Scholarship Awards Ceremony 2020

On September 18th, 2020, SUT-US held their annual Scholarship Awards Ceremony, one of the most exciting events of the year, as SUT-US honors multiple students for their hard work and dedication for their studies.  

Because of the continuous efforts of the Technical and Non-Technical committees of The Society of Underwater Technology in US, it is possible to support the outreach programs which include the School Touring Program, Student Chapters, and the Scholarship Program. Over the past 5 years, SUT-US has been able to award over $125,000 in scholarships. Members and volunteers work hard throughout the year to put together learning programs, webinars, seminars, networking events, etc. to make these scholarships available every year. This year, SUT is thankful to be able to award $3,000 to six deserving students to be used towards their undergraduate or graduate studies. These hardworking and exceptional students have been recognized for their academic achievements in Underwater Technology.  

The 2020-2021 SUT-US scholarships were awarded to the following students:


Agno Rubim de Assis, Hydrographic Science, University of Southern Mississippi 

Please tell us about your major that falls under the Underwater Technology and how that aligns with your career goals?
We may say that we are living in the golden era of hydrography. The development of new technologies, autonomous vehicles, artificial intelligence, and ambitious worldwide projects are only confirming the new reality of these exciting times for ocean mapping. I am developing myself to become part of that generation, developing research in the academia and then working in the industry in the future.

What are your future goals after graduating? How do you envision your future in academia/industry?
The main goal is to put in practice everything that I have been learning in the academia into the industry, then gain experience and expertise in the field of hydrographic, in order to being able to overcome the most diverse challenges.



Tara Rae van Niekerk, Costal Resources Management, East Carolina University

Please tell us about your major that falls under the Underwater Technology and how that aligns with your career goals?
The Ph.D. program I’m enrolled in combines various social science and natural science disciplines in understanding complex coastal systems. Since my background is in maritime archaeology, I have chosen social sciences, coastal policy, and coastal geosciences as my main focus areas. I’ve found that combining different methodologies helps to better understand the various dynamics of managing underwater cultural heritage sites.

What are your future goals after graduating? How do you envision your future in academia/industry?
I hope to continue working in the cultural heritage sector as a maritime archaeologist, managing and promoting awareness of underwater cultural heritage sites. I also hope to bring the knowledge and skills that I have learnt here in the U.S. back to South Africa, my home country, where I can further assist in developing my field and passing on what I have learnt. 


Guillermo Duran, Civil Engineering, Texas A&M University 

Please tell us about your major that falls under the Underwater Technology and how that aligns with your career goals?
My major is in Civil Engineering with a specialization in Geotechnical Engineering. I have been involved in Underwater Technologies since my first year by conducting research on Probabilistic Risk-based Pipeline Routing.

What are your future goals after graduating? How do you envision your future in academia/industry?
After graduation, I strongly intend to work in the industry but would like to stay committed to supporting SUT learning mission to support the next generations of underwater technology professionals. I strongly believe that my professional path combining structural, geotechnical, geomatics into risk and reliability, and my passion for teaching will contribute to much needed new multidisciplinary professionals that can transform industry.


Jack Cadigan, Civil Engineering, Louisiana State University 

How do you feel about winning this scholarship and what would you recommend to students who are following your same career path?
I’m extremely honored to be chosen for this scholarship, and it makes the amount of work we put in as students feel recognized. There are a lot of ways to get into submarine geotechnics. I went from petroleum engineering into geology then into geotechnical engineering. I would’ve never grown an interest if I hadn’t gone after an opportunity to work on submarine geology offshore in Antarctica, so always take advantage of every opportunity you get to expand your horizons.

What are your future goals after graduating? How do you envision your future in academia/industry?
Currently my goal is to obtain a research position in academia, however the nature of submarine geotechnics means there’s close collaboration between industry and academia. Whatever I end up doing, I hope I get plenty of time out to sea!


Oladeji Quadri Siyanabola, Physical Oceanography, University of Southern Mississippi 

Please tell us about your major that falls under the Underwater Technology and how that aligns with your career goals?
Participating in brain tasking research on internal tides and providing insightful input in the field of underwater technology through journal articles publishing, presentation of scientific results at conferences and taking well-tailored courses are believed to be well suited for my career goals. SUT-US has many opportunities available for students such as student chapters, outreach, webinars, courses, mentoring, and more.

From now on how do you plan to continue your involvement with the SUT-US?
Being unaware of the SUT-US prior to the scholarship advertisement, I am willing to initiate my engagement with the SUT-US by registering as a student member. Attending organized activities by the SUT-US will also be ensured as part of my involvement the SUT-US.


SUT-US also proudly introduced the 2020 elected Fellows in this event. Andrew Hill, Global Technical Authority for Marine Geohazards BP and Roger Osborne, Prime Consultant for Offshore Energy Advisors. Andrew Hill is the Chair of the Offshore Site Investigation and Geotechnics Committee (OSIG) and Roger Osborne is the Chair of Offshore Renewables (OR). This is a major recognition made to SUT members for their exceptional dedication, leadership and hard work supporting this professional society.

Andrew Hill remarked “SUT has been important to me over my career. It has provided early opportunities to make public presentations, a significant contribution to getting noticed – by BP amongst others, and been an avenue for provision of global network. Looking at the list of Fellows for Site Investigation it feels like a joining a global Hall of Fame. Very many thanks for the recognition! “







Roger Osborne offered some humble advice to the students. He explained “Read everything you can, regarding what’s going on in the various, daily news feeds on the web. See what others are working on and developing. Get your hands dirty, ask questions, be interested in what others are doing, and listen often! I have made many friends over the years and have enjoyed every minute these past 52 years. “







To learn about the requirements and guidelines of the scholarship program visit https://sut-us.org/Learning-Programs/Undergraduate-and-Graduate-Scholarships. If you know someone who would be interested in applying to this program, help us share this information with them. Want to sponsor this event? Click here to contact us!