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Navy Engineer Named 2013 Asian American Engineer of the Year
Story Number: NNS130208-03
2/8/2013

By Nicholas Malay, Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Public Affairs

WEST BETHESDA, Md. (NNS) -- An engineer from the Naval Surface Warfare, Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD) has been named the 2013 Asian American Engineer of the Year (AAEOY), and will receive his award March 2, in Dallas.

"Through my 25 years at Carderock I have had the good fortune to be involved in the full range of naval hydrodynamics research activities, from basic research experiments here in our facilities on the physics of turbulent separated flows, to leading full-scale trials to validate our simulation and design tools," said award recipient Dr. Thomas C. Fu. "These opportunities, and breadth of work, allowed me to contribute to the field and grow as a researcher."

The AAEOY award recognizes exceptional contributions of American scientists, engineers and corporate leaders with Asian ethnicity in their fields of expertise and to their communities.

Fu was named an AAEOY for his pioneering contributions in the field of submarine and surface ship dynamics which include: non-acoustic hydrodynamic signatures and wakes, wave breaking, wave impact and slamming, and general hydrodynamics utilizing innovative experiments, both model- and full-scale.

"There is some satisfaction in looking back and seeing how far we have come; in seeing the techniques and methods that you were developing early in your career become standard practice," said Fu. "Seeing the impact one can have on the work we do here at Carderock, but also on the Navy as a whole, is tremendously motivating and rewarding. The fact that the work projects directly onto platform safety and survivability make it that much more rewarding."

Fu is the deputy department head and director of Science and Technology (S&T) of the Hydromechanics Department of the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division.In this capacity, he supports the department in managing the day-to-day operations of the Hydromechanics Department, and has oversight of the technical operations of the department.

As head of Science and Technology for the Department, he shepherds all basic and applied research efforts within the department and in cross-department collaboration efforts. He also serves as the department's representative and liaison to a number of international collaborative efforts and exchange agreements.

"Dr. Fu does much more than steward the Science and Technology efforts within the Naval Architecture and Engineering Department. His personal view, and the departmental view he brings forward as a member of the S&T council, is much larger than our single department's area of expertise," said NSWCCD Ship Systems Integration and Design and Hydromechanics Department Head, Jon Etxegoien.

With his breath of knowledge and diverse background, Fu also serves on and leads a variety of cross-departmental and cross-organizational committees and teams which have accomplished tasks from infrastructure improvements to accident investigations.

"Dr. Fu is always looking for areas of collaboration between the departments, other warfare centers, industry and academia, seeking to stretch our meager resources to try to take advantage of all the S&T work that we may have an interest in," said Etxegoien. "In this way, he has helped form an S&T program that was a disparate series of individual efforts, into a program that is a more structured, effective, and larger than sum of its parts."

"For me, the most rewarding aspect of being selected 2013 AAEOY is the recognition of my hard work. We all know what we put into our work, but the award is acknowledgement and validation by others of that effort," said Fu.

Fu's research is tied to NSWCCD's technical capabilities (TC) in the fields of hull forms and fluid dynamics, and propulsors. Under these TCs, NSWCCD provides the Navy's hydromechanics capability for surface and undersea vehicle platforms to ensure the platforms meet mission requirements; and provides assessment and design capability for Navy propulsors.

NSWCCD's responsibilities span a broad range including science and technology, research and development, test and evaluation, product delivery and fleet support. NSWCCD leads the Navy in hull, mechanical and electrical engineering expertise and delivers technical solutions in order to build and sustain a dominant, ready and affordable fleet. Headquartered in West Bethesda, Md., approximately 3,600 scientists, engineers, technicians and support personnel are located across the United States, which includes the Ship Systems Engineering Station in Philadelphia

For more news from Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock, visit www.navy.mil/local/nswcc/.