PEP 2024: A Tremendous Success!
Electric Boat Competition Sparks Interest in Naval Science Careers
by Rebecca Ward
From: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/469203/electric-boat-competition-sparks-interest-naval-science-careers
Student engineering teams from Princeton, Washington College and the University of Alabama have won first place in
their respective events at the “Promoting Electric Propulsion” (PEP) boat races, sponsored by the Office of Naval
Research (ONR) and the American Society of Naval Engineers (ASNE).
In just six years, this electric boat-building competition has grown from a single university to 34, with more than
200 students who took part in the five-mile races on Broad Bay in Virginia Beach. Dr. Steve Russell, program
officer, Sea Warfare and Weapons department, said he launched the PEP competition with a colleague from ASNE, Dr.
Leigh McCue, and Tim Cullis, Naval Sea Warfare Center Carderock, after seeing a public race by local hobbyists in
the Chesapeake Bay.
“It gave us the idea this would be a good way for the Navy to get engineering students interested in electric
propulsion, so we did it.”
Russell said they are reaching hundreds of science and engineering students every year. The PEP racing event not only
offers students valuable learning experiences, it provides the Navy and Marines with a workforce for the future.
“The goal is to create a pipeline of graduating engineers who have worked on a suite of problems that are currently
issues within the U.S. Navy. They come out of school after having designed and built a boat like this, and learning
about high power electronics, propulsion, hull design, cooling and boat stability – the naval architecture parts of
it,” Russell said. “So far, we’ve hired many of them into the warfare centers and our industry partners.”
Continue reading at: https://www.dvidshub.net/news/469203/electric-boat-competition-sparks-interest-naval-science-careers
Check out the coverage from WAVY 10!
Welcome to the PEP24 Showcase!
University of Alabama
1st Uncrewed Overall
Tremendous uncrewed PEP24 performance!
Completed 5 laps in 33:45
Alabama PEP details at:
Arkansas Tech University
2nd Overall Displacement!
Thrilling first-year team!
5 laps in 27:21
Arkansas Tech details at:
University of Auburn
7th out of 33 (uncrewed)
Incredible first-year performance
4 laps completed; sleek design
Auburn PEP details at:
University at Buffalo
Disp. Team: 3rd Overall!
Uncrewed: Tested 5 mi. in 8:57
Florida Atlantic University
3rd Overall Uncrewed
Continued success
5 laps completed; 78.6 points
Florida Atlantic PEP details at:
University of Georgia
2024 Qualifier!
Delivered successful uncrewed craft
Great faculty support!
Georgia PEP details at:
Georgia State
2024 Qualifier!
2-year school; complete build
First-year competitors
Georgia State PEP details at:
George Mason University
16-foot uncrewed craft!
Year+ build process
Multiple competitions
George Mason PEP details at:
Howard University
2nd Best Report (tied)
Impressive uncrewed PEP24 performance!
Completed over 1 mile
Howard PEP details at:
University of Iowa
2024 Qualifier!
Carderock interns & new employees
Iowa PEP details at:
Johns Hopkins University
2nd Best Report (tied)
Incredible surfboard design
Strong machine shop work
Johns Hopkins PEP details at:
University of Kentucky
Mud Marine: 3 miles
Port-Side Productions at PEP24
Two amazing teams!
Successful uncrewed run of Zodiac
UK PEP details at:
Madison Technical Area College
2nd Overall Uncrewed
Absolutely Amazing Performance!
5 laps completed; 35:20
Madison Tech PEP details at:
NC State
2024 Qualifier!
Delivered successful uncrewed craft
Traveled over 1 mile
NC State PEP details at:
Northeastern
(NU Wave)
2nd Report (tied)
Traveled over 1 mile
37.2 total points
NU Robotics PEP details at:
Notre Dame
2024 Qualifier!
First-year clubs
19.1 total points
Notre Dame PEP details at:
University of Pittsburgh
Uncrewed Zodiac
Successful club, continually growing
PITT PEP details at:
Princeton Electric Speedboating
1st Overall Planing!
Dominating 6:17 time
Continually growing team!
PES PEP details at:
Stevens Institute
2nd Overall Planing
& Uncrewed Competitors
2nd Fastest Time (14:36)
3 student team; 2 qualified craft!
Stevens PEP details at:
Stony Brook University
Successful engineering marathon
18 students grinding for 36 hours
Glorious in-water run
Stony Brook PEP details at:
Syracuse University
2024 Qualifier!
Energetic 3-person Team
Started an Orange tradition
Syracuse PEP details at:
University of Tennessee
4th Overall Disp.
47.4 overall points
3 laps in 46:02!
Tennessee details at:
University of Central Florida
11th out of 33 (uncrewed)
Over 2 miles completed
44.0 total points
UCF PEP details at:
University of Rhode Island
Uncrewed 3rd Fastest
2 qualified craft!
Meteor: 78.2 overall points
Sea Tinh: 45.7 overall points
URI PEP details at:
University of Virginia
First-Year competitors
Strong five-person team
Great faculty support
UVa PEP details at:
Vanderbilt University
6th out of 33 (uncrewed)
Best Report Score 2024!
Fast! 3 laps in 18:02
Strong planning and documentation
Vanderbilt PEP details at:
Virginia Commonwealth University
2024 Qualifier!
Great design; strong foundation
15.9 overall points
VCU PEP details at:
Virginia Tech
5th out of 33 (uncrewed)!
Well-designed, fabricated craft
60.1 overall points
Virginia Tech's PEP details at:
Wake Forest University
6th Overall Displacement
Fast! 3 laps completed, 20:57
33.8 overall points
Wake Forest PEP details at:
Washington College
1st Overall Displacement!
3rd Overall Planning
Trimaran: 81.1 points
Monohaul: 76.2 points
Washington College PEP details at:
William & Mary
2024 Qualifier!
Well-designed, beautiful craft
18.2 overall points
William & Mary PEP details at:
University of Wisconsin-Madison
10th out of 33 (uncrewed)
Crewed & Uncrewed Competitors
Uncrewed: 47.1 Overall Points
University of Wisconsin PEP details at:
University of Illinois
1st year; 24 student engineers
Did not compete
Local in-water testing
Illinois PEP details at:
University of Michigan
Annual Competitor
Targeting Lake of the Ozarks Shootout
UMEB PEP details at:
Texas A&M University
Tremendous PEP24 volunteers
Craft wasn't ready
Still lent a huge helping hand!
Texas A&M PEP details at:
Overall Results
Race Results
Presentation Results
Report Results
Thank you First Landing State Park!