Stay tuned for the full story, coming online this June at Sea Technology.

Viviana Castillo is a research scientist and engineer at the Applied Physics Laboratory at the University of Washington. In August, she boarded a 300-ft. vessel to participate in an at-sea test of a U.S. Department of Defense maritime project. How did she land on that ship? That is her story to tell.

In a feature article coming to Sea Technology magazine this June, Castillo gives readers a look into what it’s like to be a young person working in ocean electronics at the start of a promising career.

From her gumption in high school to sign up for advanced courses, through a challenging education at the University of Washington, and on to her experience climbing down the side of vessel as part of her job providing onboard electronics, software and communications, Castillo’s story is enlightening for anyone interested in the behind-the-scenes details of making a career in ocean technology.

I went in knowing I would be one of two women, one of the youngest on the ship and the only Latina. To say that this didn’t intimidate me would be a lie. But it was also extremely exciting. The DoD-funded project was supported by a number of different organizations and agencies supporting a cutting-edge concept to deliver unconventional capabilities to the U.S. Navy.

—Viviana Castillo

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