Winter Work Term - US Army Corps of Engineers
By Jenna Ferrieri ‘11
This winter I worked for the US Army Corps of Engineers at the Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory (CRREL) in Hanover, New Hampshire. My project while employed by CRREL was to complete an assessment of CRREL’s capabilities of ship model testing in ice, and the future markets the facility should pursue in order to carry out such studies. I also investigated the current state of the United States in the Arctic and speculated on the future role of the US and other Arctic nations in these northern oceans. Through my research, however, I found that the US is falling behind in its ability to maintain a presence in the Polar Regions and is not in a state to compete with the other Arctic nations.
The time I spent in New Hampshire this winter was very rewarding. I spent much time researching the procedures for ship model testing in ice as well as general background on icebreakers and ship navigation through ice covered waters, and I was therefore able to gain a great deal of knowledge in an area that interests me.
