Four Pitt Engineering Students Selected to Attend the 2025 Naval Academy Science and Engineering Conference

For 14 years, policy makers, researchers, and student leaders from universities, colleges, and academies around the world have converged at the United States Naval Academy (USNA) to immerse themselves in pressing STEM-related issues and challenges. During the three-day Naval Academy Science and Engineering Conference, participants explore a theme, sharing ideas and research while networking and collaborating to solve problems.

This year, four students from the University of Pittsburgh Swanson School of Engineering were selected from a competitive pool of applicants to participate in the prestigious conference, which will focus on the theme “Artificial Intelligence: Unlocking the Algorithms and Their Impact.”

The event will be held November 2 – 4, 2025, in Annapolis, Maryland, with approximately 45 students from across the country and the world invited to join. Students are nominated by the dean or president of their institutions.

The four Pitt students chosen to attend are:

• Zach Hale (engineering science), who is pursuing the Nuclear Propulsion Officer Candidate Program.
• Soumik Chakraborty (mechanical engineering), who is active in Pittsburgh Electric Propulsion and the American Society of Naval Engineers.
• Ari Kalinsky (industrial engineering), whose AI-focused undergraduate research aligns directly with this year’s conference theme.
• Addison Cope (mechanical engineering), who is studying nuclear engineering and recently made a strong academic transition from the University of Pittsburgh - Johnstown. 

These students will hear distinguished guest speakers and attend panels, breakout group discussions, and poster sessions. They will have numerous opportunities to network and share ideas with future leaders in the Navy and Marine Corps.  

“I am so proud of these students. They represent the inquisitive, thoughtful, motivated nature that is cultivated here at the University of Pittsburgh,” said Mary Besterfield-Sacre, Nickolas A. DeCecco Professor of Industrial Engineering and senior associate dean for academic affairs. “This conference is an incredible opportunity, and I’m excited to see how it inspires these students as they pursue their engineering degrees and their career goals.”