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Home / Academics / Academic Programs / Prestigious Scholarships Program / Honors Program | Laura Beck

Laura Beck

Fulbright Scholar

Ensign Laura Beck from Tucson, Arizona, (Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Major, Class 2017) has been awarded a Fulbright Award in Norway to pursue a two-year International Master of Science degree in Marine Technology with a specialization in Marine Engineering at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim, Norway. As the NTNU is a research leader in the field of green maritime transport, Ensign Beck will conduct research to develop a hybrid propulsion solution that will increase fuel efficiency and reduce emissions in ships. She proposes to design a hybrid of a diesel engine and a high-capacity battery system charged by renewable energy sources, such as wind or solar. This alternative will reduce emissions in ships that operate especially in coastal areas.

Ensign Beck is the second CGA graduate who has been granted a Fulbright Award to Norway. The Fulbright Program is the flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government and is designed to build relations between the people of the United States and the people of other countries that are needed to solve global challenges. The Fulbright Program is funded through an annual appropriation made by the U.S. Congress to the U.S. Department of State. Participating governments and host institutions, corporations, and foundations around the world also provide direct and indirect support to the Program, which operates in over 160 countries worldwide.

Ensign Beck is currently an Apprentice Marine Inspector at Sector New Orleans. She conducts foreign vessel examinations to ensure compliance with safety and security regulations. With the advanced qualification of Tank Vessel Examiner, Ensign Beck verifies pollution prevention and safety systems on vessels carrying hazardous cargo. In this position Ensign Beck is on the front line of ensuring the safety and security of U.S. waterways and as well as the prevention of pollution incidents.

After graduation from NTNU, Ensign Beck plans to assume the duties of a Marine Safety Engineer in the USCG, where she will be responsible for enforcing environmental and safety standards for both domestic and international vessels operating in domestic waters. Later in her USCG career, Ensign Beck plans to be selected for a position within the USCG Office of Design and Engineering Standards where she will be responsible for the development of regulations for sustainable technologies for all US vessels. After retirement from the USCG, Ensign Beck plans to continue working in the government on energy policy through the Department of Energy, the Federal Energy Management Program, or the National Science Foundation. Her goal is also to attend law school and concentrate on governmental regulations concerning the environment and address a broader range of human concerns in relation to the environment and climate change issues.

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Sponsor Family Application

Thank you for submitting your application to be part of the Sponsor Family Program. Your application will be processed in the upcoming week. Coast Guard Academy’s policy on background screening now requires all adults (everyone 18 and older living in the home) who volunteer to mentor, teach, coach or sponsor cadets, whether on or off Coast Guard Academy grounds, to be screened every 5 years. They are required to provide personal information (name, birth date and social security number) for the purpose of conducting a criminal background check.

The Security Officer at the Coast Guard Academy, CWO2 Gina Polkowski, is overseeing this process. Her email is: Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.

Sponsor Family designations fall into several different categories. Below are the guidelines to help you determine how best to meet the background screening requirement:

  1. If you are Coast Guard active duty you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
  2. If you are a Civilian working for the Coast Guard you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
  3. If you are non-Coast Guard Active Duty, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at  Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
  4. If you are non-Coast Guard civilian who has a current security clearance or National Agency check, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at  Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
  5. All civilians in the families who are 18 years or older and do not have a security clearance or a National Agency Check are required to be vetted through Mind Your Business, the third party vendor hired by the Coast Guard Academy for the vetting process.

After you complete your application, please e-mail the Sponsor Family Program Coordinator at CadetFamilySponsorProgram@uscga.edu. In your e-mail, you must include the e-mail address and phone number of every adult living in the home. The Sponsor Family Coordinator will then initiate the background check process and you will receive an email with further instructions.

Important things to note:

There is a Sponsor Family Training that is a one-hour training which we ask sponsors to attend once every four years. This training is designed to give you an overview of the program, what is expected of you as a sponsor, and what you can expect from your cadets. This training will also help familiarize you with the cadet regulations onboard CGA. You will be notified via e-mail once the training is scheduled.

The matching process of swabs to families will occur during July and August. Please bear with us and remain flexible through this process. There will be a meet and greet scheduled on Campus, typically in late August. This will give families an opportunity to formally meet their cadet if they have not already done so. Details on this will also be via email.

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