Kramek, Liu Snare Top SNAME Honors

The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) awarded its Admiral "Jerry" Land Medal for outstanding accomplishment in the marine field to ABS President and COO Robert Kramek at the society's Annual Banquet during the SNAME Marine Technology Conference and Expo in Washington, D.C. Kramek, a naval architect and marine engineer, provides leadership to over 1,700 ABS employees working from more than 150 offices in 60 countries. Prior to joining ABS in 1998, he served as the Commandant of the United States Coast Guard from which he retired as a Four Star Admiral.

"This honor recognizes Admiral Kramek's accomplishments and is evidence of his stature in the Society," says Philip B. Kimball, SNAME Executive Director who notes that award recipients are chosen by their peers.

Kramek, an honors graduate from the United States Coast Guard (USCG) Academy with a B.S. in engineering, attended postgraduate schools at the University of Michigan, Johns Hopkins University and the University of Alaska.

He also earned Master of Science Degrees in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, Mechanical Engineering and Engineering Management. Kramek also attended the U.S. Naval War College, graduating with highest distinction. He received an Honorary Doctorate in Public Administration from the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.

The SNAME Land Medal represents Kramek's life-long dedication to the marine industry. During his career he has been named recipient of the Reserve Officers Association Minuteman Hall of Fame Award, NAACP Meritorious Service Award, Seamen's Church Institute Distinguished Service Award, U.S. Navy League Distinguished Service Award, Society of the Naval Order Sea Service Award and was recently inducted into the United Nations Maritime Hall of Fame. His military awards include: Distinguished Service Medals from the United States Department of Defense, Transportation and Coast Guard. Kramek is a Fellow of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), member of the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE), member of the U.S.

Navy League, and a life member of the Reserve Officers Association. He serves on the advisory board for several higher education institutions, including the Webb Institute Board of Trustees and the University of Michigan School of Engineering Board of Advisors.

Liu Awarded David W. Taylor Medal The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) awarded their highest honor, the David W.

Taylor Medal for notable achievement in naval architecture or marine engineering, to recently retired ABS Executive Vice President and Chief Technology Officer Dr. Donald Liu at the society's Annual Banquet during the SNAME Marine Technology Conference and Expo in Washington, D.C.

Liu, a 37-year veteran of ABS and the "Father of ABS SafeHull", believes "technology is the servant of safety." Liu, and the technology team at ABS, first developed the Dynamic Loading Approach (DLA) to assess the structural strength of vessels, and then extended that pioneering approach with the development of the innovative SafeHull system.

"Liu has played a key role in building the technological foundation for the modern ABS Rules," said SNAME President Bruce S. Rosenblatt. "Ship classification is based on fundamental analysis of the loads and structural response to those loads. In an era of rapid change in ship size and structural arrangements the fundamental work and research and development that has taken place under Dr. Liu's decades of technology leadership at ABS has contributed significantly to safety in the shipping industry." Dr. Liu graduated from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point and began his career by sailing as a deck officer. With the support of SNAME scholarships he earned BS and MS degrees in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).

Upon graduation, Liu joined ABS as Robert Kramek a Surveyor. In the early 1970s he was selected to represent ABS at the University of Arizona to work on a joint ABS, Chevron Shipping and University of Arizona research project to develop computer software to analyze very large tanker structures. During this time, Liu earned a PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Arizona focusing his research on Finite Element (FE) Analysis of ship structures.

Dr. Liu has authored or coauthored more than 35 papers, reports and book chapters dealing with FE analysis, structural dynamics, ultimate strength, hull loading, structural stability, structural optimization and probabilistic aspects of ship loading and strength. He has been an active participant in key national and international organizations concerned with ship structures research, development and design.

Liu served as the ABS representative on the interagency Ship Structures Committee, a member of the Standing Committees of the International Ship and Offshore Structures congress (ISSC) and conference member on Practical Design of Ships and Mobile Units (PRADS).

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