Joe McGowan

Dr. Joe McGowan is a former lightweight oarsman and was the 1976 Navy Varsity Heavyweight coxswain while earning the Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from USNA. Notable collegiate rowing achievements include a Silver Medal in the 1973 IRA National Championship (Freshman Heavyweight 4+), a Bronze Medal in the 1975 Head of the Charles Regatta (Intermediate 4+) and a Gold Medal in the 1976 IRA National Championship (Varsity Heavyweight 4+). The Champion Varsity 4+ included fellow GoatsRow participants George Wheeler and Chris Joachim, who also joined forces to whack the Class of 75 in the annual USNA Class Day Regattas of 1975 and 1974. Joe’s career as a Naval Officer spanned 31 years in the Actve and Reserve forces, and included five deterrent patrols on USS James K Polk (SSBN 645), Command of two Naval Reserve Units within the Office of Naval Research, and service as an Associate Professor of Electrical Engineering while assigned as Captain, United States Navy, at the US Naval Academy. His decorations include three awards of the US Meritorious Service Medal. Joe also earned the degrees of Master of Science in Engineering and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Bioengineering from the University of Pennsylvania. He has authored over 100 publications in Engineering and Bioengineering with more than 2500 citations to his work, and is a member of the National Physics Honor Society (Sigma Pi Sigma) and the National Engineering Honor Society (Tau Beta Pi) and is listed in the 2025 edition of Who’s Who in America. Joe is currently CEO of an engineering and bioengineering consulting firm that he founded in 2012. He has two great kids, daughter Alessandra Meghan, and son Dr. Joseph C McGowan IV. Although Joe does own a Concept Two Ergometer, he has never found the use of it fun. That said, he appreciates the chance to take part in this historic endeavor and is very much looking forward to the 30th minute ticking off the clock.