A group of 19 students and faculty from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Security Studies Program toured the amphibious transport dock ship USS San Diego (LPD 22), March 27.

The Security Studies Program at MIT is a graduate-level research and educational program. A special feature of the program is the integration of technical and political analysis of national and international security problems. Courses emphasize grand strategy, the causes and prevention of conflict, military operations, technology, and defense policy.

While aboard, participants toured the ship's bridge, combat information center, central control station, and engineering spaces while receiving information about the ship's amphibious and air missions and capabilities from the ship's technical experts.

"It was extremely useful to come and see and learn how everything works," said Timothy McDonnell, MIT Ph.D. candidate. "The greatest value that we receive as students of national security and international politics is seeing how the ship is put together, how it operates, and how the spaces look and feel."

Since many Ph.D. candidates don't have military experience MIT organizes a yearly tour of military installations.

"This tour provides the students with deeper insight into all the branches of the military and how we work together in joint environments," said Capt. Peter Mirisola, Navy Federal executive fellow in the Security Studies Program at MIT. "The group loved the interaction with the Sailors, getting knowledge of how systems work, and the integration between the services."

San Diego recently returned home after completing a successful seven-month deployment conducting operations and exercises in the Indo-Pacific, Mediterranean, Horn of Africa, and Middle East.

The mission of San Diego is to transport and deploy combat and support elements from Marine Expeditionary Units and Brigades. The ship is designed is designed to support more than 800 Marines and have the capability to transport and debark air cushion, conventional landing craft and amphibious vehicles along with aviation capabilities.

San Diego is the sixth ship in San Antonio class amphibious transport dock ships and is the fourth named after the Southern California city. She is currently the only U.S. Navy ship in t he fleet homeported in her namesake city.

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For more news from USS San Diego (LPD 22), visit www.navy.mil/.