NUWC Division, Keyport engineer honored at Women of Color STEM Conference

NUWC Division, Keyport engineer honored at Women of Color STEM Conference

By Frank Kaminski Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Keyport

Liliana "Lili" Beltran, a lead heavyweight production engineer at Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport, was honored as a Technology Rising Star at the 2024 Women of Color Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics Conference in Detroit, Michigan, Oct. 3 - 5.

The Technology Rising Star award honors women of color who have made impactful contributions to STEM fields and who help inspire future leaders in technology and science. Beltran, who works in the Test and Evaluation Department's Systems Acquisition and Production Acceptance Branch, was chosen for her numerous outstanding achievements in the realm of undersea testing technology.

Originally from southern Arizona, Beltran knew she wanted to work in STEM after taking physics and chemistry classes in high school.

"Physics really intrigued me," she said. "Once I took that first class, there wasn't any doubt in my mind as to what I wanted to do when I grew up. I was [initially] interested in chemical engineering, but ultimately decided to go into mechanical engineering."

After earning a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering technology from New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, New Mexico, she joined NUWC Division, Keyport's Test and Evaluation Department in 2006 as a systems engineer on the MK-28 target team.

She later became a systems engineer and project lead in the Acoustic Operations Test and Analysis Branch of the same department. In this position, she led a diverse team of scientists, engineers, logisticians and technicians and oversaw the development, monitoring and execution of project plans for the branch's Acoustic Test Laboratory.

Since starting her current role in the Systems Acquisition and Production Acceptance Branch in February, Beltran has been instrumental to the branch's success, ensuring timely test and evaluation for MK-48 hardware and filling key technical roles to support torpedo production requirements.

In 2018, Beltran earned a Master of Engineering in Systems Engineering from Pennsylvania State University.

Libby Solomon, a mentor of Beltran's and head of NUWC Division, Keyport's Undersea Systems Acquisition and Assessment Division, said she wasn't surprised to learn Beltran had been selected for this award.

"I'm not surprised at all," said Solomon. "She's uber deserving of this award. Lili is recognized internally and externally by her peers and leadership as an incredible engineer and professional. I'd have her on my team any day."

Beltran's supervisor, Undersea Systems Acquisition and Assessment Deputy Division Head Will Buck, echoed this sentiment.

"This award is so well deserved and not at all surprising," he said. "[Beltran] is fantastic. She's a high-character, high-integrity individual whom her leaders trust to do the right thing and to help others do the same."


-KPT-

Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division, Keyport is headquartered in the state of Washington on the Puget Sound, about 10 miles west of Seattle. To provide ready support to Fleet operational forces at all major Navy homeports in the Pacific, NUWC Division, Keyport maintains detachments in San Diego, California and Honolulu, Hawaii, and remote operating sites in Guam; Japan; Hawthorne, Nevada; and Portsmouth, Virginia. At NUWC Division, Keyport, our diverse and highly skilled team of engineers, scientists, technicians, administrative professionals and industrial craftsmen work tirelessly to develop, maintain and sustain undersea warfare superiority for the United States.

Are you ready to join one of the largest and most dynamic employers in Kitsap County? We are continually hiring engineers, scientists and other STEM professionals-as well as talented experts in business, finance, logistics and support roles-so if you are eager to be at the forefront of undersea research and development, we want you on our team. Explore our exciting job opportunities at nuwckeyport.usajobs.gov and take the first step toward building your career at NUWC Division, Keyport.