Newport, R.I. –
Kaylee Cabral, an engineer in the Naval Undersea Warfare Center (NUWC) Division Newport Combat Systems Department Cybersecurity Division, was presented the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Helen Martha Sternberg Award for 2023 during Division Newport’s Annual Awards ceremony held on June 7.
The award is given annually to a female mathematician, computer scientist or computer engineer, who has been working at Division Newport between six and 24 months. The candidate must show significant progress in her major area of study and plan on attaining a graduate degree.
Cabral, a resident of New Bedford, Massachusetts, was hired in August 2021 as a cybersecurity engineer and is the primary information systems security engineer for the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) combat systems group, which is a joint Program Office within the Naval Sea Systems Command Program Office, PMS425. Her work has been integral in establishing the program’s first set of cybersecurity requirements for the RAN — essential to the systems engineering process — and will contribute to a more secure and resilient system design benefiting both country’s navies.
In addition, Cabral works on the Cyber Science and Technology Team, helping develop new capabilities and test tools for next-generation attack submarines (SSN-(X)).
Cabral received a bachelor’s degree in computer science with a concentration in software engineering from the University of Massachusetts at Dartmouth in May 2021. She is currently investigating different paths and institutions that will support a graduate program in cybersecurity specializing in artificial intelligence and machine learning.
“I feel very proud and honored to have received the Helen Sternberg Award for the work I've done in the time I've been at NUWC,” Cabral said. “I want to thank my branch head Bryan Enloe for nominating me and the Society of Women’s Engineers for selecting me for this award. I'm excited to continue growing in the Cybersecurity Division and expanding my knowledge in the field of engineering.”
Emily Callahan, of Division Newport’s Undersea Warfare Mission Engineering and Analysis Department, who is vice president of the New England Shoreline Section of the SWE presented the award to Cabral during the ceremony with acting Technical Director Vicki Comeau and Commanding Officer Capt. Chad Hennings.
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. Chad Hennings, 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.
Join our team! NUWC Division Newport, one of the 20 largest employers in Rhode Island, employs a diverse, highly trained, educated, and skilled workforce. We are continuously looking for engineers, scientists, and other STEM professionals, as well as talented business, finance, logistics and other support experts who wish to be at the forefront of undersea research and development. Please connect with NUWC Division Newport Recruiting at this site- https://www.navsea.navy.mil/Home/Warfare-Centers/NUWC-Newport/Career-Opportunities/ and follow us on LinkedIn @NUWC-Newport and on Facebook @NUWCNewport.