Alumni Spotlight: Ben Fisher ’11 | The Art of Shipbuilding
Growing up in rural Pennsylvania, the last thing I expected was to become a naval architect. But after seeing a Titanic documentary when I was four, I knew I was going to do something ship related. That initial encounter with Titanic sparked a love for ships (particularly with dramatic stories), as well as an obsession with drawing. So much so that by the time Middle School came to an end I struggled to identify any appealing career options, since as far as I knew “draw boats” wasn’t a real job.
But by Divine Appointment the high school art teacher at my small, rural school in the mountains of Pennsylvania knew Professor Gallagher’s family. So, he introduced me to Webb and the career of Naval Architecture.
A great irony of my time at Webb, though, was the slow decline of the time I spent really drawing boats beyond notebook doodles. That trend continued as I began my career at SAFE Boats International (near Seattle) and as my wife and I began raising our family.
By early 2020, in the midst of COVID, we decided it was time to move back to the east coast in order to be closer to family and away from the dreary Seattle winters. I took a position with Combatant Craft Division, and we began developing our homestead in the country outside of Suffolk, VA with our five children. Through much of that time my drawing paper and pencils languished on the shelf.
It was only in late 2022, when the kids began sleeping better, that the inspiration to start drawing again struck me. I saw an old drawing from high school and wanted to try it again. That experience reignited my love of drawing, and I launched my art studio in June 2023.
As I have started sharing my artwork, one of the surprising results has been the joy I have found in honoring and celebrating the broad maritime history and heritage we love as naval architects, but also the very personal achievements we experience in our careers. The commissions I’ve had the privilege to draw (so far) have celebrated either a career or specific, meaningful project. And it is such an honor to contribute to that celebration through my artwork.
The excitement I’ve found has inspired the idea for a drawing that will celebrate the heritage of American naval architecture broadly. The idea is an image of William Webb’s Young America and William Francis Gibb’s United States crossing paths. The two very patriotically named ships were launched nearly 100 years apart, and both were the product of two incredibly significant naval architects in American maritime history. I am excited about this drawing because of how meaningful I think it will be to people with connections to naval architecture and who take pride in our maritime heritage.
And so, as I am given the privilege of celebrating the achievements of my peers and our shared maritime history and heritage, I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to make “draw boats” a real job after all.
If you’d like to follow my art journey, you can find my work in my online gallery at BenFisherArt.com.
I also post regularly on social media- I’m on LinkedIn: BenjaminDFisher, Facebook: BenFisherArt and Instagram: Naval_Art.chitect
Webb Welcomes Natalie Koetsier as Assistant Director of Admissions
Hailing from Chicago, IL., Natalie Koetsier is an extraverted writer and Michigan native. Graduating from Loyola University Chicago with a BA in English creative writing and minor in advertising, Natalie values effective storytelling, clear communication, innovative thinking, and to never stop learning.
Previously, Natalie has held experiences as a copy editor for an award-winning newspaper and as a resident assistant. Most recently, Natalie worked on a social media team and as a sports writer covering the Detroit Lions, where her articles were the magazine’s top 3 most-viewed articles for the month of November.
Natalie is ecstatic to join Webb’s admissions team and connect prospective Webbies to this exceptional school. She has been around boats her whole life, and some of her favorite family memories are on the family boat in Spring Lake, MI. Natalie is also the proud big sister of Mitchell Koetsier, who is a part of the Webb Institute class of ‘28.
For 10 years, Natalie was a competitive gymnast who won the all-around and the balance beam national title. She still has some gymnastics tricks up her sleeve so do not challenge her to a dance off. For fun, she likes to go on walks, where she can admire water views and/or architecture.
‘Ship as a City’ Project Releases Latest Educational Resources
The ‘Ship as a City’ project, a joint effort between Webb Institute and American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) with support from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), has now released a suite of educational products designed to enhance maritime education across the board.
This project aimed to create educational material to strengthen the resources available to promote the understanding of documentary standards, standards development, and standardization for personnel entering and currently working in the U.S. maritime industry.
Standards and requirements are critical to every stage of a marine vehicle’s lifecycle from design and construction to operations. These educational materials will provide the long-term benefit of building foundational knowledge of this aspect of the industry, which will serve graduates whether they become marine vehicle operators, designers, port engineers, shipyard managers, or regulators.
“By providing students with a strong foundation in standards and standardization, we are empowering them to make informed decisions and contribute to a safer, more efficient, and innovative maritime industry,” said Matt Werner, Dean at Webb Institute.
The educational materials produced are intended to serve:
- Graduate and Undergraduate-level maritime technical programs (both marine engineering and naval architecture) and capstone projects
- Undergraduate-level maritime license programs (both Deck and Engine Licenses)
- Non-degree technical programs for both licensed and unlicensed mariners
The educational materials produced focus on the following subject areas:
- Standards and the Maritime Industry: What standards are used in marine vehicle design, construction, and operations, and why and how are standards developed in the maritime industry?
- The U.S. Commercial Maritime Industry: Commercial marine vehicle specifications, national and international maritime regulations, and the classification and compliance verification process.
- The U.S. Government Shipbuilding Industry: Government combatant and non-combatant ship and small craft specifications and standards, national and international requirements, and classification variations for Government assets.
- Applying a Standardization Process to Innovation: Applying standards to innovation and new technology.
All materials produced in this project are available to the public free of charge at – https://www.webb.edu/ship-as-a-city-standards-in-the-maritime-industry/.
Editable PowerPoint files will be made available to educators on request.
Questions on this project and the final report should be directed to:
Matthew R. Werner, Webb Institute – ude.bbew@renrewm
Richard Delpizzo, ABS – gro.elgae@ozzipleDR
A Great School Depends on a Great Faculty
By Matthew R. Werner ’95, PG’97
Dean and ABS Chair of Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering
Most of us are aware of the significant effort that Webb expends to select an incoming class of 28 students. Multiple interviews, on-campus assessments, class attendance, and overnight visits build upon the standard college applications, test scores, transcripts, essays, and letters of recommendation. Webb’s substantial investment in time and resources in this endeavor reflects the importance of finding students that can positively contribute to our small, tightknit community, while succeeding academically, and growing personally and professionally.
If one out of 28 and one out of 100 is important to the Webb experience, what can we say of one out of 10? Given the small size of Webb’s faculty, the importance of each individual professor in the pursuit of Webb’s mission is significant, much like it is with the carefully selected Webb students. Faculty members serve as the motivating force behind the development of Webb students, through teaching, advising, mentoring, and modeling. Webb’s demanding, high-contact academic program is a challenge for faculty members and students alike, much is demanded from both sides of the lecture podium and laboratory benches. The job of a faculty member at Webb is very demanding and very rewarding at the same time.
Beyond the course syllabi, Webb faculty members help students secure internships and post-graduation jobs through connecting students with their industry networks. Professors’ personal recommendations help students secure competitive scholarships and spots in prestigious graduate schools. Faculty members serve as a resource as students develop their plans for their future beyond Webb. Many faculty members continue to provide support and mentoring to recent graduates as they start their careers.
We often say at Webb that students have nowhere to hide, well the same can be said of faculty members. Webb faculty members’ availability to their students is unprecedented. Posted office hours are not a thing at Webb because if a faculty office is occupied, the door is open to students seeking guidance or support. Daily, I witness students engaging professors beyond the faculty offices, in the lecture rooms after a class ends, in the common spaces of the Couch Academic Center and Stevenson Taylor Hall, and even in the lunch line. Not to mention regularly responding to student emails that arrive in one’s inbox at all manner of times throughout the day and night, weekends and holidays included.
Bruce Rosenblatt, Chair of the Board (left), and Mark Martecchini, President of Webb Institute (right), celebrate Professor Michael Martin as the third Mandell and Lester Rosenblatt Professor of Marine and Electrical Engineering.
In addition to their direct student-facing activities, Webb faculty members manage the operation of the academic enterprise by serving as laboratory and shop directors, and as members of faculty and shared governance committees. Webb’s professors lead Webb’s accreditation activities, conduct research, serve on committees of the board of trustees, and interact with industry while continuing to develop professionally as educators and within their areas of expertise. They create and revise course materials and assignments while continually refining, modifying, and revising courses and the overall curriculum.
Ultimately, a faculty member’s success at Webb comes down to passion. A passion for Webb Institute and its mission. A passion for a culture of high standards and high expectations. A passion for the value of education. A passion for honor, integrity, and personal responsibility. A passion for student development and success. I am thankful everyday that I get to work with a team with the passion and energy that maintains Webb’s place as a model of excellence in engineering education. It is clear to me that a great school depends on a great faculty.
Building the Webb community; Progress and Future
In October 2020, the Webb Board of Trustees resolved that Webb’s commitment to excellence extends to a commitment to a diverse and inclusive campus community, and several Strategic Initiatives were begun to reinforce this vision. Now, over four years later, it is time to reflect on progress made and challenges encountered. We have traveled well down this road, but our journey is not complete.
Progress on Strategic Initiatives:
Recruitment and retention of underrepresented groups at Webb
- The admissions process now takes input from a wider group – students, faculty, and administration – for a holistic view of prospective candidates, with awareness training for potential bias.
- Our generous donors have substantially grown endowments that help alleviate room & board costs for those with financial need. Combined with foundation and government support and minimal student loans, over $300,000 has been made available annually, enabling students with need to attend Webb. This program has benefited up to 25% of our students and is a powerful recruiting tool for prospective students.
- The applicant pool has grown 32% since 2020 and diversity metrics have increased even more, with the number of first-generation-college applicants doubling. Our newly hired Assistant Director of Admissions will build on outreach initiatives trialed under this program to further broaden our applicant pool.
- Webb now has two on-call staff providing 24/7 support to students, helping them cope with academic and life pressures, contributing to improved retention and graduation rates.
A campus and community culture of equity and inclusion
- We have focused on initiatives that support dialog, collaboration, and trust on campus, starting with orientation week sessions, building through community participation events and activities, with support by student leadership who set annual goals on improving problem areas. Outside speakers from industry and academia have shared their views on these topics.
- Regular surveys measure a range of cultural issues, with interventions provided where appropriate. Student clubs – WoW (Women of Webb), CoGas (Coalition of Gays and Such), MEOW (Minority Establishment of Webb) – provide the opportunity for open communication channels for underrepresented communities.
- The ACT (Assistance and Care Team) now takes a more active, real-time role in engaging with community issues as they arise.
- The Webb Alumni Association initiated workshops at SNAME focusing on raising awareness of diversity challenges in the maritime industry. Webb’s 25% female population remains ahead of the industry at large. Change is taking place, but slowly.
The academic program, culture, and faculty/staff diversity
- The Humanities curriculum now includes a wider range of topics: alternative sources, cultural comparisons, viewpoint bias, logical fallacies, and ethics as seen through current events. A new course was introduced to enhance critical thinking and analysis skills.
- The faculty have kicked off a thorough curriculum review to ensure our curriculum provides the knowledge and skills necessary for our graduates to succeed in their careers and become valued members of a diverse society. After further internal development it will be reviewed with industry partners and students before implementation begins.
- Faculty orientation, mentorship, and professional development are part and parcel of delivering the best educational product to our students and in making Webb an inviting workplace. Initiatives in this area are ongoing and fully budgeted. Annual training on Title IX topics reinforces the importance of respect for each person on campus.
- Marketing of faculty and staff positions now reaches a wider audience, but we have a challenge with faculty recruiting. It has been difficult to attract a wide group of qualified candidates to teach in our predominant specialty-knowledge areas.
Communications and the Board
- The Board continually seeks to develop Trustee candidates who represent a diversity of views and backgrounds to further its important work of supporting Webb’s mission. The Board is significantly more diverse today; for example, women now constitute 25% of the Board.
- A designated committee, with student representation, reports on diversity and cultural awareness topics at every Board meeting. The full Board participated in a workshop on these topics most recently in May 2024.
Looking Forward: Webb Values
Our progress on these initiatives has laid the foundation for building on our achievements and addressing new challenges. The Board now broadens its objectives to integrate all values of the Webb community, including those highlighted in earlier initiatives, in an updated resolution.
Webb provides more than an engineering education. The Webb experience seeks to instill the all-important values of Excellence, Community, and Opportunity – values that will guide our students and graduates throughout their career and enable them to contribute to a better society. Working together, the Board, administration, faculty, and students identified how these values translate to behaviors and actions in our community. We invite the wider Webb community to comment on the results of our collaboration.
With best regards,
Mark Martecchini ’79, P’09, President