USA: NAVSEA Scientist Selected for Electrotechnology Award

A Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA) scientist was named the winner of the Harry Diamond Memorial Award for 2012, sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), April 25.

Dr. Thomas Wettergren won the award, which recognizes and honors individuals for distinguished technical contributions in the field of electrotechnology while in U.S. government service.

Wettergren will be presented the award during the IEEE Annual Meeting and Sustainability Conference this August in Portland, Ore.

“Dr. Wettergren has distinguished himself as an innovator and prolific research scientist,” said Mary Wohlgemuth, Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Newport technical director. “During his tenure, he has become an internationally recognized expert in the application of control and systems theory as it applies to the design and use of sensors and undersea vehicles.”

Wettergren has developed a nationally and internationally recognized research program in the area of applied mathematics as related to the use of operational and information science in undersea warfare. His expertise led to his appointment in 2010 to the position of U.S Navy senior technologist for Operational and Information Science at NUWC. His research is conducted both independently and with a team of scientists.

He has served as chief scientist for advanced systems technology in the Undersea Warfare Combat Systems Department where his scientific achievements led to technical leadership roles both within the science and technology and the Navy acquisition communities.

A native of Schaumburg, Ill., Wettergren earned his Ph.D. in Applied Mathematics from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he also served as an instructor. In addition, he has served as an adjunct assistant professor of Engineering at Brown University. Wettergren has earned many honors, including the 2008 assistant secretary of the Navy for Research, Development and Acquisition top Navy Scientists and Engineers of the Year Award, and the 2007 Naval Sea Systems Command Scientist of the Year.

The Naval Undersea Warfare Center is a Naval Sea Systems Command field activity, which engineers, builds and supports submarine and undersea systems.

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Naval Today Staff, April 26, 2013; Image: US Navy