On October 16, 2025, the Maine SWE Professional Section toured the main shipyard of Bath Iron Works (BIW) in Bath, Maine, led by one of our members, Wendy Greenbaum. We had the opportunity to walk through the heart of one of the nation’s premier ship-building facilities, where BIW designs, constructs and supports complex surface combatants for the U.S. Navy. The shipyard, with over 130 years of maritime and engineering tradition, serves as a full-service shipyard in naval ship-building and support. During the visit we saw the scale of the operation, learned about the specialized trades (welders, ship-fitters, engineers) and gained insight into how BIW’s team brings together design, manufacturing, and lifecycle support. It was inspiring to witness how “Bath-Built is Best Built” remains more than a slogan, but a working reality in ship-building excellence. 

Following the formal tour, members gathered for pizza and conversation—an excellent opportunity to reflect on the day’s take-aways, make connections and deepen our professional network. This informal gathering allowed us to share personal insights and discuss how the engineering and manufacturing themes from BIW resonate with our own work in SWE. Many remarked on how valuable it was to connect with peers in such a unique industrial context and to appreciate the human side of large-scale engineering operations. We left the evening energized by new ideas, appreciative of Wendy’s leadership in arranging the visit, and enthusiastic about strengthening the ties between our Section, local industry, and the future of engineering talent here in Maine.