The UConn Shipbuilding Initiative offers students and researchers opportunities in key national security industry
000618-N-0147W-002 Off Coast of Hawaii- The Abraham Lincoln Battle Group along with ships from Australia, Chile, Japan, Canada, and Korea steam alongside one another on 18 June 2000 for a Battle Group Photo during RIMPAC 2000. Official U.S. Navy photo by: PH2 Gabriel Wilson
The shipbuilding and maritime industries are facing unprecedented challenges requiring advanced research and workforce enrichment. UConn is up to the task, bringing several key programs under one banner to help meet demand.
The UConn Shipbuilding Initiatives have launched, linking research opportunities, international partnerships, manufacturing efficiency, and efforts to scale up the workforce. The Initiatives align UConn with regional shipbuilding and economic needs across New England and beyond, responding to sustained shipbuilding activity and long-term industrial requirements. The Initiatives' website was recently published, welcoming inquiries from interested partners.
Organizers say that the U.S. is strengthened through advanced shipbuilding and submarine manufacturing. Efforts like the Shipbuilding Initiatives add to the country's naval superiority, secure the supply chain, and foster economic growth for the region and the country.
In a state with a proud maritime history, the Initiatives bring together expertise from across Connecticut and the region. The united programs in the Initiatives seek to deliver basic and applied research, propel workforce development, and provide support for the critical supply chain. They also further collaborations to engage UConn's research and education with partners in industry, government, and academia.
"New England's maritime sector is experiencing historic demand driven by fleet construction, sustainment needs, and supply-chain complexity," says engineering Professor Richard Christenson, the Initiatives director. "The UConn Shipbuilding Initiative provides a coordinated academic framework to help industry and government partners address those challenges while strengthening the region's role in national maritime readiness."
The respective members of the Initiatives have a history of research success at UConn, bringing in over $130 million in funding from federal, state, and industrial sources. They will continue to build on that foundation through deeper collaboration and consistent engagement with stakeholders from the government, higher education, and business.
"A thriving shipbuilding industry is vital to our economy and workforce, as well as national security and commerce," says UConn President Radenka Maric. "The UConn Shipbuilding Initiatives underline our commitment to the research and instruction necessary to meet the evolving needs of such a critical sector for our state, region, and country."
Meeting Demand
UConn is uniquely positioned to help meet demand for advanced shipbuilding and maritime technology. In addition to the faculty and research institutes involved in the Initiatives, the University can utilize a talented pool of students to learn the skills needed to meet workforce requirements for the next wave of production.
Many of the researchers involved, as well as students, are part of the College of Engineering (COE). Kylene Perras, the assistant dean for Operations and Strategic Initiatives, says the COE faculty are positioned to lead influential research in areas such as advanced materials, systems integration, and undersea vehicle technology.
The Initiatives also present opportunities for undergraduate and graduate engineering students to participate in applied research experiences.
'Student researchers work with faculty mentors on projects tied to submarine production, undersea systems, and advanced manufacturing," says Perras. "These experiences help build a pipeline of knowledgeable engineers that are prepared to lead shipbuilding efforts."
Contributors to the Initiative
At the heart of the Initiatives is the National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology (NIUVT). The Institute is a university-industry partnership that collaborates with the U.S. Navy to advance the capabilities of the next generation of undersea fleet by training innovative workforce and by accelerating the research, development, and transition of advanced technologies.
The NIUVT partners UConn with the University of Rhode Island, General Dynamics- Electric Boat, and the U.S. Naval Undersea Warfare Center. The Institute also provides the region's innovation workforce with maritime-focused STEM education and graduate programs.
Complementing NIUVT's research mission are robust workforce development programs, such as the UConn-URI Navy STEM Coalition through the ANCHOR (Advanced Naval Careers through Higher-Ed Outreach and Research). These programs, supported by the U.S. Navy's Maritime Industry Base and General Dynamics-Electric Boat, have engaged students across southern New England since 2017.
The programs build a kindergarten through college pipeline that introduce students to naval engineering and skilled trades, offer hands-on learning experiences, and prepare a diverse talent pool to meet the growing demands of the submarine industrial base.
AUKUS - a security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the U.S. – presents international opportunities for collaboration. UConn undergraduate and graduate students will be able to participate in exchanges with Australian and U.K. institutions, gaining interdisciplinary and international training in shipbuilding, as well as undersea vehicle advanced technology. This trilateral partnership enhances a free, open, and stable Indo-Pacific region of the globe and provides UConn students with immersive experiences in cutting-edge technologies critical to enhanced deterrence.
The final prong of the effort is the Shipbuilding Supply Chain Initiative (SSCI). Bottlenecks in the supply chain hinder progress, disrupt production, and reduce the rate of American shipbuilding. In partnership with industry, the SSCI utilizes data, physics-informed process modeling, artificial intelligence, and empirical knowledge to improve the flow of materials and ensure productivity.
"So much of Connecticut's history is rooted in shipbuilding, from the whaling industry through the launch of the first nuclear submarine to modern day production at General Dynamics-Electric Boat," says Lindsay DiStefano, UConn's interim Vice President for Research, Innovation, and Entrepreneurship. "The UConn Shipbuilding Initiatives build on that legacy as we help the state prepare for a successful future in advanced nautical research and manufacturing."
Christenson believes the Initiatives are a critical step not only for Connecticut, but for the U.S. and beyond.
"This initiative revitalizes the American industrial base, ensuring the nation can defend its interests on the high seas and maintain technological leadership," Christenson says. "It supports all people, not just UConn students/graduates, but all people in our state and country."
