Alan J. Brown, 2025
Ph.D., Marine Engineering Systems, MIT, 1986
M.S., Ocean Engineering, MIT, 1973
M.S., Shipping and Shipbuilding Management, MIT, 1973
B.S. degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering, MIT, 1971
Dr. Alan J. Brown, CAPT USN (ret), was NAVSEA Professor of Ship Design in the Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering at Virginia Tech from 1998-2025. From 2010-2015 he was Co-Director for Curriculum of the Naval Engineering Education Center for the US Navy. He created and coordinated the Naval Engineering Minor and Naval Engineering Graduate Certificate programs at Virginia Tech. His research was in naval ship design, marine systems, survivability, and underwater explosion effects. He served as Northeast Regional Vice President of SNAME, as a member of the ASNE Council, as Chairman of the ASNE/SNAME Joint Education Committee, as chairman of the SNAME Ad Hoc Panel on Structural Design and Response in Collision and Grounding, and as Chairman of the New England Section of SNAME. He was the SNAME/ASNE Faculty Advisor at Virginia Tech for more than 25 years. He was Professor of Naval Architecture and directed the Naval Construction and Engineering Program at MIT from 1993 to 1997.
Dr. Brown was the 2021 recipient of the ASNE Harold E. Saunders Award (Lifetime Achievement), the 2015 recipient of the SNAME William H. Webb Medal for outstanding contributions to education in naval architecture, marine or ocean engineering, and the 2007 recipient of the ASNE Solberg Award (Research). At Virginia Tech, he has earned multiple awards for teaching and service.
As a US Navy Engineering Duty Officer from 1971 to 1998, he served in ships, fleet staffs, shipyards, NAVSEA, OPNAV and at MIT. He received a PhD in Marine Engineering Systems in 1986, an MS in Ocean Engineering in 1973, an MS in Shipping and Shipbuilding Management in 1973 and a BS in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering in 1971, all from MIT. He was a professional mechanical engineer registered in the State of California. He is a member of ASNE and a fellow of SNAME.