NUWC Division Newport Engineer Earns DON Superior Civilian Service Award
William “Dave” Shallcross, an engineer for the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport’s Customer Advocate and Field Team Office, who is currently detailed to the Office of Naval Research Global (ONR-G), recently was awarded the Department of the Navy’s (DON) Superior Civilian Service Award.The award is the second highest civilian award which recognizes employee contributions that are high in value. Shallcross, of San Diego, California, was honored for sustained exceptional service as science advisor and special assistant to the commander, U.S. 3 rd Fleet, from
Submarine Group Two Commander Visits NUWC Newport
;There’s a debt of gratitude that the nation has for the work that you do here,” Smith said. “It’s largely unsung — the end product of your research — the capabilities, the vehicles, the tools, the things that we put into the warfighters’ hands. [Sailors] often don’t have the tale that goes all the way back to where it began.”Smith said that while new systems often receive attention when they reach milestones or deployment, the foundational research that makes these advances possible rarely receives the public recognition it deserves.“The big
Ocean Geophysics, HighTide Team Up for Offshore Data Processing
across a range of geophysical datasets, including multi-channel seismic, ultra-high-resolution seismic, unexploded ordnance surveys, sub-bottom profiler data, side scan sonar and synthetic aperture sonar.“High Tide and Ocean Geophysics complement each other. High Tide provides services that we don’t – and vice versa. By teaming up, we can provide developers of offshore wind farms with a full suite of seabed data processing and interpretation. Moreover, we can jointly take on even bigger projects together as a one-stop shop for marine data processing,” said Alison Wells, CEO
Deep-sea Mining Threatens “Twilight Zone” Ecosystem
again, these creatures support the transport of carbon to greater depths in the ocean. These creatures either feed on the particles in the twilight zone or prey on those that do, creating a tightly linked food web that connects the surface ocean to the abyss.“Our research suggests that mining plumes don’t just create cloudy water—they change the quality of what’s available to eat, especially for animals that can’t easily swim away,” said Jeffrey Drazen, co-author, SOEST oceanography professor and deep-sea ecologist.The findings raise urgent concerns about long-lasting
EU-Backed Project Deploys OTEC Demonstration Unit off Canary Islands
local wave data. Previous computer simulations and a scaled tank test conducted in the UK have already verified the structure’s design at laboratory scale.The data will be combined with performance data from grid-connected OTEC power plants to de-risk future projects.The structure is named ‘Don’ in honor of Don Lennard, a British aircraft engineer and Royal Navy veteran who dedicated his life to advancing OTEC technology.Testing will continue over the coming months, with performance data expected in early 2026. If successful, the results will guide the design of full-scale OTEC systems
Subsea Compression and the Ormen Lange Moon Landing
why something didn't work would simply not have worked," Crichton noted. This sentiment was shared by Hjelmeland. “I believe a large part of the success was because we managed to break down the barriers in the commercial framework and share information openly,” he asserted. “I don’t think we would have succeeded without this collaboration”.A New BenchmarkFrom the tense moment of the initial failed test at Horsøy, the project culminated in a seamless inauguration on August 26, 2025. This success established several new industry benchmarks. It’s the world&rsqu
50 Years of Women in Navy Diving: Advancing Opportunity in Tandem with Technology
unchanged. During this period, the demographic of navy divers also saw little alteration. However, beginning in the mid-1970s and continuing to the present day, a series of developments initiated a gradual transformation in both areas with significant implications for contemporary Navy diving.Donna Tobias, standing at 5’5” and weighing 135 pounds, became the first woman to achieve the status of US Navy Deep Sea Diver upon her graduation from Second Class Dive School in Little Creek, VA, on March 14, 1975. She acknowledged that her most persistent challenge was working with the
Crew Connectivity Evolves from Luxury to Lifeline
Retention ImperativeThe generational shift in crews has reshaped expectations. Griffin calls it the “Starbucks experience” – always-on, reliable connectivity from the middle of the ocean to the middle of a coffee shop. And it has quickly become a recruiting tool.“If vessel owners don’t invest in connectivity, they risk losing talent to competitors who do,” Griffin said. “Replacing a crew member is costly. Reliable internet access has become one of the most effective ways to keep seafarers loyal, motivated, and healthy during long rotations at sea.”Copyright
Scottish Association for Marine Science Launches Crowdfunder to Give Gamers Science Missions
Dr. Phil Peterson, who initially developed the game as a teaching aid for school visits. However, it caught the attention of gamers, who encouraged Phil to make it available to play more widely.“I often visit schools to inspire them about practical science and engineering, showing them that they don’t need to leave Argyll for the central belt to find rewarding work in this field," said Phil. “My team started using role playing and then homemade flash cards to get students thinking about how robots could tackle different science missions. The game has changed a lot in the
December 2025
