Q & A with Susan Noste: Mechanical Engineering Lead PSC Program at Halter Marine.

Q. Tell us a little about yourself?

A. I am the mechanical engineering lead over the PSC program here at Halter Marine. I’ve been part of the Halter Family since 2020 when I hired in as a Naval Architect.?After a year in the hull group, I moved over to be the lead over the mechanical team. I’m from Edenton, North Carolina, a small town in the northeastern part of the state.

?Q. How did you find your way to shipbuilding?

A. When I graduated high school I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do with my life. I worked a lot of random jobs until I was 27 when I decided I wanted to do something different, so I enrolled in college.

?Q. What attracted you to Engineering & Naval Architecture?

A. I was always really good at math and science and was interested in boats from growing up in a town known for their sportfishing boat manufacturers.?So when I started at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, I studied mechanical engineering.?It was in my junior year that I became aware Naval Architecture & Marine Engineering (NAME) was a degree option offered at the University of New Orleans.?So once I completed my mechanical engineering degree, I started an internship down south at a local shipyard, and I completed my graduate degree in NAME at UNO.

?Q. Who inspires you? Who are your role models?

A. My biggest role model is my father, Al Partin.

Now retired from Regulator Marine, he has always expressed to me the importance of a very strong work ethic. He taught me that reputation precedes us. Admirable traits I observe in my fellow shipbuilders that I challenge myself to incorporate into my own work include being positive, proactive, and to not shy away from challenges.

?Another great place I find inspiration has been with The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME).?I am currently an associate editor of the Journal of Ship Production and Design and the Professional Development Chair for our annual SNAME Maritime Convention events.?I encourage anyone that is eager to learn more about shipbuilding to attend a local SNAME event!

?Q. How do you inspire others?

A. I lead by example and always try to do what is right.?Also, I think it is important as a leader to acknowledge good work by my team. They are truly amazing and I am proud to lead them. It’s my responsibility to put them in a position to be successful and reach their maximum potential.

?If you would like to know more about The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME) and their Journal of Ship Production and Design go to www.sname.org.

?Photo Credit: Chris Caver