A Conversation with Debbie Proffitt from Purvis Systems
UTIC Intersections–Conversations with Ocean and Undersea Tech Leaders: Conversations with influential leaders in the undersea technology community, soliciting their industry input, guidance and mentorship.
Debbie Proffitt began her career helping state and federal agencies modernize their technology as a program manager at McLaughin Research Corp, SEA CORP and HP Enterprise. For the past 15 years, Debbie, a graduate and MBA recipient from URI, has been focused on naval and subsea tech programs as the lead for Defense Operations and Business Development at Purvis Systems.
We asked Debbie for her thoughts on some important undersea technology questions:
From the perspective of a technical and business leader, what undersea tech innovations are, or will be, game changers, and why?
If I could pick one innovation area that has achieved great leaps in tech advancement over the past few years, I would pick Advanced Sensing Technologies. We still know so little about the undersea environment, but the range of recent sensing technologies including advanced sonar, acoustics innovations, improved optical sensors, LiDAR, and enhanced environmental sensors, all have greatly improved the detection and monitoring of underwater environments. These technologies are vital for applications crucial defense and commercial applications like underwater mapping, environmental monitoring, and detecting underwater threats.
As a life-long tech program manager, what resources do you use when you want to keep current on undersea tech research, technology, and commercialization?
From a technology operations management and business development perspective, I try and stay current with a range of great resources including:
- Sea Technology Magazine: This expansive magazine covers the important events, industry leaders and the latest developments in maritime and undersea science and technology.
- Journal of Ocean Technology: Curated by a Canadian marine institute with a global remit, the Journal publishes research articles on various aspects of ocean technology including energy management, unmanned systems and robots, navigation advancements, and more.
- UTIC Resources Page: (Of course!) The Resources Page is a great starting place for any individual looking to stay current or learn more about undersea tech, with listings of private and governmental organizations, industry publications and industry conferences, trainings and events.
In your view, what does it take to build a successful partnership to advance undersea technology?
From my perspective, successful partnerships drive successful projects in the undersea tech industry. Here are my thoughts on the key elements of partnerships that work:
- Any successful partnership in our industry must start with a shared vision and understanding clearly articulated in concise objectives and goals.
- Good partnerships are also built around complementary strengths and expertise, including technical skills, research capabilities, access to and knowledge of specialized equipment and facilities, etc.
- Partnerships are built around collaboration, and in our industry connected parties need to invest in collaborative research and development. When aligned, these efforts can accelerate the development of innovative solutions and advancements on projects.
- As a career project manager, I need to mention a last, crucial element to partnerships: flexibility and adaptability. The flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances and new opportunities is at the heart of any successful partnership. The field of undersea technology is rapidly evolving, and collaborative partnerships need to be able to respond to new challenges and discoveries.
Return to: Conversations with Ocean and Undersea Tech Leaders
