Institute created to spur developments in undersea vehicles

By JENNIFER McDERMOTT, AP News

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) — Two public universities have partnered with a U.S. Navy contractor to research undersea vehicle technology and train people to work in the field.

The University of Connecticut, University of Rhode Island and submarine manufacturer General Dynamics Electric Boat established the National Institute for Undersea Vehicle Technology at UConn’s coastal Avery Point campus in Groton, Connecticut, this month.

The universities received a $1.3 million grant from the Office of Naval Research to prepare students to work in shipbuilding.

There are hundreds of small companies working on Navy projects in Connecticut and Rhode Island and dozens of faculty members at the universities doing research for the Navy.

Electric Boat has facilities in both states. The Naval Undersea Warfare Center and Naval War College are also in Rhode Island. URI Professor Arun Shukla, co-director of the institute, said the institute will help bring everyone’s expertise together.