Captain Mark W - MIT Department of Mechanical Engineering

Captain Mark W. Thomas, USNProfessor of the Practice of Naval Construction and EngineeringCaptain Mark Thomas graduated from Oklahoma State University in 1984 with aBachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, and received his Navy commissionfrom Officer Candidate School in Newport, RI. Following commissioning, heserved aboard USS David R. Ray (DD 971) as First Lieutenant, Auxiliary Officer,and Gunnery Officer.Departing the ship in 1989, he served as Course Director for the DD 963Engineering Officer of the Watch course in Coronado, CA and later as the MainPropulsion Inspector for gas turbine plants at the Pacific Board of Inspection andSurvey (INSURV).In 1993, he reported to Massachusetts Institute of Technology where he earneda Naval Engineer degree, a Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, and a PhDin Hydrodynamics. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the Supervisor ofShipbuilding, Pascagoula MS, where he served as Test Officer, Repair Officerand Docking Officer.Thomas reported to NAVSEA headquarters in 2000 as technical authority andproject manager for advanced submarine propulsors. In 2002, he was detailed tothe Office of Naval Research as Deputy Project Manager for the X-Craft project(later known as Sea Fighter FSF 1), and later assumed duties as the ProjectManager, seeing the craft through delivery in 2005. He then reported back toNAVSEA headquarters, serving in the Program Office for LPD-17 (USS SanAntonio) as Test and Requirements Officer.In 2006, CAPT Thomas was selected to command the Carderock Division of theNaval Surface Warfare Center, and served in that capacity for three years. Afterstepping down in 2009, he returned to NAVSEA as the Technical Director forSurface Ship Design and Systems Engineering, NAVSEA 05DT. During this tourhe was privileged to serve as a senior member of RADM Thomas Eccles’ team

investigating the sinking of the South Korean warship ROKS Cheonan. Hereported to MIT in May of 2011 as the Curriculum Officer for the Navy’s 2Nprogram.Captain Thomas' awards include the Legion of Merit (three awards), the DefenseMeritorious Service Medal, the Navy Meritorious Service Medal (three awards),and the Navy Commendation Medal (two awards). He is a past recipient of theNAVSEA Outstanding Performance Award at MIT and the American Society ofNaval Engineers "Jimmie" Hamilton Award for best original technical paper in theNaval Engineers Journal.