PEP25 Celebration

Our community connects hundreds of students to jobs and internships each year while giving them the hands-on learning experiences to be successful. It takes dozens of volunteers to support the dozens of boats that race each year. These craft competed thanks to the Office of Naval Research and support from Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division (NSWCCD). We are extremely thankful for their support.

We could not execute this program without workforce partners like Build Submarines, GE Vernova, and hiring managers from across our industry. In addition, the volunteers from ASNE Tidewater, the naval community, and our friends and families ensure the students have a tremendous experience while onsite.

You can click each image below to see the papers, videos, and pictures of each teams' efforts in the PEP Workforce Development program.

Interested in hiring these students? Check out resumes for students seeking internships and graduates seeking full-time jobs.

PEP25 Lunch Time Crowd on Wednesday April 16

Jump to: Planing Teams Uncrewed Teams Thanks Volunteers Industry Connections

The excitement was high and the waters were windy and challenging at this year’s national Promoting Electric Propulsion (PEP) Competition! Taking first place with an impressive 81.67 points and a commanding 5-mile run in just over 40 minutes, the University at Buffalo powered to victory with excellence and endurance. Arkansas Tech University secured second place with 45.33 points, cruising through 1.75 miles in 15:12. Princeton University earned a proud third place finish, scoring 43.00 points over a strong 2.25-mile run in 12 minutes flat. Rutgers University also put forth a commendable showing with 25.67 points while starting a brand new PEP club to carry the mantle forward in PEP26.

We applaud all the Displacement teams for taking on the challenge of creating a manned boat operating with a maximum of 55.% volts. Congratulations all competitors!

Cheers to the 2025 PEP Competition Planing Division Competitors!

The wind and waves put up a good fight but were no match for the innovation and determination on display in the Planing Division of the national Promoting Electric Propulsion (PEP) Competition! Leading the fleet, the Stevens Institute of Technology clinched first place with a blazing time of 20:06 and an outstanding 92 points. Wake Forest University followed with a powerful showing, earning 82.5 points and second place with a time of 25:40. Rounding out the podium, the University of Georgia took third place, crossing the line at 1:02:38 with 66 points overall. Princeton University’s Planing Team delivered an impressive 2.25-lap run in just 12:10, earning 57.5 points. The Stony Brook University manned entry also impressed with 55.7 points and running for over 3 miles. Captain Douglas Hewes of the Washington College team took their hydroplane into the middle of Broad Bay and raced through challenging elements, and the IDEAWORKS team tied for Top Video across all 43 teams. Cedarville University, first-time competitors, exemplified engineering as they worked a micro-controller problem from every angle. University of Tennessee-Knoxville made notable efforts and contributions to this exciting race with a foiling design that was challenged by the gusty winds.

Congratulations to all competitors for driving innovation forward and electrifying the future of maritime technology!

The Uncrewed Division of the 2025 Promoting Electric Propulsion (PEP) Competition brought out the best in innovation and engineering as teams raced 2.0 miles through the challenging waters of Broad Bay, Virginia. Auburn University stole the spotlight, clinching first place with a lightning-fast time of 5:28 and a top score of 95. Close on their wake, the Arkansas Tech uncrewed team surged to second place with a strong 91.3 points, racing in the windy bay course. They edged out College of the Florida Keys, a first-year team with a tremendous surfboard design, that earned third place by virtue of scoring 91.0 points. The University of Rhode Island and Vanderbilt University rounded out the top five with scores of 82.5 and 82. URI finished with the second fastest time, 7:09, while Vanderbilt earned tied for Top Paper across all 43 competing teams.

William & Mary, The University of Alabama, Virginia Tech, Gato Del Baro of University of Kentucky, and North Carolina State rounded out the Top 10. William & Mary posted an excellent time of 14:30 and shared the ONR Special Award for Propeller research with seventh place, University of Alabama. The Tide Chasers put in a solid competition across all aspects of the comeptition. Virginia Tech finished the competition with 76.0 points and are set up with a tremendous opportunity to electrify a jetski for PEP26. UK's Gato Del Barro took a Zodiac Milpro around the back-bay course in 17:02. North Carolina State finished tenth by completing the course in 23:55 and an overall score of 74.0 points.

First-year Elon University finished 11th with a metal craft they fabricated themselves. Virginia Commonwealth University put in a great time of 23:13 to finish with 68.4 points overall. Howard University, Madison College, and Stony Brook all finished within a point of VCU. Howard's craft overcame a challenging qualification day to power through the course on race day. Madison College repurposed a children's canoe to move quickly through the back-bay course in 25:41. Stony Brook's uncrewed team solved a series of problems to run a great race Thursday midday.

A total of 19 teams were able to qualify and complete the two-mile course in Broad Bay. The first-year team from University of Delaware had the tenth fastest time on course, 25:46. The new PEP Club at University of Virginia totaled 65.0 points while solving numerous challenges on the beach to have a successful run. UCONN's uncrewed hydroplane was a sight in rough conditions and the 18-member club will look to build upon this successful start. The University at Buffalo seniors constructed their craft from scratch and navigated the back-bay course in 35 minutes.

All the competing teams contributed their unique energy and passions to the competition. University of Illinois students completed a two-year odyssey by driving from Urbana-Champaign with the USS Illini for a successful first run in Virginia. Two more teams from University of Kentucky, the Hydro Hustlers and Deciduous, earned a university-wide prize from ONR for "best built from scratch"- a true honor! Representatives of Northeastern's 200-person robotics club worked tirelessly to get their craft on the course. Clubs at Notre Dame, Pittsburgh, Texas A&M, and Iowa all recruited great teams and worked on impressive builds; next year, these teams will continue to grow the number of student engineers addressing this problem. The University of Central Florida club went so far as to fully 3D print their hull by creating two 6.5-foot sections that fit along an Aluminum rod to create a 180-pound hull capable of great speeds.

These teams exemplified the future of maritime technology with electric propulsion systems that are powerful, efficient, and ready for the next frontier. These clubs and engineers are going places!

Uncrewed Competitors

We are deeply grateful to the Maritime Industrial Base (MIB) Program and Build Submarines for their generous sponsorship of the PEP25 reception through BlueForge Alliance. Their support helped create an unforgettable evening where student engineers from across the country had the rare opportunity to connect with leaders and professionals from across the maritime sector. The energy in the room was electric as students shared their project experiences and learned about real-world applications from those actively shaping the future of naval engineering and technology.

A special thanks to the industry representatives who took the time to speak directly with students and faculty about their builds, offer feedback, and share their professional journeys. Conversations flowed for over three hours, bridging the gap between academia and industry. Katherine Dames and Dr. Carrie Curtis were among those who engaged personally with students, offering not only valuable insight into career pathways but also encouragement and mentorship. Their presence, along with that of so many others, demonstrated the industry's commitment to nurturing the next generation of innovators.

Finally, we extend our sincere appreciation to the MIB for their ongoing and enthusiastic support of student-driven engineering programs like PEP. Events like this reception are vital for fostering a sense of purpose, direction, and belonging for students entering a demanding but exciting field. By facilitating this kind of engagement, the MIB and its partners are helping ensure a strong, skilled, and inspired future workforce for the maritime and defense industries.