WASHINGTON - Three engineers from Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) were honored at the Black Engineer of the Year Science Technology Engineering Mathematics (STEM) Global Competitiveness Conference in Philadelphia, Feb. 17.
The three-day conference honored more than 40 Navy leaders for excellence in engineering and included a career fair, exhibition, and mentoring sessions.
"My success and the success of those who follow me in this job depend on our ability to tap into the insight and innovation of our up-and-coming engineers," said NAVSEA Commander Vice Adm. Kevin McCoy. "Having the right engineering talent is not just a matter of having the intellectual engineering expertise to overcome our engineering challenges, it's also a matter of national defense. We need bright American engineers, now and in the coming years."
David Rhodes, A Naval Undersea Warfare Center Newport Division software engineer received the Modern Day Technology Leader Award, sponsored by U.S. Black Engineer and Information Technology magazine. This award honors men and women who are shaping the future of engineering, science, and technology. Rhodes received the award for his work supporting the submarine Acoustic Rapid Commercial Off-the-Shelf Insertion (ARCI) Program. Rhodes' efforts include identifying and investigating interface problems, developing fixes, performing risk assessments on each problem, and verifying and validating problem fixes within the new builds.
Veradie Ore, deputy program manager for Imaging and Electronic Warfare Systems within the Program Executive Office for Submarines (PEO Subs), received the Special Recognition Award for his efforts to enhance the performance and reliability and reduce total ownership costs for submarine imaging and electronic warfare systems. Among his many accomplishments in his current position, Ore is credited with providing significantly improved submarine sensor systems at a reduced cost to the taxpayer.
Walter Reuben, test and evaluation manager for the Virginia-Class Program Office within PEO Subs, received the Outstanding Technical Contribution Award for developing and executing a multi-program, consolidated operational test readiness review for the Virginia-class next-generation combat systems suite and undersea weapons software. The test was designed as a single event intended to demonstrate the entire submarine mission portfolio, from detecting and localizing targets to launching and exercising an exercise torpedo.