Engineering the Blue: Naval & Ocean Engineering and the Blue Economy

Summer Residential Program:
Engineering the Blue: Naval & Ocean Engineering and the Blue Economy

Course Length: One Week
Dates: July 12 - July 18

Program Cost: $3,350

Associated Majors: B.E. in Engineering with a concentration in Naval Engineering; B.E. in Environmental Engineering

The ocean is a major driver of the blue economy — the network of industries and activities that depend on healthy, productive, and accessible oceans. These include maritime transportation, offshore renewable energy, coastal infrastructure, fisheries and aquaculture, environmental monitoring, and ocean data and technology. Ocean engineering plays a critical role in enabling these sectors by designing systems and structures that can operate safely, efficiently, and sustainably in challenging marine environments.

This one-week residential summer course introduces high-school students to ocean engineering, the field that applies engineering principles to ocean- and coast-related problems. Students will use unique equipment and facilities of the world renown Davidson laboratory to explore how engineers design ships, offshore platforms, coastal protection systems, and ocean-energy technologies to withstand waves, currents, and storms while supporting coastal communities and economic activity.

Through hands-on experiments, design activities, and field observations, students will learn how ocean forces act on engineered systems and how engineering decisions affect safety, performance, and environmental impact. The course emphasizes real-world problem solving, teamwork, and creative thinking, culminating in a team design project focused on a coastal engineering challenge relevant to the students’ home state.