Rutgers Team to Participate in DOE Marine Energy Collegiate Competition
Rutgers is among 20 universities nationwide chosen to take part in the Department of Energy's 2026-2027 Marine Energy Collegiate Competition (MECC). Advised by Onur Bilgen, an associate professor in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, RU Power represents the third Rutgers team to participate in this highly competitive, multidisciplinary event designed to engage undergraduate and graduate students in ocean-based clean energy solutions.
A Multidisciplinary Competition
Marine energy—power generated from ocean waves, currents, tides, and temperature gradients—is one of the world's largest untapped energy resources. Continued innovation is needed to optimize marine energy designs and reduce costs to enable broader deployment. Launched in 2020, MECC participants apply a range of disciplines to design, build, and ultimately test small prototypes of marine energy technologies in preparation for joining the marine energy workforce. Students network with marine energy professionals, explore marine energy career pathways, develop professional skills, and gain insight into how marine energy can contribute to a reliable and affordable energy future.
During Phase 1 of MECC 2027, RU Power will use the $5,000 they received through MECC to review the work of their 2024 and 2025 predecessors as they design their unidirectional hydro-kinetic turbine. The team will then research potential sites, choose optimal turbine components, and create a financial and logistical plan for theoretical applications before creating outreach materials to raise community marine-energy awareness, and network with industry professionals to
learn about career opportunities. If selected as a Phase 2 finalist, the team will continue to develop its project during the spring of 2027 to present during the final competition event in Portland, OR, in May.
Join the MECC Team
RU Power's 2027 team includes captain Dario Gosevski (MS'27, mechanical engineering); secretary Charlotte Quick (BS'29, civil engineering); treasurer Bensu Urganci (BS'27, mechanical engineering); engineering sub-team lead Dil Joshi (BS'28, mechanical engineering); marine science sub-team lead Eshan Nirody (BS'29, mechanical engineering and computer science); finance lead Anish Enjapoori (BS'29, business administration, finance); and marketing sub-team lead Evelyn Logan (BS'27, aerospace engineering).
"We are still welcoming undergraduate team members," says Gosevski. Anyone interested in joining the team or in sponsoring RU Power, please contact Gosevski at dfg51@connect.rutgers.edu. Learn more about MECC here.
