NOMINATION COVER SHEET
2017 Virginia Outstanding Faculty Awards
1. NAME
Full (Legal): Jennifer Grimsley Michaeli
Preferred First Name: Jenny
2. INSTITUTIONAL INFORMATION
3. PROFESSIONAL INFORMATION
Institution: Old Dominion University
Academic Discipline: Naval Architecture and
Marine Engineering
Rank/Position Title: Assistant Professor
Year Rank/Title Attained: 2013
Specialization/Field: Ship Design,
Shipbuilding
Years at Institution: 4
Type of Terminal Degree: PhD
Campus Email Address:
[email protected]
Year Awarded: 2010
Awarding Institution: Old Dominion University
Campus Phone: (757) 683-3770
4. PERSONAL INFORMATION
Campus Mailing Address: Kaufman Hall,
Suite 214, Old Dominion University,
Norfolk, VA 23529
Campus Communications Contact:
Name: Giovanna Genard
E-mail: [email protected]
Please check only one box:
RESEARCH/DOCTORAL INSTITUTION NOMINEE:
MASTERS/COMPREHENSIVE INSTITUTION NOMINEE:
BACCALAUREATE INSTITUTION NOMINEE:
TWO-YEAR INSTITUTION NOMINEE:
TEACHING WITH TECHNOLOGY NOMINEE:
RISING STAR NOMINEE:
Table of Contents
Cover Sheet ...............................................................................................................................1
Mission Statement .....................................................................................................................2
Summary of Accomplishments ....................................................................................................3
Personal Statement ....................................................................................................................9
Abbreviated Curriculum Vitae ...................................................................................................11
Letters of Support (Excerpted) ..................................................................................................13
Additional Documentation .........................................................................................................16
Signature (President or Chief Academic Officer)
Printed Name: _ Augustine O. Agho, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs
E-mail address: [email protected]
Telephone: 757-683-3079
_
Mission Statement
Old Dominion University
The Mission of Old Dominion University is as follows:
“Old Dominion University, located in the City of Norfolk in the metropolitan Hampton Roads region
of coastal Virginia, is a dynamic public research institution that serves its students and enriches
the Commonwealth of Virginia, the nation, and the world through rigorous academic programs,
strategic partnerships, and active civic engagement.”
The Mission Support section of the mission statement describes in detail the principles and
practices that under lie the University’s undergraduate and graduate teaching, research, and
service missions: a sound general educational program; critical thinking; diversity; academic
freedom; serving the needs of the local, national, and international communities, including military
members and their families; and collaborating with government, industry, and alumni. Finally, the
Major Goals of the University are described under the following headings: Students, Faculty,
Academic Programs, Teaching, Research, Scholarship and Creativity, Distance Learning, Lifelong Learning, Community Service, Student Life, Alumni, and Quality.
A complete statement of the mission and major goals may be found in the Old Dominion University
Undergraduate Catalog 2015-2016 (p. 10-12) and it is available at the following URL:
http://catalog.odu.edu/pdf/2015-16-undergraduate.pdf.
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Summary of Accomplishments
Dr. Jennifer Grimsley Michaeli is an Assistant Professor of Engineering Technology at Old
Dominion University’s Batten College of Engineering and Technology (ODU BCET), and she is
Institute Director for ODU’s newly formed Naval Engineering and Marine Systems Institute
(NEMSI), the first female faculty and first assistant professor in ODU BCET to be appointed to
such a prestigious leadership position. In her short time at ODU, she has raised over $3.34M in
research grant funding from Navy sponsors. She was awarded over $1.3M in grants to advance
the Navy across emerging science and technology domains for future naval operations including
laser weapon system integration, ship survivability modeling, hybrid power systems for maritime
platforms, 3D printing for shipboard applications, and complex decision methodology for naval
acquisition. Dr. Michaeli and her colleagues were awarded a $1.2M STEM grant to create a digital
learning community that prepares transitioning military veterans for new careers as engineering
professionals, as well as a $330k grant for a system of systems assessment of the Navy’s
approach to shipboard maintenance and readiness. Dr. Michaeli and her team were awarded a
highly competitive Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) grant ($456k)
to develop a real-time, power hardware in the loop, marine electrical and power systems
laboratory, the only lab of its kind in Virginia and one of three in the nation. This lab will uniquely
combine shipboard hardware and computer-based simulations to study a wide range of medium
and high voltage power architectures to support future naval combatants such as the DDG1000
ship. This lab will serve as a multi-purpose facility for teaching, advanced research and practical
training for Navy/shipyard personnel.
Dr. Michaeli, a native of Newport News, Virginia, a graduate of top-ranked academic institutions
including Webb Institute and MIT, and life-long resident in the Hampton Roads metropolitan area,
is a fourth-generation professional in shipbuilding and naval engineering. She is highly regarded
by Navy and Maritime industry leadership for her expertise in ship design, shipbuilding, naval
engineering, and her passion and professionalism towards expanding the naval engineering
workforce by building a strong academic pipeline that reaches into K-12 and extends postemployment for continuing education. This vision will ensure a robust shipbuilding and ship
modernization capability, and maintain a technologically advanced US naval fleet for Hampton
Roads, the state of Virginia, and the nation.
TEACHING
With her excellent academic background, and depth of knowledge and experience as a
professional naval engineer, Dr. Michaeli oversees ODU’s curriculum for both the marine
engineering minor and marine engineering technology specialization courses, and she prepares
ODU students for success in naval engineering and the marine industry. Currently only 15
universities and colleges in the country offer a marine engineering curriculum, including the USCG
Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy. These programs fall short of meeting Navy and Industry
demands. Under Dr. Michaeli’s leadership, ODU’s marine engineering minor helps fill this gap.
Further, the program utilizes distance education that provides access into remote areas of the
Commonwealth as well as nationally to other regions with a strong naval engineering /
shipbuilding presence. This approach has a larger impact to fortify the industry and naval
enterprise by graduating well-prepared engineering graduates from diverse backgrounds.
In her short time at ODU, Dr. Michaeli has developed new marine engineering courses and
significantly revised existing courses to align with the needs of the Navy and marine industry, at
both the undergraduate and graduate level. These courses include: Introduction to Naval
Architecture (MAE 450 / MET 474 / MAE 550), Marine Systems I (MET 475), Maintenance
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Engineering (MET 485), and newest course in development: Integrated Digital Shipbuilding (MET
476).
In her marine engineering minor courses, Dr. Michaeli integrates technology, hands-on learning,
individual research and professional development. She includes assignments where students
use advanced design software tools used in industry, which are accessible to students using
ODU’s virtual computer lab so students can access software from anywhere in the country. She
hosts guest lectures from industry leaders including virtual lectures so speakers can log in
remotely. She coordinates shipyard tours for Hampton Roads and Virginia students and uses
virtual shipyard tours for distance learning students to learn about the latest advances in ship
construction and modernization. She has virtual labs in ship stability as well as on-campus ship
stability lab equipment available for students. Dr. Michaeli capitalizes on the diversity in her
classrooms, which includes traditional students (high school direct to college), active duty and
military veterans as well as students who have work experience and are now pursuing an
engineering degree. Having a 28-year old sailor with shipboard experience in the same classroom
as a 19 or 20 year old with very little experience and a 34-year old shipyard welder working on
her engineering degree brings so much more depth and peer-to-peer learning to the classroom.
While the marine engineering minor courses are only available to engineering students at the
junior and senior levels (due to prerequisite courses that students must first complete), Dr.
Michaeli identified the need to engage incoming freshmen students and excite them about the
field of marine engineering and opportunities that exist at ODU. Dr. Michaeli developed a marine
engineering module as part of ODU’s ENGN110 course – mandatory for all incoming engineering
freshmen with an annual enrollment of 800 students. This short module, and Dr. Michaeli in
particular, had such overwhelmingly positive feedback that she expanded it to a project-based
short course and, again with such favorable response, has now been asked to expand it to a
semester-long project course for incoming engineering freshmen. In the short course Dr. Michaeli
has students work in multi-disciplinary teams to design and build underwater robots that respond
to an oil spill, such as the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.
Dr. Michaeli brings her extensive professional experience to the classroom to create a real-world
environment that students will face when then graduate. She also shares personal experiences
in working in multi-disciplinary teams to tackle very challenging requirements for the Navy and
the importance of lifelong learning, communication and collaboration, professional ethics, trust,
and the perspective/value of “failure” in a Research & Development environment. What is
especially rewarding is that students who have taken this freshman-level course will often
approach her to join one of her award-winning undergraduate research teams, become a member
of the American Society of Naval Engineers’ Student Chapter that she advises, enroll in the
marine engineering minor, and seek her counsel on internships and career opportunities.
In addition to her upper-level specialty courses and the project-based marine engineering course
for freshmen, Dr. Michaeli has also taught a computer-aided design course that is mandatory for
most engineering students at the freshman and sophomore levels. In this course Dr. Michaeli
teaches students how to visualize parts and assemblies in both 2D and 3D space and how to
create a design that can actually be manufactured. Dr. Michaeli uses a combination of lecture,
technology and hands-on computer design. Her time with the students is not just about teaching
and learning the material. It’s time to have an open dialogue with students about engineering. It’s
a time for her to share experiences and advice such as the critical importance of internships, of
seeing by doing and continuously challenging oneself through lifelong learning, of developing
skills to listen and communicate effectively with people across a broad range of experiences and
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backgrounds, of always maintaining professional ethics and having the courage to speak up with
you see or perceive a problem or technical risk.
The strength of Dr. Michaeli’s teaching is evident in her outstanding student evaluations; she
consistently receives excellent scores and students praise her depth of knowledge, enthusiasm
and her caring nature. Additionally, in 2014, Dr. Michaeli and her colleagues presented a paper
on teaching creativity and innovation in engineering, “Initial Assessment of Analytic Hierarchy
Process to Teach Innovation and Creativity in Design and Engineering”, which was selected as a
finalist for Best Paper in Engineering Innovation Division at American Society of Engineering
Education (ASEE) 2014 National Conference. She also authored a paper, “Lessons in OnCampus and Distance Learning Delivery of an Introductory Naval Architecture Course to
Engineering and Engineering Technology Undergraduate Students”, and co-authored a paper,
“Implementing Mechatronics Design Methodology in Mechanical Engineering Technology Senior
Design Projects at Old Dominion University” at the 2014 ASEE National Conference. Her paper,
“Developing Naval Engineering Workforce through Undergraduate Research and Experiential
Learning” was selected for the 2015 International Conference for Education and Professional
Development of Engineers in the Maritime Industry hosted by the Royal Institute of Naval
Architects (RINA) in London, U.K. and her paper, “Developing a Distance Learning Curriculum for
Marine Engineering Education” was presented at the ASEE 2016 Annual Conference. For her
outstanding leadership and oversight to her students, Dr. Michaeli was selected as the 2014-2015
Undergraduate Research Mentor for ODU’s Batten College of Engineering and Technology.
Dr. Michaeli’s students have received highly competitive Naval Research Enterprise Internship
Program (NREIP) internships, as well as internships at Huntington Ingalls Industries Newport
News Shipbuilding (HII-NNS) and Dominion Surry Nuclear Power Plant, acceptance to graduate
school at Stevens Institute for Masters in Naval Engineering and Norfolk State for Masters in
Computer Science, and permanent hiring positions at NASA Langley, and Department of Navy.
Dr. Michaeli’s research students have also received highly competitive SMART scholarships,
Navy Pathways scholarships, and ASNE scholarships, and have received national acclaim for
undergraduate and graduate research at the American Society of Naval Engineers’ (ASNE)
National Convention in 2015 and 2016. She has also developed professional development
courses for US Navy personnel on 3D design and 3D printing as well as professional development
courses for new naval engineers, offered through ASNE.
DISCOVERY
Dr. Michaeli has achieved outstanding success in funded research, placing her as a top performer
for her Department and the College in research funding. In 2016, she was awarded ODU BCET’s
Excellence in Research award. As the Director of the NEMSI, Dr. Michaeli is keenly focused on
expanding ODU’s research capabilities to advance the Naval enterprise and the marine industry,
in particular to those stakeholders in Virginia. Dr. Michaeli has extensive experience in the Naval
Research & Development community as well as in operational gaps that drive emerging Science
& Technology requirements. She is very skilled at translating these needs to the research
community while at the same time seeing how research achievements of faculty can have a higher
impact and benefit the warfighter. These unique skillsets coupled with her enthusiasm and her
collaborative spirit for multi-disciplinary teaming across academia-industry-Navy partners come
together to achieve high impact for ODU researchers and the Navy. One example is the
unprecedented RDT&E MOU she spearheaded between ODU and HII-NNS, signed out in
December 2015. As another example, since her arrival at ODU in 2012 she has received over
$3.34M in research funding from Navy sponsors, which has a strong student component in
promoting future naval engineering workforce. She has been a vital proponent and contributor for
the Naval Engineering Education Consortium (NEEC), a collection of universities across the
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country dedicated to Navy-centric research that incorporates undergraduate and graduate
researchers who are eligible for permanent hiring within the Naval enterprise. This sponsored
research requires that students are U.S. citizens with 3.0 or higher GPA and eligible for a DoD
security clearance. Dr. Michaeli started her career in the Naval enterprise and recognizes this is
an outstanding program to draw in the best and brightest to pursue sponsored research and future
careers as naval engineers. In her short time, Dr. Michaeli has received $950k in funding
specifically to conduct research and mentor students in emerging Science & Technology areas
including directed energy weapons for surface combatants, additive manufacturing for naval
applications, and advanced computational tools for naval vessel design. Dr. Michaeli has
mentored over 40 undergraduate and graduate student researchers. In March 2016 Dr. Michaeli
and ASNE’s Tidewater Section hosted a Research Exposition for ODU students and faculty to
showcase their research.
In 2013 she was an invited panel expert at the High Performance Marine Vehicles Symposium
(HIPER). In 2014 she co-authored a paper with industry experts on hybrid propulsion systems
for unmanned surveillance vessels at the Navy’s Electric Machines Technology Symposium. In
2015 she was the Keynote Speaker at ODU BCET’s Distinguished Honors Gala. In 2015 she
presented research on computational methods for high speed vessel structures to ONR’s
Conference on High Water Speed Vessels and also was an invited panelist to speak to LEAD
Virginia on her perspectives on industry-academia partnerships. In 2016 she was invited as a
Distinguished Lecturer to speak to leadership at NSWC Dahlgren on naval engineering research
and was the keynote speaker at the Region E Annual Conference for the Society of Women
Engineers.
KNOWLEDGE INTEGRATION
Since her arrival at ODU, Dr. Michaeli has guided two new research laboratories and one handson learning laboratory. The first laboratory is the Marine Dynamics Laboratory, a combined space
for teaching, research and student projects focused on simulating the harsh marine environment
onboard ships for vessel stability, structural testing and equipment survivability. The second is
the Marine Electrical and Power Systems Lab which will be located on the Hampton Roads
Peninsula in close proximity to marine industry and Navy collaborators, as well as ODU’s VMASC
and Center for Cyber Security for joint research, testing and training of personnel for shipboard
applications of medium power electrical systems to support emerging naval requirements such
as directed energy weapons and future design requirements for all-electric ships. Equipment for
this lab was funded by an ONR DURIP grant, which provides DoD funding for “university research
infrastructure essential to high-quality Navy relevant research … the research instrumentation
that is necessary to carry out cutting-edge research.” The teaching laboratory is a new Fluid
Power Systems Lab that will benefit marine engineering as well as other engineering programs
for pneumatic, hydraulic, and hydro-electric control systems. Dr. Michaeli also created a
dedicated “collabatorium” space for faculty and students to meet together and have virtual
connectivity with Navy sponsors and marine industry partners to discuss research ideas and
report on project status.
Under her leadership, Dr. Michaeli has positioned NEMSI to be the central point for Navy and
marine industry stakeholders to access ODU engineering for research and collaboration and to
provide the “demand signal” for areas of curriculum development. She believes the key to
establishing NEMSI as a robust and sustainable center of excellence is to increase the number
of ODU faculty actively engaged in research directed towards advancing the Navy and marine
industry. To this end, Dr. Michaeli actively engages with these stakeholders to listen to their
needs and continuously strives to involve more faculty to help them to overlay their research
interests with the needs of the maritime community. In the past 4 years, Dr. Michaeli has been
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awarded grants for multi-disciplinary research that included collaborators within her department,
across the College of Engineering, as well as with faculty in the Colleges of Science and
Continuing Education and includes a diverse array of research interests from 3D printing onboard
ships, to systems analysis into the Navy’s maintenance and readiness reporting, to complex
decision tools in naval acquisition programs, to integrating solid state laser weapons onboard
ships, to signal transmission and ship survivability modeling in littoral operations. Additionally,
Dr. Michaeli looks for opportunities to bring together stakeholders with overlapping research
interests. As such, Dr. Michaeli hosted multiple Navy agencies representing research, ship
modernization, logistics and training to discuss collaboratively with NEMSI in the areas of additive
manufacturing (commonly referred to as 3D printing) for naval applications. Previously Dr.
Michaeli hosted NATO representatives to discuss with ODU faculty regarding research
opportunities in areas with war gaming and maritime surveillance. Her colleague, Dr. Paul Moses,
comments, “Dr. Michaeli’s extensive industry experience as a professional engineer in the U.S.
Department of Defense has given her unique skills and leadership qualities resulting in many
accomplishments in her current position as Director of the Naval Engineering and Marine Systems
Institute (NEMSI).”
In summary, Dr. Michaeli connects Old Dominion University to the maritime industry surrounding
it and thus achieves exceptional knowledge integration. Dr. Michaeli is known not just throughout
Hampton Roads and the Commonwealth but also nationally for her expertise in naval engineering
and her successful ability to collaborate across the domains of government, industry, and
academia.
SERVICE
Dr. Michaeli’s teaching, research, and collaborative work with military and industry comes
together with a clear and pointed focus of serving our nation. Dr. Michaeli’s achievements
strengthen our national defense program through developing new technologies to make the
strongest navy in the world even stronger and creating a pipeline from K-12 through ODU BCET
and beyond into continuing education coursework to recruit, educate and train students for this
critical work.
Dr. Michaeli and her collaborators received an ONR STEM grant designated to assist military
veterans in pursuing engineering degree and transitioning to career as a naval engineering
professional. This 3-year, $1.2M pilot program will serve as the model for implementation at
universities within Virginia and across the nation. In the marine engineering curriculum, Dr.
Michaeli’s initiative to make all marine engineering courses available to distance learning
students, allows the program to reach a broader population including students with strong
technical background and hands-on practical experience that have no direct knowledge of ship
design and shipbuilding due to their geographical location in the western or rural parts of Virginia.
Dr. Michaeli serves on the Technical Advisory Council (TAC) for the Commonwealth Center for
Advanced Manufacturing - a world-class collaborative partnership for academia and industry to
advance the state-of-the-art of manufacturing for Virginia businesses. Dr. Michaeli was elected
by membership-at-large to serve on ASNE’s National Executive Committee. She is on ASNE
National Continuing Education Subcommittee and has developed and delivered professional
development short courses to new engineering professionals in the naval enterprise and marine
industry. Additionally, she is on the ASNE Tidewater Executive Committee and is the advisor for
ODU’s ASNE Student Chapter.
Every semester, Dr. Michaeli coordinates site-visits for students to tour shipyards and naval
research facilities. Dr. Michaeli worked with HII-NNS to host its first-ever spring-break naval
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engineering seminar, a weeklong event for naval engineering students to be onsite, tour the
facilities and have direct engagement with leadership and engineering professionals at the
company. HII-NNS selected ODU as its partner university for this event.
Dr. Michaeli collaborated with the US Navy in 2016 to host a Naval Engineering STEAM Day at
Norfolk Naval Base for 200 middle school students. In 2014, she developed and led a marine
engineering day for ODU STEM Camp for 6th – 8th graders. She has served as a visiting member
on the Virginia Ship Repair Foundation (VSRF) that coordinates professional development for
employees in the ship repair industry and also actively sponsors marine-focused STEM events
for K-12 students. Dr. Michaeli is now working with local municipalities, local shipbuilders, and
the US Navy to develop STEM pathways for high school students, in particular women and
underrepresented minorities, to learn 3D design, coding, and virtual/augmented reality techniques
to prepare them for ODU Engineering and ultimately apply their knowledge to industrial
applications in shipbuilding and shipboard operations.
In summary, Dr. Michaeli’s professional experiences placed her at the “tip of the spear” in
addressing complex challenges for the U.S. Navy and bringing together a multi-disciplinary
approach and collaborative spirit to rapidly transition from requirements definition and concept
design, to detailed design and construction, to testing and fielding. She has led modernization
programs to design and integrate advanced weapon systems onto existing vessel platforms.
Through her “Cradle to Grave” experiences across the spectrum of naval engineering, she has
worked in both the public and private sector, in both the design office and production facilities,
and has been a U.S. representative to foreign countries for collaborative efforts to address special
operations’ needs in counter terrorism. She has seen all facets of naval engineering both as a
profession and as the engine that drives the regional, state and national economies. Dr. Michaeli
is passionately adamant that the U.S. maintain its presence as a superior naval power and
recognizes that this can only be achieved through inspiring and mentoring future generations to
the field of naval engineering in a University setting. Dr. Michaeli believes that ODU, located in
the metropolitan Hampton Roads region of coastal Virginia and home to numerous Naval facilities
as well as ship design, shipbuilding and ship repair companies, is uniquely positioned to become
the research center and academic hub for naval and marine engineering. With all of her
successes and accolades in her professional career, she felt a strong and compelling force pulling
her to academia in order to combine her energy and enthusiasm with her successful capacity to
work across government – industry – academia. She facilitates partnerships between two worlds:
the military community and the research community in order to achieve significant technology
advancement. She combines her extensive technical knowledge and scholarly pursuits with her
passion to teach and mentor, and her collaborative spirit to develop and foster strategic
partnerships with the Navy and industry to achieve a rigorous curriculum of learning and a robust
and sustainable center of excellence in naval engineering, shipbuilding, and ship modernization
that meets the needs of the Hampton Roads, the state of Virginia, and the nation.
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Personal Statement
I am passionate about the marine industry, it’s in my genes! My family’s legacy in shipbuilding
started in the late 1800s in northwest England. My great-grandfather was a shipbuilder at Vickers
Shipyard, known today as BAE Systems Submarine Solutions, and has a long heritage of building
commercial and naval vessels. Early in his career, he immigrated to the U.S., specifically to
Newport News, VA to work at Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company (now a division
of Huntington Ingalls Industries).
His future son-in-law, my grandfather, grew up one of 8 children on a farm in Florence, South
Carolina and in 1933 graduated high school a year early to enroll in Newport News Shipbuilding’s
Apprentice School. He worked his way from an electrician apprentice graduate to become part
of the company’s leadership as Ship Superintendent and Head of Trades during his 45-year
career and was onsite as the electrical test coordinator to see the first prototype nuclear reactor
for the USS Enterprise go critical at the shipyard’s land-based test and training facility.
Both my father and my uncle had long and successful careers in the industry – my father first as
a naval officer, then as a marine engineer at Electric Boat in Groton, CT before returning to
Newport News Shipbuilding where he had a 30-year career in testing and nuclear overhaul for
carriers, and my uncle as an electrical engineer for waterfront infrastructure. From a very early
age, I recall sitting at my grandparents’ kitchen table and listening to the “yard talk” from the three
of them – much to my grandmother’s disapproval, and hearing the passion and conviction in their
voices, the pride that came from being a shipbuilder – a builder of NAVY ships and submarines.
I also learned the complexity in this endeavor – not only in the design of the vessel itself but the
budgets, schedules, workforce challenges and the hazardous nature of building and maintaining
ships.
Growing up in Newport News, there were numerous science fair projects where I explored
different aspects of ship design and a few wooden sailboats that we built in our garage and sailed
on the Warwick River and James River. These experiences excited me and inspired me to pursue
an engineering career in this field. I take great pride in knowing my two young children will sail
these same rivers on the same boats.
I spent four years at Webb Institute in New York studying naval architecture and marine
engineering – a unique learning institution that is both magical and exhausting. At Webb, not only
did I build my knowledge in ship design and construction but I left with a lasting admiration for the
culture – the academic rigor, internship programs, close contact and support from industry, the
emphasis on collaborative, project-based learning and outstanding role models including my
professors, my internship mentors, and my thesis advisors.
From Webb I went further north, to MIT, to complete my master’s degree. At MIT I learned to
view the industry with an eye to the theories and practices of engineering management – in ship
construction, ship operations, and intermodal transportation, and examined the Navy’s business
models in an era of acquisition reform. After a long, cold, snowy winter in Boston I eagerly
returned to Hampton Roads to start my professional career at the Navy’s R&D Center for vessels
under 200 feet in length. For more than a decade, I had the privilege of working from concept
design through fielding of the most technically sophisticated vessels and integrated systems to
support our Naval Special Forces and to do so alongside exceptional military and civilian
individuals from government, industry and academia, both within the U.S. and abroad. This type
of “tip of the spear” research, design, testing and engineering (RDT&E) could not be published in
journal articles or even acknowledged outside of a small circle of colleagues. For me, every
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project was extremely challenging and expanded my technical knowledge immensely. These
experiences taught me what it means to be operationally effective in a combat environment and
gave me an overwhelming sense of pride to serve my country’s warfighters. It’s also during this
time that I completed my PhD in mechanical engineering at ODU and had the opportunity to
experience firsthand the expertise and dedication of ODU’s faculty, the capabilities and the
strengths that are unique to this forward-focused metropolitan university – and to recognize the
untapped potential that ODU has to build a robust, sustainable center of excellence to support
the Naval Enterprise, Shipbuilding and Ship Repair Industries – both in research and professional
workforce development.
For several years following my PhD, I left government service to work in the industry’s private
sector and continued in new design and construction on several programs of manned and
unmanned vessels for U.S. and foreign navies. One such project was the competitive downselect
of the next generation Special Forces program that was a substantial “win” for a small boatbuilding
company. These projects complemented my academic training and government-sector
experiences and gave me better perspective of advanced manufacturing and production, small
businesses competing for government contracts, and how industry has evolved to serve the role
of Ship Integrator over the 15, 30, or even 50-years of a vessel’s lifecycle.
So it is with this rich heritage, rigorous academic training, and broad professional experiences
across government and the private sector that at 36 years old I sought to return to ODU, not as a
student but as a visionary and driving force to expand ODU’s research capabilities and academic
programs in areas of naval and marine engineering. I now find myself in my third year in academia
and most recently at the helm of the Naval Engineering and Marine Systems Institute (NEMSI).
NEMSI was formed in 2014 to drive scholarly endeavors that support the Navy and industry in
addressing complex challenges in design, construction, operations and modernization of marine
vessels for military, commercial and recreational use. It is also intended to produce an engineering
workforce that meets the competitive needs of the marine industry and naval enterprise of
Virginia, which ranks first among all U.S. states in shipbuilding with 63,650 jobs and provides
more than $5.5B into the state’s economy every year, as well as the national needs of this
constituency. NEMSI’s achievements over the past 24 months are numerous and outlined in the
Summary of Accomplishments. But even to that I say, “Just wait, we are just getting started!”
In this new chapter of my life at ODU I let three tenets guide my thoughts and actions: 1) to create
opportunities for students to see a meaningful and impacting future in naval and marine
engineering, 2) to build a robust curriculum (including courses, lab investments and faculty
research) that best prepares ODU students for success in this field, and 3) to ensure a sense of
community among students, faculty and navy and industry that will increase retention during their
academic career and stay with them after they graduate. Seeing the enthusiasm and engagement
that is spreading across the faculty, student body, and government and industry stakeholders
confirms my strong belief that my experiences to date have led me to exactly where I should be.
I am at ODU to build a robust, sustainable marine engineering center of excellence, to provide
quality research to the Naval Enterprise and Marine Industry, and to support the nation’s naval
engineering pipeline that ensures a vibrant future for our nation’s expertise across science and
technology, manufacturing, and defense domains.
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Abbreviated Curriculum Vitae
Education
1998 Webb Institute, Bachelor of Science in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering
Thesis: A Comparison of Prediction Methods for Impact Pressures of High-Speed, Light
Craft
1999 Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Master of Science in Ocean Systems
Management
Thesis: Navy Design Spending in an Era of Acquisition Reform
2010 Old Dominion University, Doctor of Philosophy in Mechanical Engineering
Dissertation: Methodology to Quantify Vertical Accelerations of Planing Craft in Irregular
Waves
Teaching Highlights
2013-Present Assistant Professor, Old Dominion University
•
Oversee curriculum for BCET’s marine engineering minor and ET’s marine engineering
technology specialization
• Develop, teach undergraduate / graduate distance learning marine engineering courses:
Principles of Naval Architecture (MET495, MAE 450, MET 474, MAE 550)
• Advise BCET undergraduate and graduate students on Navy-sponsored research
projects
• Mentor / sponsor students participating on 2 Roboboat Student Competition Design
Teams representing ODU
• Advise ODU’s Student Chapter of American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE)
2012-2013
Visiting Professor, Old Dominion University
Selected Honors and Awards
2016
ODU BCET Excellence in Research Award Recipient for 2016
2016
ODU’s Nominee for 2017 SCHEV “Rising Star” Award
2016
Invited Speaker, American Society of Naval Engineers Tidewater Section
2016
Keynote Speaker, Society of Women Engineers Region E Annual Conference
2016
Distinguished Lecturer, Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division
2016
State Finalist, 2016 SCHEV “Rising Star” award
2015
Invited Panelist, Lead Virginia
2015
Session Chair, Marine Engineering Education, Royal Institute of Naval Architects
2015
Invited Presenter, Naval Engineering Education Consortium’s Annual Conference
2015
ODU’s Nominee for 2016 SCHEV “Rising Star” Award
2015
Keynote Speaker for ODU BCET Distinguished Honors Gala
2015
ODU BCET Nominee for Provost’s Undergraduate Research Mentor of Year
2013
Panel Expert, ASNE High Performance Marine Vehicles Symposium
2013
Finalist for Best Paper Award (Engineering Innovation Division) at American
Society of Engineering Education (ASEE) Annual Conference
2007
RADM Melville Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement
2006
Rosenblatt Young Engineer of the Year Award, American Society of Naval
Engineers (ASNE)
1998
SNAME Student Paper of the Year
1998
Landers Scholar, Graduate Scholarship for Advanced Study in
Ship Design, Building and Operations
1997, 1998
ASNE Scholar (Undergraduate Scholarship 1997, Graduate Scholarship 1998)
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1998
1998
1998
Lewis Nixon Memorial Award (best thesis in naval architecture)
Charles Ward, Jr. Memorial Award (highest GPA in naval architecture)
Samuel McComb Memorial Award (second highest GPA, junior and senior year)
Leadership, Professional Affiliations, and Service
2016-Present Member, Commonwealth Center for Advanced Manufacturing (CCAM) Technical
Advisory Council (TAC)
2016-Present Program Chair, ASEE OCEAN AND MARINE ENGINEERING DIVISION
2016-Present Member, ODU’s Office of Research Advisory Committee.
2015-Present Member, BCET Dean Search Committee
2014-Present Director, Naval Engineering and Marine Systems Institute, ODU BCET
2014-Present Co-Director, ODU Marine Dynamics Laboratory
2012-Present Faculty Advisor, ASNE Student Chapter at ODU
2014-2016
Elected Member, ASNE National Council
2013-2014
Visiting Member, Virginia Ship Repair Foundation (VSRF)
2013-Present Member, ASNE National Continuing Education Subcommittee
2013-Present Member, ASNE Tidewater Executive Committee
2004-Present Professional Engineer, State of Virginia
External Funding
• Principal Investigator or co-Principal Investigator on grants from Office of Naval Research,
Naval Sea Systems Command / Naval Engineering Education Consortium, and Space
and Naval Warfare Systems Command totaling over $3.34M million since 2013.
• Funding from Defense University Research Instrumentation Program (DURIP) to establish
the ODU’s Marine Power and Electrical Systems Laboratory
Selected Peer-reviewed Journal Publications
• Smith, K., Shull, J., Dean, A., Shen, Y., Michaeli, J., “SiGMA: A Software Framework for
Enhancing Advanced Mathematical Capabilities in Serious Games,” Journal for
Advances in Engineering Software, accepted, August 2016.
• Johnson, B., & Michaeli, J. G. Survey of State-of-the-Art Underwater Glider Technology:
Development and Utilization of Underwater Gliders. International Journal of Engineering
Research and Innovation, 8(1), 39-46. 2016.
• Michaeli, J. G., et al. “An Initial Look at Robotics-based Initiatives to Engage Girls in
Engineering“, Technology Interface International Journal (TIIJ), Spring/Summer 2014,
Vol. 14, No., 2014.
• Michaeli, J., et al. “Application of the Analytic Hierarchy Process for Topside Combat
System Integration onto Surface Combatants,” Naval Engineer’s Journal, December
2014.
• Lin, C., et al. “Design and Practical Application of an Innovative, Pneumatically-Latched
Valve,” Journal for Engineering Technology, September 2013.
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Excerpts from Letters of Support
Current and Former Students
Dr. Michaeli has made an enormous impact on my college education and transition from active
duty naval service as a disabled veteran. With her guidance I received several merit based
scholarships and internships including the nationally competitive ASEE SMART scholarship
which has the additional benefit of being hired by the Department of Defense immediately
following graduation. I would not have received these honors if I did not have Dr. Michaeli’s
guidance and genuine passion for her students to excel in their studies and career. Her service
as a principle investigator to our Navy-funded research projects has not only brought a
multidisciplinary group of students together as a team but the projects have received honor and
distinction under her leadership. As a student and a disabled veteran I am deeply grateful for the
future that Dr. Michaeli has opened for me.
Alfred Hammett, Undergraduate Researcher
Dr. Michaeli’s high standards for technical excellence and her passion for engineering undeniably
contributed to shape me into the engineer I am today. When Dr. Michaeli offered me the
opportunity to become her graduate research assistant as I was completing my Master’s in
Mechanical Engineering from Old Dominion University, I had not foreseen the tremendous impact
she would have on my professional life. Dr. Michaeli taught me how to conduct rigorous research,
to analyze complex problems, and most importantly, to always maintain one’s professional
integrity, all of which are invaluable assets in my career at NASA Langley Research Center, with
one of the leading research agencies in the nation.
Marie Ivanco, Graduate Researcher
All of the students supervised by Dr. Michaeli saw great success in their research and with her
help, produced several papers for Naval Surface Warfare Center Dahlgren Division. These
papers contained the students’ findings in several different breakthrough subjects including
directed energy weapons, new uses for multi-criteria decision making, additive manufacturing,
and shock mitigation on military vessels. The fact that an organization with as much talent and
clout as the United States Navy took an interest in this bold research shows Dr. Michaeli’s great
skill as an academic, a teacher, and a motivator and perfectly demonstrates her dedication to
innovation. In my four years attending Old Dominion University, I have not met another individual
as dedicated to serving so many including the university, its students, the Navy and Marine
Industry as a whole.
Jonathan Ricci, Former Student, Undergraduate Researcher
Colleagues
Jennifer is a star find for Old Dominion University. Since she joined the faculty in 2012 she has
totally reinvigorated so many aspects of teaching and research that it is hard to believe this comes
from a person who was just awarded her PhD in 2010. She is not only serving as the Director of
our Naval Engineering and Marine Systems Institute but she has brought the Institute into a top
national center for engineering in this field. She is so energetic and charismatic that students
enthuse over her teaching and research, causing a spike in interest in marine engineering and its
importance in our society. She has brought new life into Freshmen Engineering projects, showing
boundless energy and caring for the students. Jennifer, with her drive and focus, is already in a
class of her own in research and teaching. I give her my highest possible recommendation.
Linda Vahala, Associate Dean Batten College of Engineering and Technology,
Old Dominion University
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Dr. Michaeli has the rare ability to work with students, faculty collaborators, and federal and private
sector sponsors – all at a very high level. She inspires her students to become marine engineers,
introduces colleagues to new research opportunities, and demonstrates the value of academicbased engineering to mission-driven agency and company program managers. Dr. Michaeli has
become a key player in growing engineering inside and, perhaps more importantly, outside the
university. She is an outstanding example of the future of academic engineering programs.
Morris Foster, Vice President of Research, Old Dominion University
Jennifer Michaeli is an excellent role model for all students and works hard to engage and
increase retention for underrepresented students in engineering. She has volunteered to work
with incoming female freshmen in the ODU Engineering Early Advantage Program, and this early
engagement with intelligent, successful female engineering professionals is critical in the retention
of our students. In addition to her work with female engineering students, she has been
instrumental in the promotion of marine engineering, and the engagement of our students in this
important area of engineering at Old Dominion University. She is engaged with employers in the
marine engineering area, and this engagement has served to provide additional opportunities for
employment for our students.
Beverly Forbes, Associate Director, Experiential Learning Liaison
Career Development Services, Old Dominion University
Colleagues and Collaborators from Military and Industry
Dr. Michaeli understands not only the value of applied research, but is able to convey how that
research will make a lasting impact on the Navy, the shipbuilding industries and Virginia economic
development. Being situated next to the largest Navy base in the world, ODU is now the 10th
largest University in the nation serving veterans through various workforce development
programs… Dr. Michaeli continues to epitomize the new ODU strategic research plan to innovate
locally, transform globally.
Ray Toll, USN CAPT, Ret. ODU Director of Coastal Resilience Research
From an industry perspective, Dr. Michaeli’s proactive engagement of the student body with the
Navy and the shipbuilding industry has created strong bonds among academia, government, and
industry, which benefits all stakeholders and leaves a lasting impression upon the students. This
bodes well for the future industrial and technological workforce, especially in Virginia. Dr. Michaeli
initiates large-scale, collaborative research opportunities between ODU and HII-Newport News
Shipbuilding (NNS) that will help maximize the quality and impact of both organizations’ R&D
efforts. She seeks out opportunities to connect traditional learning, research, and professional
development in challenging S&T areas that the Navy and industry are facing, such as next
generation shipboard electrical design to integrate advanced warfare systems.
Jennifer Boykin, Vice President,
Engineering and Design, HII-Newport News Shipbuilding
Dr. Jennifer Michaeli has been an integral component of the success of the Naval Engineering
Education Consortium (NEEC) sponsored by Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). The
NEEC is a joint educational initiative between the U.S. Navy, the American Society of Naval
Engineers (NASNE), the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), and a
consortium of 22 educational institutions in the United States. Our mission is to engage and
develop the next generation of civilian engineers through project-based education, collaboration,
and curriculum, which will lead the U.S. Navy forward. Dr. Michaeli has sponsored 4 projects
over the past 3 years and successfully engaged students to pursue opportunities for internships
and careers in the Shipbuilding industry... Dr. Michaeli has been instrumental in developing an
effective and efficient educational curriculum designed to help wounded veterans through the
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opportunity to receive advanced education and pursue opportunities in the Naval Engineering
community. Dr. Michaeli is truly an outstanding faculty partner for the Naval Engineering
Education Consortium and exemplifies the highest ideals of teaching, discovery, knowledge
integration and service.
Richard E. Vanden Heuvel, CAPT USN, Ret.,
Associate Director Naval Engineering Education Consortium
I served as chairperson for the American Society of Naval Engineers’ Continuing Education
Committee, whose charter is to develop a CE program that includes the capability for in-person
and online delivery of short courses to meet the CE needs of naval engineers. Dr. Michaeli was
instrumental at a high level in helping the committee set a strategic and tactical direction and also
at the grassroots in developing and regularly teaching a Marine Systems Course. Dr. Michaeli
has been a leader in helping ASNE reinvigorate its continuing education offerings demonstrating
her commitment to excellence in teaching, knowledge integration and service.
Ana Gulian, Propulsion,
Power and Auxiliary Machinery Systems Department Head NSWCCD, SSES
Dr. Jennifer Michaeli’s work impacts the structural design and classification of high-speed vessels
operating on the oceans of the world. Sophisticated, high-performance vessels can now have
efficient use of structural material which permits alternate uses of weight savings; increased
payload, range or alternative missions. In addition to her outstanding accomplishments as a
researcher and her service contributions to the industry, she truly has a passion for teaching and
growing young minds to new levels of understanding in the complex challenges of ship design,
construction and operations. I have hired several of her former students and these students were
commercially productive the first day they arrived for work at our office. That is almost unheard
of for new graduates. In her short time at ODU, she’s made a significant impact in increasing
ODU’s contributions to the Navy and Virginia’s maritime industry.
Donald Blount, Naval Architect, Donald L. Blount Associates
Dr. Michaeli uses her extensive naval background in the creation of the Old Dominion University
Naval Engineering and Marine Systems Institute (NEMSI), where she serves as director. NEMSI
addresses complex design, modernization, and logistics problems for marine vessels through
academia, government and industry partnerships. Her collaborations with the naval community,
including myself, are helping solve some the largest challenges faced by the industry. One of
these challenges is maintaining a quality workforce; Dr. Michaeli has tackled this by refining
ODU’s Marine Engineering minor and developing early-immersion programs such as the marine
engineering project-based learning course for freshmen engineers and maritime-themed summer
camp day for middle school students. The Navy is beginning to address design, modernization
and logistics problems through recent rapid evolutions in additive manufacturing (ie 3D printing).
Dr. Michaeli’s team’s research will assist in the integration of additive systems throughout the
naval community. I believe Dr. Jennifer Michaeli’s efforts will continue to make tremendous
strides in advancing the marine industry, especially for the Navy and throughout Virginia.
James Lambeth, Additive Manufacturing Lead, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Dahlgren
Division, Combat Direction Systems Activity, Dam Neck
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Additional Documentation
Dr. Michaeli’s student evaluations of her instructor effectiveness range from a low of 4.4 (in a first time
class) to a high of 4.9 out of 5. Student comments on her courses include (emphasis added):
• Dr. Michaeli made me like the class. She was absolutely wonderful. Dr. Michaeli understood that
we are all Engineering majors and this isn't the only hard class we were taking. She accepted
late work and was very helpful in class.
• Dr. Michaeli is great! She was very nice and helpful whenever I had any questions. She assigned
grades fairly and was very helpful with constructive criticism on graded assignments.
• The instructor knew the details of the course and was very clear during the lecture.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
The professor was incredibly helpful anytime there was confusion or I asked a question.
Dr. Michaeli is awesome!!
Dr. Michaeli had spent plenty of time in the industry and knew what she was talking about.
Dr. Michaeli made sure the information and lessons given were practices used in the industry
and were relevant.
Dr. Michaeli really cared about teaching the subject and was always willing to help. She was
very experienced and knowledgeable about questions asked and the material covered. The
shipyard tour was a great thing to facilitate and bringing us out to learn about sailing was a great
experience. Best instructor I have had at ODU.
Dr. Michaeli is very knowledgeable and enthusiastic.
The ability to ask questions about anything relevant and she would work with you to fully
understand what you needed to know. I also enjoyed the shipyard tour and sailing lab, allowed
me to apply what I had learned in class and apply it in a real-world situation.
The instructor was extremely personable and very enthusiastic about the material. It made the
class very interesting and less dry.
I loved the interactive class time in addition to the close up experiences. The entire class required
me to think critically and I loved it.
•
The teacher was very helpful during her office hours and was able to answer all questions fully.
•
•
This is probably the only class where I try not to look at my phone or computer. I really cared to
listen about the material that was given. I tried not to be distracted with devices.
I think it was great and I wouldn't change a thing.
•
It is hard to improve what has been my most enjoyable class, since I transferred to ODU.
•
•
•
•
The instructor was very knowledgeable on the subject and very positive. She was very
understanding about things that come up in life that prevent deadlines and is very willing to work
with her students on a reasonable alternative. She is one of the best if not the best instructors I
have had at ODU. I would recommend any to take her course as both the material covered was
very interesting and informative and she was a great instructor. The labs were also really great
and relevant. It was probably the best course experience I've had during my time at ODU.
The course was very interesting. Dr. Michaeli is helpful and kind.
The fieldtrips and homework assignments helped me to think critically about the material.
Interesting class; the instructor was very enthusiastic, easy to follow and understand
•
Dr. Michaeli is a great instructor and very knowledgeable, and provided a fun class environment.
•
The instructor was highly knowledgeable and enthusiastic about the subject.
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Student Engagement Highlights
Dr. Michaeli coordinates frequent marine industry visits for ODU
students. Here, students toured HII-NNS production facilities, went
onboard the new Ford Class Carrier and examined the latest
technology in electro-magnetic catapult systems to launch aircraft,
toured an in-service carrier in overhaul, and explored augmented
reality technologies, modeling and simulation, and product lifecycle
management tools.
Dr. Michaeli coordinates sailing labs for all engineering students. In these oneday events held twice a year, Dr. Michaeli, ODU’s sailing coach, Mitch
Brindley and the ODU sailing team host a classroom instructional followed by
in-water lab to get students out on the water and gain first-hand experience
with engineering concepts of hydrodynamics, aerodynamics, and stability. For
many students, there is their first time sailing. It’s always a lot of fun!
Dr. Michaeli, undergraduate and graduate students from just one of
her many research teams traveled to Bethesda, MD to present their
research to Navy leadership.
Dr. Michaeli, ODU engineering
students, alumni, and marine industry
at-large participate in Ultimate Build-a-Boat Sikaflex Challenge in
downtown Norfolk at the annual Harborfest festival. In this two-day
event, two-person teams must design, build and race their own
water craft using limited materials. A fun way to spend a weekend
and learn about naval engineering at ODU and across Virginia!
In 2015, Dr. Michaeli’s Undergraduate Research Teams win 1st
Place and 3rd Place in the undergraduate research competition at
the annual symposium for American Society of Naval Engineers
(ASNE) against 16 other universities.
Under Dr. Michaeli’s leadership, in December 2015 Old Dominion
University and Newport News Shipbuilding (NNS), a division of
Huntington Ingalls Industries, have signed a far-reaching memorandum
of understanding to collaborate in areas of research, design, testing
and experimentation.
Dr. Michaeli frequently coordinates tours of Navy labs. Here, ODU
students tour NSWC Dahlgren Division and meet with engineers to
learn about the next generation weapon systems technologies, the
unique lab and full scale test facilities, and
career opportunities in naval engineering. Dr.
Michaeli leads Navy-funded research with
NSWC Dahlgren.
Dr. Michaeli gives keynote address at ODU’s Distinguished Honors Gala.
Students present research and capstone projects. Dr. Michaeli’s
researchers are recognized.
17
Dr. Michaeli delivering the keynote speech to over 400 attendees at
the Society of Woman Engineers Region E Annual Conference in
Newport News on Saturday, February 20, 2016.
Dr. Michaeli has initiated two new research
and education labs: Marine Dynamics Lab
(left) simulates shipboard environment in rough seas (shock, vibration
and motions) to conduct research and teaching in structures and
equipment survivability.
Marine Electrical Power System Lab (right)
marries physical hardware with cutting-edge modeling techniques to
simulate the complexities of a shipboard electrical systems to conduct
research, teaching, and professional training for navy and industry
personnel.
Dr. Michaeli brings her extensive
industry experience to the classroom.
Here, students examine ship design
and ship stability concepts through
flipped classroom techniques, handson lab experience, and virtual learning
environment with industry software.
At ASNE Day 2016 in Washington, DC, Dr. Michaeli’s students won a
first place, two second place and numerous third place awards in
undergraduate and graduate research competitions featuring the
nation's top naval engineering schools.
"We are working closely with faculty and
University leadership to create an
environment where Old Dominion is seen as a hub of naval
engineering education and research. Faculty collaboration, both in
research and as student mentors, is essential," Michaeli said. Dr.
Michaeli organized a Naval Engineering Research Expo in March
2016 and is shown with several of the faculty mentors she has
integrated in to NEMSI research projects with undergraduate and
graduate students.
NEMSI collaborated with Mid-Atlantic Regional Maintenance Center
(MARMC) Fabrication Laboratory (Fab Lab) to host 200 middle school
students for a Shipbuilding STEAM event April 22, 2016. NEMSI
brought numerous robotic and autonomous vessels in addition to
hands-on demonstrations for students. “This is a way for us to engage
with the students and at this young age, maybe plant the seed for how
exciting engineering can be. Sometimes, we are up against a
perception that engineering isn’t fun and we want to show them just
how awesome engineering is. Lastly, we want to show students that they can go from their school
to ODU, find something they are passionate about in engineering, and then transition into a career
with the Navy or the civilian workforce.”
18
I highly recommend Dr. Jennifer Michaeli for the SCHEV Rising Star Award. Jennifer came to
ODU in 2012 after establishing herself as an exceptional professional engineer in the Naval S&T
community where she is well respected by Navy leadership and the marine engineering
community and was honored with the Rosenblatt Young Engineer award and the RADM Melville
Award for Outstanding Technical Achievement. Soon after her arrival, it became clear to me that
she is a true professional, a great visionary with a collaborative spirit, and fully dedicated to the
charge of preparing our students for outstanding career in engineering. She has excelled in all
aspects of scholarship. She has used her industry knowledge to develop the marine engineering
curriculum so that it is now one of the best programs in the United States. She has connected
the curriculum to the cutting edge engineering programs that she led in the Navy and in industry,
which emphasizes her teaching philosophy to help students to bridge the gap between textbook
learning and real-world engineering and to excite her students about the career opportunities that
are available to them. Her teaching evaluations from students are excellent and students
regularly remark that she is the best professor they have had, that her subject knowledge is
unparalleled, and her enthusiasm and dedication to her students is unmatched.
Dr. Michaeli is the leading tenure-track faculty in her ability to win research grants in her area of
expertise. She has integrated undergraduate and graduate students and faculty from multiple
disciplines, across different departments and colleges together to form collaborative teams and
participate in these funded research projects. This type of cross-disciplinary approach and
project-based learning greatly benefits students and faculty. It is a rare exception to find this level
of leadership, breadth and depth of knowledge, and dedication to create the opportunities for our
undergraduate and graduate students and our faculty. Dr. Michaeli is truly this rare exception,
and for this I am so grateful to have her on our team. She has developed a record of excellence
in scholarly publications based on this research. Further, her focus on the inclusion of veterans,
women and minority engineering students in this research is opening doors for these students
that will lead them to fulfilling engineering careers.
In 2014, I established the Naval Engineering and Marine Systems Institute and Dr. Michaeli was
my clear choice as the Director, a position that is typically reserved for more senior, tenured
faculty. In this role, Dr. Michaeli has exceeded my highest expectations. In just over a year, she
has made significant achievements in expanding the research base of the university, and
engaging both tenure-track and tenured faculty in research for the US Navy. She is building
strong partnerships for ODU both with Navy and shipbuilding stakeholders. She has greatly
expanded ODU’s lab capabilities for teaching, research, and student projects including
participation at national competitions. She creates professional development opportunities for
students including presenting research at national conferences, publishing articles in wellrespected journals, and networking in monthly society meetings. She reaches across
departments, colleges, and administrative ties to bring people together and raise the bar for ODU
engineering. She serves industry at the national level as an elected member of the American
Society of Navel Engineers (ASNE) National Council and the Continuing Education
Subcommittee. She is also serving the local community as an Executive Committee member of
the regional Tidewater Section of ASNE. After working with Dr. Michaeli for the past 3 years, I
am convinced that she will continue to surpass my highest expectations in the areas of teaching,
research, integration and service leading education in Virginia and preparing the future
generations of naval and marine engineers.
Oktay Baysal, Ph.D., P.E., F. ASME
Dean and Eminent Scholar
Batten College of Engineering and Technology, Old Dominion University
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