Photo By Public Affairs Office | Joey Freeman (second from left) and his teammates from The Pennfield School in...... read more read more
NEWPORT, R.I.–For many years, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport engineers and scientists have been encouraging the next generation of inventors and researchers through SeaPerch, an underwater robotics program for students in grades 5 through 12. This year, four of those sponsored teams were invited to participate in the 2026 International SeaPerch Challenge held in Maryland in May. Three teams from Kickemuit Middle School, a public regional school in Warren, Rhode Island, and one team from The Pennfield School, a private school in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, qualified to attend the international event along with more than 200 teams representing the U.S., China, Egypt, Kazakhstan, Kenya and New Zealand. Pennfield’s Team Delta, comprised of sixth grader Joey Freeman, age 13, and two fifth grade students, was invited to the event after placing second at their first competition, the New Bedford Regional, held in New Bedford, Massachusetts, on Dec. 6, 2025. “It was the first time the school had ever done SeaPerch and the first time any of them had ever operated their ROV [remotely operated vehicle] in a pool when they got to this regional event,” said Joey’s mother, Lauren Freeman, a senior oceanographer in Division Newport’s Ocean Science, Autonomous Systems, and Ranges Department, and a SeaPerch volunteer. “So, the fact that one of the teams was the second-place team at this regional event was kind of mind blowing. Nobody expected that. This was our first year, and we wanted to see what it was like and what kind of interest the school had, so that kind of blew it out of the water. “They learned a ton and fully participated in the experience,” Lauren Freeman said. “The school and the kids are excited to try to get back next year and do better.” At May’s international event, out of 88 middle school teams, Pennfield’s Team Delta ranked 65. From Kickemuit Middle School teams, The Whalers ranked 64, The STEM Girls ranked 69, and The Fishmen ranked 77. SeaPerch is one of the many programs that Michael DeSousa, program manager of K-12 STEM Outreach, facilitates at community schools in Rhode Island, and at several schools in New Bedford, Massachusetts. Through the program, students learn the principles of science and engineering and gain hands-on experience using tools and technical applications. Division Newport employees Drew Canfield, an engineer in Sonar and Systems Department, and Nicholas Elliott, a scientist in the Undersea Warfare Combat Systems Department, assisted DeSousa at The Pennfield School for the 2025 fall session. “When I heard that there were outreach programs that were very similar to the ones that I had as a kid, it was very easy to volunteer,” Canfield said. “Despite not having any knowledge of what SeaPerch was, it only took a session or two to learn how to build the ROV. It was a lot of fun.” “I feel like we owe it to the generation that comes next to teach them all that we can and to get them interested in the work that we do and see if it is something that they enjoy,” Elliott said. “Obviously, it is not for everyone, but if we can get one or two students interested in it, they could be someone who makes the next advancement in tactical oceanography, or they could develop the next torpedo weapon system. I feel like this was a great way to give back and to also do some great outreach for NUWC as well.” Over seven weeks, SeaPerch students build small ROVs and a control box, then learn how to operate it underwater. Once divided into teams, students are given a SeaPerch ROV kit, comprised of raw materials including PVC pipes, motors, and zip ties, and an instruction manual with steps on how to build the ROV. Division Newport employees volunteer to coach after school once a week for an hour and 30 minutes, walking students through the process of building the ROVs and the control boxes that pilot the vehicle. The ROVs are operationally tested in small tubs of water. By the end of each session, the students have ROVs that are ready to perform in competitions. “The kids there were excellent,” Canfield said. “All of them were motivated and wanted to be there. They were very interested in the topics we were trying to teach them and in working with the tools. They were truly having fun with it and were excited to learn.” Regional competitions serve as a friendly scrimmage where teams network, share ideas and gain experience. “It was super awesome to be able to experience [the New Bedford Regional] with them,” Elliott said. “I remember being on the side of the pool with Drew and Mike and going through the different troubleshooting steps for their vehicles, whether they weren’t working or sinking or they needed to replace a part [and] bringing them to the triage center to help them figure out what specifically we could do to get them ready. It was really special to get to work with them in that field and help them meet the goals that were set by the competition.” In preparation for the 2026 International SeaPerch Challenge, Team Delta practiced navigating pool obstacle courses several times a week. The goal was to complete the course in a timed eight-minute test. Team members also wrote a detailed technical report about their design process, completed a community service project (followed by a report), and created a poster about how ROVs could be used for power cable inspection. The team modeled their ROV as a prototype for inspecting and fixing minor damage to undersea cables following major storms. Through the lessons that the team members learned from their second-place regional finish, they demonstrated how accessible ROV technology can be adapted for critical infrastructure repair and disaster recovery. “My favorite part was building the robot and going to the competition,” Joey Freeman said. “Next year, I want to modify the robot more to have it work better.” DeSousa recalled his own experience as a student participating in NUWC’ Division Newport’s robotics program. “I changed the trajectory of my education and ultimately my career path because of NUWC’s outreach,” he said. “Now for me to be able to give that back to the next generation and possibly impact these students lives for the better, I feel blessed to be able to do so. We let them know that options exist and they are smart enough. If they want to be an engineer or scientist, they really can do it. It is not beyond them. “One of my goals is to create new programs where we can expand letting the community know what exists by utilizing teachers as a force multiplier,” DeSousa said. “We’d give the teachers the training and materials needed to present lessons and then bring a NUWC engineer in at the end of each session. NUWC has very important jobs to do, so I’m looking for ways to expand the impact to the community in a sustainable way.” NUWC Newport is the oldest warfare center in the country, tracing its heritage to the Naval Torpedo Station established on Goat Island in Newport Harbor in 1869.Commanded by Capt. Kevin Behm, NUWC Newport maintains major detachments in West Palm Beach, Florida, and Andros Island in the Bahamas, as well as test facilities at Seneca Lake and Fisher's Island, New York, Leesburg, Florida, and Dodge Pond, Connecticut.
| Date Taken: | 08.17.2026 |
| Date Posted: | 08.17.2026 12:15 |
| Story ID: | 572557 |
| Location: | NEWPORT, RHODE ISLAND, US |
| Web Views: | 23 |
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