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backbone of my maritime business Every leader has goals. As for unmanned operations. However, network. I’ve also served as a volunteer incoming president of SNAME, commercial and smaller naval ships are at local, regional, and national levels for what are your top goals? getting closer to unmanned operations more than three decades. Now it’s an One of my favorite jobs is strategic in certain circumstances. And of course, honor to represent my industry and I’m planning. The SNAME Planning Com- unmanned aerial and undersea vehicles looking forward to serving as President mittee and I have been working dili- are already in active use in many naval as SNAME celebrates 125 years. gently on strategies that will position the and commercial applications.

Society for a strong future and sustain-

Looking at the organization able growth. As SNAME president, do you today compared to when you plan to make training and edu- joined, how is it the same and Increasing SNAME membership value cation a focus?

how is it different? and establishing strong relationships When I decided to retire from Newport

I see a lot of fresh energy at SNAME. across the maritime communities are News Shipbuilding, I started planning

We’ve grown our student sections two major focus areas. Our SNAME over a year in advance for what I want- and branched out internationally. The events, research programs, industry ed to do in the next phase of my life. maritime and offshore industries are partnerships, educational activities, and In fact, I converted a little blue SNAME truly international and projects in our member sections are already good; I notebook into my personal strategy and ? eld span the globe, so it’s appropriate want us to go from good to superb! detailed action plan. On the ? rst page, that our professional society be global, We also need to actively engage our as I de? ned my new professional per- too. What hasn’t changed is SNAME’s student members as they graduate and sona, engineering education rose to the strong base of volunteer member-lead- build their careers. It’s part of our pro- top of the list.

ers. fessional duty to provide these young professionals with leadership and edu- SNAME already has a strong edu- cation opportunities, and mentor them cational focus at the university level.

Meet SNAME’s New President to be the SNAME leaders of tomorrow. SNAME is a member of ABET, the

Suzanne M. Beckstoffer is a Fellow and President-

Another area that engineers often organization that accredits university

Elect 2019-2020 of SNAME. She is Chairman of the struggle with is marketing and com- engineering, science, and technology

Board of BayPort Credit Union, a $1.6 billion ? nan- munications. Sometimes the old intro- programs. I want SNAME’s educa- cial institution with 140,000 members, headquar- verted nerdy engineer jokes hit a bit too tion program to span all the way from tered in Newport News, Va. close to home. So, we are working with elementary through college and pro-

SNAME’s excellent professional staff to fessional education. We already have

She retired in 2016 as an Engineering Director help us spread the word about the great several strong programs, and many at Newport News Shipbuilding, after a 30+ year work we do. We have exciting STEM more opportunities to grow. One of my shipbuilding career. During her tenure at NNS, she programs for young people, stories to personal favorites is The Apprentice led the migration of the new Ford class aircraft car- tell about the fascinating work SNAME School SNAME Boat Design Competi- rier 3D product model to a new Product Lifecycle members perform, interesting research tion, led by the Newport News Ship-

Management toolset; directed the company’s R&D work underway, and many amazing job building Apprentices’ SNAME student program; managed the installation of the Automated opportunities in the maritime industry. section.

Steel Facility robotic cutting and welding lines for

We need to let our SNAME lights shine!

steel fabrication; and performed engineering and

For more than a decade they’ve in- design activities for aircraft carriers, submarines,

What do you see as the de? ning volved over 200 high school students and commercial vessels. The Peninsula Engineers technical trends driving mari- annually in a clever boat design com-

Council elected her Engineer of the Year 2015. time toward the future? petition that introduces the students to

Autonomous vessels are an interesting fundamentals of ship design and con-

She continues her work in engineering education development in the maritime business, struction. The best part is the four top and ? nancial literacy, serving on boards at North and I think we’re just beginning to see designs are actually constructed from

Carolina State University, Christopher Newport the impact and future implications. Like sheet metal by the apprentices and

University, and the ABET Industry Advisory Council. self-driving cars on land, autonomous the students get to race them on Lake

She holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from NC State vessels have enormous potential. From Maury behind the Mariners’ Museum

University and an MBA from The College of William my own background in nuclear-powered in Newport News. It’s fabulous, and and Mary. She is a Past President and Paul Harris ship design and construction, we are the design competition has created a

Fellow of the Warwick Rotary Club. seeing increased automation in ship wonderful pipeline of students into ship- operations that helps reduce costs, but building careers.

large naval vessels are not yet ready 1946 1952 1955

ENIAC, the ? rst successful digital SS United States USS Nautilus (SSN-571), the ? rst computer, becomes operational. ENIAC in – “BigU” – goes nuclear-powered submarine,

Philadelphia, Pa. Glen Beck (background) on sea trials June casts off lines at 1100 and sends and Betty Snyder (foreground) program 1952. message “underway on nuclear the ENIAC in BRL build-ing 328. U.S. Army power”. U.S. Navy Historical

Photo photo.

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