鈥淭aking action toward new opportunities and refining your plan is essential to maintaining forward momentum,鈥 Samuel Royster said. 鈥溇笆 State provided me with a solid education and the tools to grow my knowledge base. This has suited me well in my career.鈥
Royster says a college internship with Energy Northwest also influenced his pursuits in naval operations. He鈥檚 worked for the Navy since 2012, initially serving as a Junior Officer in the Submarine Force, then earning a master鈥檚 at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Calif. He recently transitioned into his current role where he seeks to increase efficiency and lower costs related to ship repair.
鈥淚ncremental improvements on a single ship translate to large savings, of time and money, when applied across an entire fleet,鈥 Royster said. 鈥淢aking sustainable improvements will last beyond my short tenure.鈥
Royster鈥檚 master鈥檚 thesis highlighted 鈥渢he economic and environmental benefits of novel cleaning methods,鈥 exploring the use of remotely operated vehicles to clean naval ship hulls. Royster presented his findings at the 2021 NavalX Annual Agility Summit, where he was awarded $100,000 to refine his ideas.
鈥淲hile that鈥檚 now a side project related to my current role in naval maintenance, I still look for opportunities to incorporate robotics and technology tools in the ship repair business,鈥 Royster said.
- B.S., NUCLEAR ENGINEERING, 2012
- M.ENG., INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING, 2021