their natural setting and observing their behavior in order to identify when they sense tactically relevant disturbances. “Her efforts may prove significant for maintaining future harbor defense and detection capabilities,” the award states. “This will directly and positively impact the warfighter, positioning the Navy to maintain superior capabilities in the ocean despite peer technological advances.”
Dr. Michael Visich of Division Newport’s Undersea Warfare (USW) Engineering and Analysis Department, who is PMS 450W principal investigator for Virginia Platform Modeling and Simulation Analysis, is a winner in the Individual Engineer category for his exemplary contributions to susceptibility analysis, which was documented in the Susceptibility Analysis Report for the Virginia-class Program Office. This report for the Virginia-class Program Office highlighted to Congress the warfighting capability differences between the Virginia Block I and Virginia Block-V platforms against ever-evolving threat capabilities in various mission areas relevant to a future of strategic competition never before assessed for the Virginia-class submarine program.
“Visich and his team’s expert ability to create and use the premier NUWC simulation, SIM II/Digital Weapons Analysis Facility, produced extremely high-fidelity simulation results that were used to identify warfighting gaps and enabled the program to make credible decisions on future variants,” the award states. “In addition, these results will be used to inform decisions about the acquisition of future attack submarines.”
Division Newport’s Cyber Red Team, from the USW Combat Systems Department, distinguished themselves in the field of operational testing as they applied a new and comprehensive approach to cybersecurity testing, earning them a win in the Group category.
“Influenced by feedback from Director, Operational Test and Evaluation reports, the Virginia/Columbia Early Development Test Group set out to add cybersecurity technical rigor to its test processes with the result being a thorough, carefully crafted process that implements Red Team penetration testing at early phases of operational test and evaluation,” the award states. “This team of subject matter experts has developed an approach that will continue to be used as more technical insertions arise. The ultimate beneficiary is the warfighter who will receive more cyber resilient systems from the onset of platform integration.”
Cyber Red Team members include: Michael Beatty, Matthew Furtado, Benet George, Theresa Manning-Livolsi, Christopher Morcom, Pedro A. Agosto Vazquez II and Maxwell Frank, who recently separated from Division Newport.
The award winners were recognized at a ceremony held on June 16 at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division in Maryland.
To read more about the ceremony visit: https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Media/News/SavedNewsModule/Article/3080054/navsea-warfare-center-scientists-engineers-among-navys-best-of-the-best/
NUWC Newport is the oldest warfare center in the country, tracing its heritage to the Naval Torpedo Station established on Goat Island in Newport Harbor in 1869. Commanded by Capt. Chad Hennings, NUWC Newport maintains major detachments in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Andros Island in the Bahamas, as well as test facilities at Seneca Lake and Fisher's Island, New York, Leesburg, Florida, and Dodge Pond, Connecticut.
Join our team! NUWC Division Newport, one of the 20 largest employers in Rhode Island, employs a diverse, highly trained, educated, and skilled workforce. We are continuously looking for engineers, scientists, and other STEM professionals, as well as talented business, finance, logistics and other support experts who wish to be at the forefront of undersea research and development. Please connect with NUWC Division Newport Recruiting at this site- https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NUWC-Newport/Career-Opportunities/ and follow us on LinkedIn @NUWC-Newport and on Facebook @NUWCNewport.
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