20 August 2025

Abstract

Stepping into the role as a mentor or seeking out a mentor in the professional engineering management area can seem like an overwhelming task. Dr. Rob Gies will discuss lessons learned and best practices he has formed over his successful career as an engineering manager to help overcome the barriers to effective mentorship.

About the Presenter

Dr. Rob Gies, Associate Technical Fellow, within the Chief Engineer’s Office, at Newport News Shipbuilding

Dr. Gies has been a Program Manager for aircraft carriers and submarines including CVN 79 and CVN 80, COLUMBIA Class Submarines, and VCS Class of Submarines, and has been an Engineering Manager for machinery systems, propulsion plants, various product lines, engineering offices such as the Washington Engineering Office, and engineering departments over his thirty-five year career at Newport News Shipbuilding. Dr. Gies is also the engineering professional in residence at Old Dominion University, and was honored as the ASEM 2024 Engineering Manager of the Year and as the ASEM 2023 Best Dissertation of the Year. This experience provides Dr. Gies with wealth of leadership, mentorship expertise, and knowledge.