U . S . N AVA L A C A D E M Y A L U M N I A S S O C I AT I O N A N D F O U N D AT I O N
I M PA C T R E P O R T
2022–2023
PROJECT-BASED LEARNING 1
LETTER FROM THE PROVOST Thank you for your support of project-based learning and the USNA Capstone Day. This year was our first full year back after the pandemic, and it was gratifying to see more than 280 projects and 150 formal presentations showcased at Capstone Day—and Capstone Day is just the tip of the project-based learning “iceberg.” Capstone projects provide students with valuable real-world experience that will help them in their future careers, as military officers, and later in private industry. Project-based learning not only fosters an understanding of real-world problems but it also provides opportunities to develop leadership, teamwork, communication, and project management skills. I noted an ever-increasing number of students pursuing projects related to robotics, machine learning, artificial intellegence (AI), and cybersecurity. Many departments integrate autonomous or semi-autonomous systems into their curriculum, and even more participate in interdisciplinary projects. I see this area continuing to grow. Driverless cars and generative AI are no longer the technologies of the future—they are the technologies of today. The future battlespace will most certainly include manned-unmanned teaming and it will take place in both the physical world and the cyber domain. A full educational preparation in this area requires consideration not only of the technological opportunities and limitations of machine learning, robotics, networks, and artificial intelligence but also consideration of the human interface and the ethical, economic, social, and political consequences associated with the use of these technologies. These topics touch on, and draw from, a variety of domains, and require an interdisciplinary approach to best prepare future officers to operate in a rapidly changing environment. USNA is dedicated to continued development in this area, including infrastructure and support for advanced coursework, disciplinary integration, and research across all domains. I also observed more projects related to mitigation of sea level rise. Sea level rise is a very real threat at the Naval Academy. Data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows that Annapolis experienced nine high-tide flood days in 2021 and predicts that the city will see more than 100 such days in 2050. We have studied this problem intensively, and as we undertake repairs to our sea wall, we have the opportunity to lead the Navy in improving installation resilience to climate change and severe weather events. Finally, it was gratifying to see more majors participating in Capstone Day than ever before. From Arabic to quantitative economics, every major at USNA was represented at the afternoon poster session in Alumni Hall. There was also a larger audience of midshipmen and guests than ever before. I hope to see this expand even further as our Capstone Day lives into its potential to be the premier celebration of academic excellence at the United States Naval Academy. We could not do it without the support of generous donors like you. Thank you. Sincerely,
S. L. Firebaugh Provost, United States Naval Academy
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2022-2023 IMPACT REPORTS
Project-Based Learning
SUMMARY Project-based learning is an integral part of the Brigade experience. Midshipmen acquire practical knowledge through teamwork, problem solving, and designing their own experiments. The yearlong process involves creating proposals, debating ideas, collecting data, and demonstrating results. The Naval Academy’s annual federal appropriation does not fund the entire range of project-based learning activities necessary to achieve these goals, so the generosity of donors provides a vital margin of excellence. Thanks to these supporters, project-based learning continues to be instrumental in preparing midshipmen for the challenges they will face in the fleet. With the support of faculty, partner organizations, and sponsors, every midshipman completes a research project in their field of study before they graduate. This year’s graduating class included more than 280 multidisciplinary projects in the fields of engineering and weapons, mathematics and science, and humanities and social sciences. Traditionally held each spring, Capstone Day offers midshipmen the chance to present their project-based learning research to their peers and the Naval Academy community. The Capstone Day 2023 Brochure and the Capstone Day homepage offer detailed descriptions on the diverse range of projects and programs that use project-based learning. The teams also coordinated web presentations through their academic departments.
To view some of these projects, please visit the following pages: Projects from the School of Engineering & Weapons Projects from the School of Mathematics & Science
United States Naval Academy
Projects from the School of Humanities & Social Sciences
Capstone Day May 03, 2023
This brief review highlights just a few of the projects that were only made possible thanks to donor funding to support project-based learning. Please see the full CAPSTONE DAY BROCHURE to view a full report on the 2022-2023 projects this funding supported.
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2022-2023 IMPACT REPORTS
Project-Based Learning
SQUADS WITH AUTONOMOUS TEAMMATES—CHALLENGE (SWAT-C) 17 midshipmen in five majors (all engineering)
Squads With Autonomous Teammates—Challenge (SWAT-C) is a research program sponsored by ONR in order to develop new tactics and ways to implement Unmanned Systems into Infantry Squads. This is executed by pitting West Point cadets and Naval Academy midshipmen against one another in simulated combat environments armed with these assets.
FLOOD PROTECTION AT TURNER JOY ROAD
Dawson Weiss (EOE), Jaden Parker (EOE), Grant Manock (EOE), Tyler Dunnagan (EOE) Turner Joy Road is located on the Severn River, MD, and it is vital for USNA’s daily operations. The road is prone to flooding during storms. These problems will worsen with sea level rise and climate change. The goal of this project was to design a structure to prevent flooding of the road by year 2100 under wind and waves generated by a category 3 hurricane.
“The best part about a Capstone project is how each Capstone team member must creatively apply their knowledge from core classes and electives to solve a unique problem. As a robotics major, I was excited to work with my teammates to build a system that I had dreamed about since high school. I was proud to see how far my knowledge base had come, evidenced by how my team and I approached problems in our Search and Rescue System Capstone. A successful Capstone project is not completed alone, but instead requires a collaborative effort from midshipmen and instructors alike. I cherished working with my professors and seeing their passion for robotics as we solved problems with the SAR System. The most important lesson I learned while working on my Capstone project was the importance of asking for help from my classmates and instructors, a lesson that I am confident will aid in my career as a Naval Officer.” – ENS ELI WALZ ’23
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2022-2023 IMPACT REPORTS
Project-Based Learning
NAVY DIVING AND SALVAGE TRAINING CENTER (NDSTC) PIER RENOVATION
Maxwell Feudo (EOE), Jack Stevenson (EOE), Nick Rieker (EOE), Patrick McDonald (EOE) This project’s goal is to evaluate the current status of the wharf at NDSTC and determine what measures are needed for fixing the wharf. Specifically, this entailed looking at outdated structures, erosion effects, and new updates requested by the on-site engineers. Principally, we were tasked with replacing the wharf wall and deck, upgrading the mooring system, and adding a permanent crane to the wharf.
COVERT RADIATION ANOMALY BOMB SENSOR (CRABS)
Mary Brackett (ERC), Doug Gologorsky (EME), Matthew Niichel (ENR), Brant Purcell (ENR), Ben Werve (EME) The CRABS team has developed a system of portable and stationary covert radiation sensors to be used in publicly trafficked spaces such as sports venues. This system is capable of directionally identifying radiation sources. The portable device is incorporated in a vest worn under clothing and the stationary device is disguised as a trash can. Both devices work together to allow the identification and localization of illicit radiation sources.
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2022-2023 IMPACT REPORTS
Project-Based Learning
TEAM HERON Carson Knight (EME), David Kang (EME), Jackson Schultz (EME), Junior Toriano (EME) Team Heron developed a canoe for veterans that have lost the use of one of their legs. The novel design has both coarse and fine canoe steering capabilities for a variety of race and recreational settings.
“The Senior Capstone is the culminating academic event of the four rigorous years at the United States Naval Academy. It is a way for midshipmen to combine the various topics covered in their specific major matrix in the form of research. Throughout my time at the United States Naval Academy, I have witnessed three classes go through the Capstone process, and while I have not completed my project yet, I can understand the importance of this event through their experience. The classes midshipmen take within their majors act as puzzle pieces to a picture: in order to complete the picture it is imperative to understand where each piece fits. For a political science major, it is impossible to understand the nuances of modern nuclear policy without first understanding the effect of the Cold War on international relations. For an aerospace engineer, it is impossible to understand how to build fifthgeneration aircraft without first understanding the complexities of structural mechanics. The Senior Capstone allows midshipmen to build this picture in their specific fields with the puzzle pieces developed through their time in collegiate education while simultaneously demonstrating fulfillment of the academic mission at the United States Naval Academy.” – MIDN CHRISTIAN BRYANT ’24
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2022-2023 IMPACT REPORTS
Project-Based Learning
“I have advised more than sixty research projects during my time at USNA. Much of what these extraordinary midshipmen have accomplished, including presentations at top conferences and publications in prestigious journals, would not have been possible without generous support for project-based learning—support not only of the specific equipment and activities that comprised the projects, but also of the infrastructure for intellectual development that helped these students develop into scholars who were capable of the critical thinking and independent inquiry required for this type of work.” – PROF. B. E. BISHOP, ASSOCIATE DEAN OF THE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING AND WEAPONS
DEVELOPMENT OF COMMERCIAL PROTEINS AS BARNACLE-INSPIRED UNDERWATER ADHESIVES Jackson Fuller (SCH), Chloe Skogg (SCH)
Barnacles use amyloid materials as strong underwater adhesives. Common commercial food-based proteins have been shown to form amyloids presenting an opportunity to develop bioinspired underwater adhesives. We investigated the ability of food-based proteins to form amyloids, cure underwater, and adhere to surfaces at room temperature, using gel inversion tests, FTIR, and lap shear testing. We developed new strategies to formulate scalable, amyloid-like adhesives that achieve robust bonding via underwater curing.
A MACHINE LEARNING APPROACH TO PERFORMANCE OPTIMIZATION IN COLLEGIATE WOMEN’S RUGBY Margaret Foulkes (SCY), Celie Feighery (SCY)
Eleven different performance related metrics were collected using Catapult One wearables worn by Navy women’s rugby players during practice and games. Fifteen game-time technical metrics were additionally observed in game film. Using unsupervised machine learning we established relationships between the physical and technical performance metrics with the aim of allowing coaching staff insight into their players and training regiments that would otherwise be impossible given the nonlinear nature of rugby.
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2022-2023 IMPACT REPORTS
Project-Based Learning
POLARIZATION FROM THE PULPIT: HOW THE RHETORIC OF PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEES REFLECTS AMERICA’S DIVISIONS
“The project-based learning and Senior Capstone environment at the U.S. Naval Academy, which culminates in a final presentation and defense of the team’s work on Capstone Day, delivers a hands-on immersive experience, cementing the critical link between theory and practice so crucial to the development of ourfuture Naval warfighters.”
Jordan Hummel (FPS)
In analyzing convention speeches from the two major party nominees since 1972, I seek to analyze shifts in rhetorical divisiveness. I find that there is no general trend in divisiveness, but that specific election cycles appear to be uniquely divisive or, at times, uniquely civil. This suggests that the day’s political climate plays a large role in determining how divisive an election cycle may be.
– ASSOC. PROF. CHARLES NELSON
THE FUTURE OF PROJECT-BASED LEARNING Goals for the future of project-based learning at USNA include: • Growth of the data science major and support for data science tools as an enabler for other disciplines. • Continued interdisciplinary expansion—bringing in disciplines not traditionally associated with project-based learning. • Wargaming, both “traditional” and manned-unmanned teaming wargames, such as the Squads with Autonomous Teammates Challenge (SWAT-C). • More projects associated with resilience to climate change and severe weather events.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT! 8