1423 Powhatan St., Suite 1
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Phone (703) 836-6727
Fax (703) 836-7491
Email: asnehq@navalengineers.org

 

ASNE is the leading professional engineering society for engineers, scientists and allied professionals who conceive, design, develop, test, construct, outfit, operate and maintain complex naval and maritime ships, submarines and aircraft and their associated systems and subsystems.  ASNE also serves the educators who train the professionals, researchers who develop related technology, and students who are preparing for the profession.  Society activities provide support for the U.S. Navy; U.S. Coast Guard; U.S. Marine Corps; U.S. Merchant Marine and U.S. Army.

ASNE is the seventh oldest technical society in the United States.  It was founded in 1888 by a group of naval engineering pioneers, most of them officers of the U.S. Navy's Engineering Corps, who sought a unified approach to their profession in order to make the most of new advances in technology. The purposes of ASNE are:           

  • to advance the knowledge and practice of naval engineering in public and private applications and operations,
  • to enhance the professionalism and well-being of members, and
  • to promote naval engineering as a career field.

For 125 years, the Society’s objectives have been strengthened and preserved to meet the changing needs of a time-honored profession. Today ASNE conducts a variety of technical meetings and symposia, publishes the highly regarded Naval Engineers Journal and a number of other technical proceedings and publications, and fosters professional development and technical information exchange through technical committees, local section activities and cooperative efforts with government organizations and other professional societies.

The Society's annual meeting, ASNE Day, is typically held in February of each year in the Washington, DC, area. The meeting features major addresses by high level industry and government leaders and panel discussions by leading members of the profession.  It also includes presentation and discussion of technical papers on a variety of timely naval engineering topics, presentation of the Society's prestigious annual awards and a large exposition with government and industry exhibits covering the full spectrum of naval engineering technology. ASNE Day is highlighted by the Society’s annual Honors Gala, attended by hundreds of executives and senior managers from both government and industry.

Our website is designed to not only serve our members, but also to support scholars, students and others interested in the varied field of naval engineering.  We welcome your suggestions on ways we can improve your experience. 

RADM Nathan Sonenshein, USN (Ret.)

Award: Harold E. Saunders Award
Year: 1982
Recipient:
RADM Nathan Sonenshein, USN (Ret.)
Reason:
for his significant contribution to Naval Engineering as set forth in the following

CITATION:

In recognition of outstanding achievement as a Naval Engineer in the United States Navy and in industry following retirement from active duty.

Rear admiral Sonenshein's thirty-six year career in the Navy spanned an era that began on the eve of World War II and lasted into the seventies. It was characterized by a consistently high standard of professional excellence and achievement.

He was decorated for distinguished performance as Chief Engineer of a carrier during the Korean War. Later assignments in the Bureau of Ships included that of Director of Ship Design. After selection to Flag rank, he was chosen as one of the Navy's first Project Managers. This project led the design of the Fast Deployment Logistics ship, which portended today's Rapid Deployment Force. In its design, Admiral Sonenshein successfully pioneered a new approach which quantified for the first time, top level mission requirements and translated them into ship design parameters to achieve the optimum functional performance.

At the peak of hostilities in Southeast Asia, a period marked by tremendous strain on material, personnel and time resources, Admiral Sonenshein was selected to be Commander, Naval Ship Systems Command. His leadership during this period was in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Navy.

Since retiring from the Navy in 1974, Admiral Sonenshein has been Assistant to the President of Global Marine Development, Inc. He has been active in the planning, execution and study of advanced ocean engineering projects, from ocean thermal energy conversion to deep sea mining, drilling and salvage, and most notably, seabed disposal of radioactive wastes. His numerous roles as consultant to Government agencies, institutions and various forums are reflective of his prodigious capacity, energy and expertise.

These contributions and his lifelong dedication to the highest standards of professionalism, personal character and national service, make our Past-President, Rear Admiral Sonenshein, eminently qualified to be the next recipient of the Harold E. Saunders Award.