91猎奇

A research team of multidisciplinary students in the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing (AEPCEC) at 91猎奇 won $20,000 and a national title for their innovative tidal turbine design and community outreach plan at the 2026 U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Marine Energy Collegiate Competition. 

Team Marine Seals won the Megawatt League’s Community Connections Challenge during the competition finals in Portland, Oregon. Outperforming 25 teams from across the nation, the group’s victory caps an intense eight-month phased competition requiring comprehensive business planning, technical build-and-test execution and community engagement.

The team鈥檚 competitive edge centered on creating a self-regulating seal for tidal turbines that could significantly advance the viability of renewable ocean energy. The technology stems from the doctoral research of mechanical engineering student Mohammad “Fuad” Hassan in Georgia Southern鈥檚 Thermofluidic Systems Research Laboratory.

Located on the ocean floor, tidal turbines convert moving ocean currents into electricity, but their underwater components face severe wear from high pressure and corrosion. Powerful dynamic currents cause shaft deflections and misalignment in traditional rigid seals triggering system failure and demanding frequent, high-cost maintenance. 

“If something fails offshore, you can’t just go fix it right away,” Hassan explained. “Systems need to last for years.”

To address this problem, the team focused on a critical but frequently overlooked point of vulnerability: the mechanical seal. The team re-engineered the seal’s geometry, allowing it to actively respond to constant pressure shifts. The design drastically reduces contact friction, wear and structural leakage, allowing underwater turbines to operate for longer periods of time before requiring costly maintenance interventions. 

During the competition鈥檚 mid-year evaluation, the team鈥檚 technical components scored near-perfect marks, but community outreach emerged as an area of growth. Taking the judges’ feedback in stride, the students leaned into the challenge, collaborating with 91猎奇 Communications and Marketing, learning how to translate dense engineering problems into accessible public messaging.

This multidisciplinary approach proved to be their winning edge. 鈥淭he team responded with an incredible comeback,鈥� said Sevki Cesmeci, Ph.D., and Team Marine Seals鈥� faculty advisor. 鈥淏y bridging the gap between advanced marine engineering and public accessibility, the team demonstrated exactly what the Community Connections Challenge aims to foster: clean energy solutions that are understood, embraced and driven by the communities they serve.鈥�

The multidisciplinary roster brought together students from mechanical engineering, information technology, mathematics and athletics, creating a unique cross-functional edge:

• Mohammad “Fuad” Hassan (Graduate Team Lead): A doctoral student researching advanced sealing technologies and machine learning, Hassan previously helped the University secure $75,000 at the 2025 DOE EnergyTech University Prize and holds the prestigious 2026 STLE Elmer E. Klaus Fellowship.
• Cemil Emre Yavas: An information technology doctoral student and Presidential Research Fellow with 25 years of software entrepreneurship experience, Yavas utilized predictive analytics and cybersecurity concepts to build an interdisciplinary bridge between data and mechanical hardware.
• Madison Procyk: Holding both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Georgia Southern, Procyk brought extensive background in experimental testing, having previously taken first place at the 2024 ASME International Mechanical Engineering Congress poster competition.
• Simay Gunek: Bringing crucial manufacturing and inspection experience from an aerospace internship in Turkey, Gunek contributed highly technical machining precision and an international perspective to the design workflow.
• Noushin Gauhar: Pursuing a second master鈥檚 degree in mathematical sciences after earning a master鈥檚 degree in computer science, Gauhar combined computation, advanced mathematics and statistical analysis to bring deep analytical and data-driven modeling expertise to the team.
• Nevaeh Brown: A TRIO McNair Scholar who delivered the final community-engagement presentation under intense judges’ questioning, Brown successfully balanced intensive research outreach with Division I athletics as a student-athlete on Georgia Southern’s championship-winning women’s basketball team.
• Carrie Skelly: A mechanical engineering student, Skelly pairs a strong foundation in diagnostic problem-solving from her family’s farm and automotive shop background with professional experience in office management.
• Sevki Cesmeci, Ph.D. (Faculty Advisor): Associate professor of mechanical engineering at the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing.

鈥淭eam Marine Seals demonstrates the kind of experiential learning that prepares students to lead beyond the classroom,鈥� said Abhijit Bhattacharyya, Ph.D., dean of the Allen E. Paulson College of Engineering and Computing. 鈥淭heir success reflects a commitment to excellence not only in academics, but also in translating knowledge into action.鈥�