Sea Perch

K-12 Outreach

Did you know that for every undergraduate degree awarded in the United States today, China graduates 100? Did you know that today, while the United States graduates approximately 70,000 engineers yearly, India graduates 350,000, and China graduates 900,000? In fact, the US has fallen from 3rd in total number of engineering graduates to 17th in the world. These numbers paint a disconcerting picture for the future of the engineering profession in the US.

The US government has become increasingly concerned about the recruitment vulnerability in naval architecture, marine and naval engineering, and has concluded that a lack of quality technical education will ultimately result in a decrease in the level of competitiveness in the country. As it stands currently, there are not enough engineers in the pipeline to replace the aging workforce, set to retire within the next ten to fifteen years.

In response to this situation, the US government has funded various K-12 student Outreach programs. The goal is to generate interest in technical fields of study at a young age through interesting and innovative hands-on projects, which will ultimately lead to more students choosing engineering, science and mathematics programs in college. In addition, Outreach programs have the added benefit of introducing technical topics to under-represented groups of students, such as minorities and girls, and encouraging them to see themselves as engineers, naval architects, or scientists.

One of the core missions of the Society is “To further education in naval architecture, marine, and ocean engineering.” SNAME’s commitment to education and to furthering the profession has resulted in a collaborative effort between the Office of Naval Research and SNAME on the Sea Perch Program, designed by MIT, which teaches underwater robotics to middle and high schools in a hands-on activity.

What is Sea Perch?

Sea Perch provides students with the opportunity to learn about robotics, engineering, science, and mathematics while building the underwater ROV as part of a science and engineering curriculum. Throughout the project, students will learn engineering concepts, problem solving, teamwork, and technical applications, as well as having the opportunity to participate in an end-of-the-term design competition. This program teaches students how to build an underwater robot, how to build a propulsion system, how to develop a controller, and how to investigate weight and buoyancy.

MIT Sea Grant's new Sea Perch program introduces pre-college students to the wonders of underwater robotics. Part of the Office of Naval Research's initiative, "Recruiting the Next Generation of Naval Architects," this program teaches students how to build an underwater robot (called a Sea Perch), how to build a propulsion system, how to develop a controller, and how to investigate weight and buoyancy. This endeavor is one of many exciting new projects funded by the Office of Naval Research as part of its National Naval Responsibility Initiative. The initiative focuses on bringing academia, government and industry to work together to ensure that the talent needed to design the Navy's next generation of ships and submarines will be there when needed.

The remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), which are made with PVC pipe and other small parts, are housed in a plastic Rubbermaid bin. With a marine engineering theme, this project teaches basic skills in ship and submarine design and encourages students to explore naval architecture and marine and ocean engineering concepts independently. In addition, the curriculum includes discussion of potential careers in technical and engineering fields, as well as related fields of study.

SNAME has received a grant from the Office of Naval Research, and has shown full commitment to the project by appointing staff member Susan Giver, formerly Marketing and Communications Director, to the position of Outreach and Strategic Development, with the responsibility of coordinating and managing the Sea Perch project. Initially, the project is focused in the Washington, DC, Virginia, and Maryland area, with the goal of expanding into a national program within the next five years.

How Can You Help?