Mr. Zac Staples
Award: Gold Medal Award - Engineering
Year: 2025
Recipient: Mr. Zac Staples
Reason: for hid significant contribution to naval engineering as set forth in the following
CITATION:
Zac Staples demonstrated extraordinary leadership in transforming advanced artificial intelligence concepts into operational naval capability. As founder and chief executive officer of Fathom5 and later Caliburn Technologies, he led the engineering, accreditation, and deployment of the United States Navy’s first artificial intelligence program of record aboard an operational warship.
Under his leadership, Enterprise Remote Monitoring Version 4 was successfully integrated aboard USS FITZGERALD, where it continuously analyzed thousands of shipboard sensor inputs to improve condition-based maintenance, material readiness, and operational reliability. His work proved that trusted artificial intelligence systems can operate safely and effectively within the demanding environment of naval warfare systems and mission-critical engineering infrastructure.
Beyond the technical accomplishment itself, Mr. Staples established a sustainable engineering framework for rapidly deploying software-defined capability into the Fleet. His work fundamentally changed how the Navy approaches artificial intelligence integration, cyber resilience, operational analytics, and digital readiness across complex maritime systems.
Widely recognized as a pioneer in operational naval AI implementation, Mr. Staples successfully bridged the divide between advanced commercial innovation and practical Fleet application. His leadership accelerated acceptance of trusted artificial intelligence technologies throughout the naval engineering community and demonstrated the transformational value of software-enabled warfighting capability.
His accomplishments have influenced broader Navy thinking regarding predictive maintenance, autonomous decision support, engineering readiness, and the role of advanced analytics in future maritime operations. Through technical excellence, visionary leadership, and practical implementation, he has helped establish a foundation for the Navy’s next generation of digital engineering and operational readiness.
By his visionary leadership, engineering innovation, and transformational contributions to operational naval capability, Mr. Staples has made a lasting and significant contribution to naval engineering and Fleet readiness.