Emma Passariello brings a rare combination of academic excellence, hands-on maritime experience, and technical engineering training to her appearance on Jeopardy. She is a naval architecture and marine engineering student from Westbury, New York, currently studying at the Webb Institute, one of the most demanding and specialized engineering programs in the United States. Through this program, she is pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering degree that encompasses vessel design, hydrodynamics, marine structures, shipboard systems, and propulsion.

Her studies are built on a rigorous engineering foundation that includes advanced mathematics, fluid dynamics, computer-aided design, and mechanical systems. The Webb curriculum is known for its intensity and its mandatory at-sea and industry internships, and Emma has embraced each component with focus and ambition. Her academic work has included model testing, naval architecture theory, stability calculations, and ship resistance analysis, giving her a strong technical grounding before even completing her degree.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJYRRg5HfJ8

Extensive Internships Across Shipyards, Research Institutes, and Marine Firms

Emma’s industry experience extends far beyond what is typical for an undergraduate engineering student. She has completed internships across a wide range of organizations, including H2M architects + engineers, Resolve Marine, MARIN (Maritime Research Institute Netherlands), ABS (American Bureau of Shipping), Stolt Tankers, and Caddell Dry Dock and Repair Company. Each internship added a layer of specialization, exposing her to both the theoretical and operational sides of marine engineering.

At Resolve Marine, she gained hands-on exposure to emergency response operations and salvage modeling. Her work included GHS and hydrodynamic simulations, structural sizing, anchor calculations, and rigging concepts used in heavy-lift and casualty-response scenarios. Her time at MARIN involved hydrodynamics research and offshore transport modeling, deepening her understanding of vessel motion, resistance, and seakeeping.

Her internship with ABS—the world’s largest classification society—introduced her to regulatory structures, emissions reporting tools, and maritime safety frameworks. While working with Stolt Tankers, she lived and worked at sea, standing watch, completing maintenance tasks, documenting shipboard systems, and observing both deck and engine operations. Each experience strengthened her ability to understand ships not just as designs or models, but as working systems.

Technical Skills Spanning CAD, Simulation, and Marine Engineering Tools

Emma’s capabilities include a broad suite of engineering software commonly used across naval architecture and marine systems design. She is proficient in AutoCAD, Rhino 3D, SOLIDWORKS, GHS, NavCad, and multiple finite element analysis tools. These programs allow her to model vessel geometry, run stability calculations, simulate hydrodynamic motion, and conduct structural evaluations.

Her skills also extend to standard engineering and documentation programs, including Microsoft Office, and she is familiar with advanced data processing for emissions-related reporting systems. She holds certification as an Engineer in Training (EIT) through NCEES, a credential that marks an important step toward Professional Engineer (PE) licensure. In addition, she speaks Hungarian, bringing a multilingual component to her technical background.

At-Sea Experience and Early Engineering Outreach

One of Emma’s most distinctive experiences is her time working aboard tankers. She spent weeks at sea completing watchstanding duties, assisting with engine-room tasks, participating in deck operations, performing maintenance, and documenting shipboard systems. This firsthand operational exposure gives her a perspective few engineering students possess, allowing her to connect theoretical hydrodynamics and systems engineering to real operational constraints and safety practices.

Earlier in her academic career, she also dedicated several summers to supporting the Webb Institute engineering camp. There, she taught high school students to design and build mechanical and marine projects such as pumps, cranes, and plywood boats. These early outreach roles highlight her ability not just to master complex engineering concepts but to communicate them to younger learners—an important skill in a field that increasingly values collaboration and mentorship.

Career Aspirations and Professional Identity

Emma continues to build a strong foundation for a long-term future in the maritime sector. Her internships have taken her across the Northeast, Florida, Texas, and multiple shipyards in New York, giving her familiarity with different regions and professional environments. She is currently open to job opportunities in naval architecture and marine engineering, seeking to apply her multidisciplinary skill set to the design, evaluation, and improvement of modern vessels and offshore systems.

Her background suggests American nationality with likely European—possibly Italian—heritage, based on her name and family origins. With her combination of academic rigor, practical training, and industry exposure, she is already positioned as a promising future engineer in a field that relies deeply on both theory and hands-on understanding.

Emma Passariello — Profile Summary Table