The Naval Surface Warfare Center Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) and University of Texas Arlington (UTA) entered into a formal Education Partnership Agreement (EPA) Sept. 11.

The EPA with UTA allows NSWCPD to make its scientific, engineering, technology assets and subject matter experts available to University faculty to enhance both their research activities and the educational experience of UTA students. In turn, NSWCPD is able to involve UTA faculty and students in U.S. Navy research projects underway at the Philadelphia Division. 

“Today, I’m pleased to be signing another important Education Partnership Agreement,” said Capt. Francis Spencer, NSWCPD Commanding Officer. “This is the first partnership outside of our area, which is a testament to the value University of Texas Arlington brings to the table.”

“Dr. John Heinzel (NSWCPD Engineer and NAVSEA Technical Warrant Holder for Future Power and Energy Storage Architectures) and Dr. Michael Golda (NSWCPD Chief Technology Officer) have been working with the University for several years with future energy storage, pulsed power support, electric drive and electrical architecture,” Spencer said.

“We are thrilled to be here,” said Dr. Duane Dimos, Vice President for Research for University of Texas Arlington. “[University of Texas and NSWCPD] have a partnership that is continually evolving. We are looking forward to where it goes.”

Located midway between Dallas and Fort Worth, UTA is the fourth largest university in Texas with an enrollment of 41,933 students. It offers 180 baccalaureates, masters, and doctoral degree programs. Its rating as a R1: Highest research activity university puts UTA is in a group of 115 institutions which includes Harvard, MIT, Johns Hopkins, Penn State, Temple University and Rutgers University. UTA is ranked fifth among national universities for undergraduate ethnic diversity, and is 12th on the list of “Best for Vets: Colleges.” 

The Philadelphia Division and UTA have collaborating in power and energy research since 2011. Working with Dr. David Wetz of the College of Engineering’s Electrical Engineering Department, Navy research has included topics in energy storage and pulsed power system design. Dr. Wetz, who received an Office of Naval Research Young Investigator award, has been an ONR Summer Faculty Fellow at the Philadelphia Division. Several of his graduate students have spent the summer at the Philadelphia Division funded by the Naval Research Enterprise Internship Program (NREIP).

Dr. Wetz and Dr. Heinzel have already begun to expand the power and energy research at UTA by engaging other faculty members, creating a multi-disciplinary team to address the technical challenges in this area. The EPA will allow the Philadelphia Division to develop additional collaborations with UTA faculty across the full spectrum of naval machinery technology. 

In addition to mutual research efforts, the agreement paves the way for NSWCPD to loan equipment to the university for educational purposes.  NSWCPD’s subject matter experts will also have the opportunity to teach science and engineering courses at UTA, and assist in the development of related courses. 

The agreement is dynamic in nature; its language allows for future modification in order to meet the evolving needs of the two organizations. Also addressed within the agreement is the protection of intellectual property, which includes proprietary information, data, and inventions.

This EPA continues NSWCPD’s pursuit of mutually beneficial agreements with colleges around the country. In addition to University of Texas Arlington, NSWCPD currently has partnership agreements with Villanova University, Drexel University, and Morgan State.

NSWCPD provides the Navy's primary technical expertise for naval machinery research and development and in-service engineering, as well as machinery cybersecurity and lifecycle engineering.

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