11.20.2025 –
Naval Surface Warfare Center, Philadelphia Division (NSWCPD) was filled with energy and curiosity as employees stepped out of their usual routines and into each other’s worlds during the second-ever Team Philly Showcase on Sept. 17, 2025.
The much-anticipated internal event turned the command into a hub of exploration and connection, where colleagues became tour guides, labs became classrooms, and curiosity was the common language. From propulsion systems to cybersecurity, the showcase offered a rare behind-the-scenes glimpse into the diverse work that supports NSWCPD’s mission—and the people who make it happen.
NSWCPD Commanding Officer Capt. Joseph Darcy and Technical Director Nigel C. Thijs, SES, kicked off the morning with remarks that set the tone for the day, highlighting the showcase as a chance for staff to connect with colleagues, learn about diverse projects and test sites, and inspire new ideas across the command.
Following the success of its first run in October 2024, the event returned with even more opportunities for NSWCPD personnel to learn, collaborate, and build new relationships. Team Philly Showcase, organizers noted, is about more than just technology or procedures. Its most significant value lies in moments of genuine connection and discovery, which foster a culture of learning, agility, and innovation—qualities that keep NSWCPD at the forefront of technological and operational excellence, supporting Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA)’s role as a trusted partner in readiness and progress.
The Team Philly Showcase atmosphere often invited comparison to Take Your Children to Work Day, but this time the excitement belonged entirely to the staff. Employees eagerly explored buildings and labs typically off-limits, gaining access to the full scope of NSWCPD’s work. For many, it was the first chance to truly see the breadth of expertise present in every department and technical specialty.
Discussions filled the corridors as tours moved through innovative labs and test sites. Colorful posters, hands-on exhibits, and live demonstrations turned ordinary workspaces into engaging platforms for storytelling, sparking questions and animated conversations at every stop.
For first-year employees, the event offered rare and invaluable insights into NSWCPD’s multidisciplinary mission. For returning staff, it was an opportunity to view the familiar through a new lens.
Mechanical Engineer Thomas J. DiMario took pride in seeing his journey come full circle.
“Last year, I was the one taking the tours,” DiMario said. “This year, I was giving them. The tours I took my first year were beneficial, and I tailored my presentation around the parts that helped me in my role the most.”
Guides and hosts across the command embodied this spirit of shared learning. At the Towed Communications & Advanced Undersea HM&E Engineering Land-Based Test Site (LBTS) Team Leader William G. Wadsworth emphasized the importance of removing barriers.
“There are many people we don’t interact with regularly. These are usually non-technical personnel,” he said. “They come to the test site, see the actual work being done, and it really helps them understand how the pieces of the puzzle fit together.”
Mechanical Engineer Kaitlyn Hines explained that presenting at the showcase deepens her understanding of NSWCPD's technology and community by reinforcing complex systems and providing opportunities to connect with colleagues across the division.
“It’s exciting to share what we do—especially with people who might walk by the test site every day but never really get to see what happens inside,” Hines shared.
Rather than simply reciting high-level overviews, Hines prefers to start small and build up detail based on her visitors’ questions. She finds this approach makes technical topics less overwhelming and encourages more meaningful dialogue. The steady stream of approximately 30 visitors during her three-hour window demonstrated staff curiosity and engagement.
Although she didn’t travel to other areas as she had during her first year, Hines remembered how eye-opening that earlier experience was for a new hire, exposing her to potential career paths and the broad scope of NSWCPD’s mission. For her, the event’s greatest value lies in building a shared foundation of understanding—one conversation at a time—while growing more confident in her presentation skills and forming new professional connections along the way.
The event sparked an enthusiastic exchange of ideas as employees discussed potential collaborations and forged new professional connections. Model Based Systems Engineering System Design SSN(X) Team Lead Rick Silverman, who spent 30 years in various industry roles before joining NSWCPD, captured the feeling of renewal and possibility.
“I felt like a kid in a candy store,” Silverman said as he moved from lab to lab. For him, the real value of the showcase went beyond just seeing cutting-edge systems on display; it was about making personal connections with colleagues who have the expertise behind critical Navy projects.
Silverman viewed this as a crucial step in cultivating the kind of systems engineering mindset necessary for complex projects, where teamwork and digital modeling techniques fuel innovation. By putting names and faces to the future platforms' architecture, he believes that teammates can collaborate, innovate, and contribute more effectively to the broader mission. Silverman also emphasized that establishing these professional relationships during the event would yield long-term benefits as NSWCPD continues to advance vital Navy programs, thereby maintaining the division’s leadership in technical excellence and collaboration.
Environmental Engineer Rosse Santiago Rodriguez, who presented on the Oil Pollution Abatement System (OPA), emphasized the importance of taking every chance to educate and connect with fellow NAVSEA coworkers.
"We always participate in any opportunity to help our fellow NAVSEA coworkers to educate, answer any questions, or discuss any topics that are related to our system," Rodriguez said. "This experience helps prepare our team for one of our main roles as In-Service Engineer Agents (ISEA), which is to educate."
Elsewhere, practical takeaways were evident. Submarine Life Support Test Site ISEA Matthew Knighton valued the opportunity to connect with groups he seldom encounters.
“It was beneficial for us to talk to other groups that have systems similar to ours but that we don’t normally interact with,” Knighton said. “I attended the sewage containment lab demonstration and saw a tool I had never seen before that we can use here. An acquisition manager also attended our demonstration and had the chance to see how the individual systems we purchased actually operate. That helps non-technical groups understand the bigger picture.”
In addition to exploring test sites and labs, employees were allowed to visit more than a dozen information tables, where teams from across the command explained how their roles and projects contribute to the organization’s overall success. For many staff members, it was the first opportunity to “connect the dots” and see how their efforts contribute to the broader NSWCPD mission. Real-time dialogue and access to subject matter experts helped clarify the big picture, leaving many with a more profound sense of meaning and pride in their work.
After a morning of hands-on learning, connection, and discovery, the day concluded on a celebratory note. Employee Appreciation Day took over the afternoon as staff enjoyed treats and food trucks, sharing stories with friends and colleagues.
The appreciation event wrapped up the showcase that highlighted not only innovative technology and processes but also the people behind every achievement.
NSWCPD employs approximately 2,700 civilian engineers, scientists, technicians, and support personnel. The NSWCPD team conducts research and development, test and evaluation, acquisition support, and in-service and logistics engineering for non-nuclear machinery, ship machinery systems, and related equipment and material for Navy surface ships and submarines. NSWCPD is also the lead organization responsible for providing cybersecurity for all ship systems.