Lieutenant Bessette is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Old Dominion University.  He recently completed his M.S. at Old Dominion University in which his thesis concentrated on a life cycle analysis of algae biofuel production using the locally developed flash hydrolysis process. He works in the Biofuels Department as part of the integrated energy cluster.  

A native of Portsmouth, R.I., he enlisted in the United States Navy in May of 2004 and completed 4 years of service as an AT2.  He served with STRKFITRON 87 as an F/A-18 avionics flight deck troubleshooter with Carrier Air Wing 8 attached to the Theodore Roosevelt Strike Group.  He attended the University of Maine from1998-2002 and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Bio-Resource Engineering.  He was commissioned through OCS as an Ensign in the Civil Engineer Corps on September 19, 2008. Lieutenant Bessette has since served at Norfolk Naval Shipyard, Kandahar Provincial Reconstruction Team (Afghanistan), Amphibious Construction Battalion Two, and Naval Support Activity Bahrain. He is currently working at Naval Expeditionary Logistics Support Group in Williamsburg, Virginia as the Transportation and Facilities Officer.  

Lieutenant Bessette is a qualified Seabee Combat Warfare Officer.  He is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Virginia, holds the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, and is a Certified Energy Manager (CEM).  He holds a Masters in Science in Management from Troy University which he earned in 2010 in addition to his M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Old Dominion University.  He is level two contract certified and level one facilities engineering certified under the Defense Acquisition Workforce Improvement Act.

Andrew Bessette, LT