Bock Memorial Lecture Series

The Bock Memorial Lecture Series was established at the United States Naval Academy in March 1993 in honor of the late Professor Emeritus Arthur E. Bock.  Professor Bock was born in Dubuque, Iowa, on September 30, 1916.  He was a graduate of Kansas State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in mechanical engineering. Later he received a Master’s degree in engineering from Virginia Polytechnic Institute where he was a faculty member from 1940-1944.

Professor Bock served as a naval officer from 1944-1946, during which time he was an engineering instructor at the Naval Academy.  He became a civilian faculty member in the Academy’s Marine Engineering Department in 1946, eventually attaining the rank of full professor.  While at the Academy, Professor Bock served as chairman of the Naval Engineering Department, as a senior professor of engineering, and was a member of many boards and committees.

A leading authority in the field of marine engineering, Professor Bock was coauthor of the book, Elements of Applied Thermodynamics, which has five editions and was used by midshipmen for more than 40 years.  For his contribution to the Academy, he was named Professor Emeritus by the Secretary of the Navy upon his retirement in 1981.  Professor Bock passed away on February 25, 1989.

The purpose of this series is to support and enhance academic excellence in the Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering by inviting world-renowned personalities who have made substantial contributions to the disciplines.

The Bock Memorial Lecture Series is funded by the Arthur Bock Endowment established in September 1991 from a gift by the estate of the late Professor Arthur Bock.  Funds generated from this endowment are intended to support and enhance academic excellence in the Department of Naval Architecture and Ocean Engineering.

Are you interested in contributing to a Bock Lecture?   Please contact our department!

Previous Bock Lecturers: