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July 2012 www.sname.org/sname/mt 40). For the past 13 years at NNS, he has held manage -rial positions in design, and in research and development. He is currently in the Technology Development Platform CONOPs department working virtual warship projects. Rob Lisle is an engi -neering manager for modeling simu -lation and analysis at Newport News Shipbuilding. He graduated in 1988 from the University of Tennes see with a bachelor of science in civil engineering. A 20-plus year shipbuilder, he has worked a wide variety of ship programs including Los Angeles-class modular con-struction, Seawolf-class design, int ernational frigate designs, and carrier design. For the past 15 years, he has held manage -ment positions working in the areas of modeling, simulation, and analysis. Brian J. Meacham is an associate professor in the Department of Fire Protection Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). He is internationally recognized in the areas of risk-informed per -formance-based approaches to re engineering and build -ing regulation. He teaches, undertakes research, consults to governments and the private se ctor, and publishes widely on these topics. Brian holds a master of science degree in re protection engineering from WPI and a PhD in risk and pub -lic policy from Clark University. He is a licensed professional engine er in Connecticut and Massachusetts, a chartered engineer member of the Institute of Fire Engineers in the United Kingdom, and a fellow of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers. Mary Mertz, CCEA, is an operations research analyst with the Cost Eectiveness Branch at the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division. She is the U.S . OSCAM program manager and supports cost estimating eorts for NAVSEA as the sur -face ship team leader in Code 2110. Mertz received her bach -elors degree in mathematics and history from Washington & Jeerson College, and a mas -ter of science degree in military operations research from George Mason University. She is level III certied in the DAWIA BUS-FM career eld, level III certied in the BUS-CE career eld, and is a SCE A certied cost estimator. Robin Penley is an employee of Newport News Shipbuilding. A graduate of Old Dominion University with a degree in mechanical engi -neer ing, she has more than 25 years experience in engineering, shipbuilding standards develop -ment, and software integration and development. She currently serves as the lead research and development engineer in the Mo deling, Simulation, and Analysis department in the Virginia Advanced Shipbuilding and Carrier Integration Center. Kurt Schebel is a re engineer with Arup?s New York oce. He has experience in code compliance, performance- based design, computational uid dynamics, re engi -neering analysis, and re protection system design. He has been involved with a range of projects across various sec -tors, including infrastructure, performing arts, residen -tial, and industrial projects. Kurt also has theoretical and laboratory experience with re development and ame sp read propensity related to his independent study work while completing his master of science degree in re protec -tion engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Jesse Spence is a senior acousti -cal consultant at Noise Control Engineering, Inc (NCE). He has been with the company for 10 years an d holds a masters degree in acoustics from Boston University. He specializes in modeling and development of solutions for shipboard noise and vibration issues. His work involves the use, in tegration, and renement of noise and vibration pre -diction software, including NCE?s Designer NOISE, as well as nite element soft -ware packages. Spence has been the program manager an d lead investigator for many vessel projects and has led eorts to identify methods of underwater noise reduc -tion for oil and gas industry activities. Jerey Tubbs is prin -cipal with Arup where he leads the Boston consulting practice. He has more than 18 years of experi -ence, and has led innovative re engineering projects on four continents. He serves as chair of the NFPA Life Safety Code Assembly Occupancies Com mittee, is a member of the NFPA?s Life Safety Code Technical Correlating Committee, and is the for -mer chair of ASHRAE TC 5.6: Fire and Smoke Control. He is an assistant adjunct profes -sor at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Tubbs is an author of Egress Design Solutions (published by John Wiley and Sons), is a fellow of the Society of Fire Protection Engineers, and is a registered re protec -ti on engineer. Dracos Vassalos is professor of mari -time safety in the Department of Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering of the University of Strathclyde, an d the director of the Ship Stability Research Centre (SSRC). He is also a long- standing member of the United Kingdom delegation to IMO for ship stability and safety. His motto is ?safety en hancement through inno -vation,? an idea he has pursued in a career that spans more than 34 years in industry and academia, promoting the use of scientic approaches in dealing with maritime safety. He has helped create a critical mass in the research commu -nity on safety, through a series of initiatives that made SSRC the focus of active interna -tional collaboration. Feature Contributors co ntinued (feature contributors)