BETHESDA, Md. – For more than 40 years, the hum of saws and smell of fresh cut wood have defined Elbert Roberson’s workdays at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division. In October 2025, he will retire after more than 50 years of federal service, 41 of them spent at Carderock, including three decades in the model shop.
Roberson’s career has spanned the transition from hand-built wooden models to additively manufactured components, reflecting decades of change in the way Carderock designs and builds test vessels.
From Federal Beginnings to Carderock
Roberson began his government career at the Department of the Treasury, processing government checks and money orders before moving to the Department of the Army to support maintenance and landscaping near the Washington Aqueduct. It was there that he became known for his creativity and skill, crafting pieces from wood scraps left over from the aqueduct’s construction.
“I was always making art,” he said. “People would bring me things they’d find and say, ‘What can you make out of this?’ I’d keep it until an idea came to me.”
It was a colleague from the aqueduct that introduced Roberson to the then David W. Taylor Naval Ship Research and Development Center’s model shop. Roberson said the moment he toured the facility, he recognized an environment where both his creativity and technical ability could thrive.
“My colleague said, ‘You’d love it out there – they make models,” Roberson recalled. “He was right. Once I saw what they were doing, I knew this was where I belonged.”
Bridging Art and Engineering
Before joining Carderock, Roberson studied fine arts and interior design at the University of Maryland. His training in sculpture and design shaped the way he approached model construction.
“Everything I learned here, I applied to my art,” he said. “And everything I learned through art I brought back into the models.”
Working from technical drawings, Roberson manually built model-scale test articles from fiberglass and resin, transforming raw materials into scaled models used to evaluate ship design and performance.
“When I started, everything was done by hand,” he said. “Now machines can do the work of dozens of people. But you still need someone who understands what they’re looking at.”
Throughout his time in the shop, Roberson made a point to share what he learned with others, encouraging newer technicians and interns to think through each step of the process, a lesson he believes applies to more than just model making.
“I tell them, the sandpaper doesn’t have a brain, but you do,” he said. “It’s about paying attention. You have to think about what you’re doing, not just follow directions. And that’s how you learn – by observing and then trying again.
Art as Legacy
Outside of work, Roberson’s passion for art continued to develop. His sculptures, mainly carved from reclaimed wood, have earned recognition at regional art shows. Each piece carries a personal story, from “Twisted Love,” carved from a trumpet vine reclaimed near the Washington Aqueduct, to “After the Storm” and “Leo,” a multi-wood lion he completed after years of refinement.
Among his most significant works is “9/11,” an aluminum and wood sculpture he began on the day of the attacks.
“I wanted to show that even though the structure fell, the foundation was still strong,” he said. “By that, I meant us. This country. We came together in a way that proved our strength.”
Looking Ahead
As he retires, Roberson plans to return to his art full time – organizing his drawings, continuing his sculptures, and sharing the stories behind his work.
“I’ve got enough ideas in these pieces to last another lifetime,” he said. “Now it’s time to focus on them.”
Though Carderock’s model shop will continue innovating with new tools and techniques, Roberson’s influence and mentorship will remain a visible part of its culture of precision, patience, and craftsmanship.
“Mostly, I’ll miss the work,” he said. “It was never just a job. Art is what I’d be doing anyway. I just happened to get to do it for the Navy.”