On Oct. 23, 2017, Webb Institute professor of structural engineering, Dr. John C. Daidola, P.E., was awarded the prestigious David W. Taylor Medal at the 2017 SNAME Maritime Convention in Houston. Professor Daidola is a Fellow of SNAME and has been an active member of the organization, including as its first vice president technical.

The David W. Taylor Medal, named after the man who built the first experimental towing tank in the U.S., recognizes contributions to the development of future maritime systems through the creation of technology based on research. Professor Daidola was selected for this year’s medal for his notable achievements in naval architecture and marine engineering. It is the highest award given by the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.

“From when I first entered the industry I always looked at this award as the pinnacle of a career,” Daidola said in a statement announcing the award. “To have been fortunate enough to actually receive it can only be considered a dream come true. We have a great industry with boundless opportunity.”

Dr. John C. Daidola, P.E. is a graduate of University of Michigan and Stevens Institute in naval architecture and marine engineering. He has 80 publications on a variety of subjects of interest to the industry, according to the statement.

Dr. Daidola is a licensed engineer, currently registered in eight states. He has been employed by Newport News Shipbuilding, the naval architecture and marine engineering firms of M. Rosenblatt & Sons, Inc., and successors as well as John J. McMullen Associates, and as an adjunct professor at Stevens Institute and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.

Founded in 1889 by New York-based shipbuilder William H. Webb, Webb Institute, Glen Cove, N.Y., is a highly selective, top-ranked undergraduate institution specializing in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. Building on a 128-year legacy of academic excellence, Webb is the only full-tuition scholarship, private undergraduate program of its kind in the U.S., with a maximum of 28 students being accepted into the program each year, Webb officials said.