New ABS Engineering Center dedicated at Stevens Institute

Among those on hand at the dedication ceremony of the new ABS Engineering Center at Stevens Institute of Technology were: Stevens Provost Christophe Pierre; ABS Executive VP Ken Richardson; former ABS Chairman Robert Somerville; ABS CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki; Stevens President Nariman Farvardin; ABS VP Cathy Mann; ABS Senior VP Howard Fireman; ABS Senior VP John Ryder

NOVEMBER 21, 2016—Thanks to the generous support of classification society ABS, a new ABS Engineering Center was recently dedicated at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, NJ. The new ABS Engineering Center at the university’s Davidson Laboratory will help Stevens meet its research and academic needs in the areas of civil, mechanical, and naval engineering.

Addressing those in attendance at the dedication ceremony on November 17, ABS Chairman, President and CEO Christopher J. Wiernicki said, “The ABS Engineering Center provides an environment both for learning the various engineering disciplines and for looking ahead toward new technologies that could transform the marine industry. Over the years, ABS and Stevens have been aligned with a mutual purpose of fostering learning and advancing innovation for the next generation of leaders. As a global technology leader, ABS is committed to supporting research that enhances safety in the marine and offshore environments. We are excited to see the donation we made several years ago come to life today, and about what the future holds for the ABS Engineering Center and Stevens.”

The new ABS Engineering Center was built in what was an Experimental Towing Tank, which when it opened in 1944, was probably the world’s most advanced and high-speed towing tank. The tank was used extensively in the U.S. war effort during World War II, in particular to study seaplane design.

Reborn as the ABS Engineering Center, facility’s three floors will incorporate five laboratory spaces:

• A Systems Integration Laboratory used by Stevens senior project teams
• A Fluids Laboratory used by civil, environmental and naval engineering students to study core fluid dynamics
• A Structural and Building Materials Laboratory, including a furnace and test cell for testing specimens under load at temperatures up to 1,600 C°
• A Robust Field Autonomy Laboratory that will enable research on underwater robots, among other projects
• A Naval Engineering Laboratory where maritime industry challenges such as energy efficiency, short sea shipping, the development of autonomous vehicles and the design and control of small ships will be studied and addressed

A second floor will feature 13 faculty offices and workstations for up to 16 graduate students, while the third floor will include a 28-seat space for seminars, colloquia and project presentations as well as adjacent space for meetings and social interaction.

Stevens President Nariman Farvardin discussed the strong, historic relationship between Stevens and ABS during the launch ceremony, describing it as a “multi-dimensional partnership that goes well beyond this magnificent new facility.”

That relationship has grown to encompass ABS scholarship support for Stevens undergraduate and graduate students, an internship and cooperative education program for Stevens students, participation in the annual Stevens Career Fair, and research collaborations, including a major new joint research effort in maritime cybersecurity. As part of its mission to promote the security of life, property and the natural environment, ABS commits resources on an annual basis, partnering with universities and collaborating with organizations on research and development projects.

In addition, several graduates from Stevens have gone on to advance their professional careers by working at ABS. Among those on hand at the dedication ceremony was ABS Executive Vice President Ken Richardson, who received his Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering as well as a Master in Ocean Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.