Great Mix of Attendees for SUT’S Introductory Offshore Wind Virtual Course

The Society for Underwater Technology’s (SUT’s) first virtual introductory course on Offshore Wind Renewable Energy, developed in conjunction with Cranfield University, will be held in just over a week (the mornings of 5 and 6 May). Registrations, from the UK and overseas, for the inaugural course, include a broad range of people reflecting the SUT’s aim to attract both professional non-engineering staff and engineers/ technical staff new to the sector or making the transition from another industry. Registration and course details are at www.sut.org/event/virtual-offshore-wind-course/

As Cheryl Burgess, SUT’s Chief Executive explained:

“We are delighted by the response. Those already booked onto the inaugural course include a military officer planning a career move; an academic; business development and sales specialists; a PR consultant; an environmental manager; geologists, geophysical and geotechnical specialists; and engineers – primarily from the offshore oil and gas industry – specialising in subsea engineering; mechanical engineering, decommissioning, coastal engineering; and a student about to graduate.

“This is just the mix we had been hoping for. We ask applicants to explain why they will be attending, and the majority put it very simply: “I want to know more about offshore renewables both for professional development and future employment prospects”. We are looking forward to even more applications in the coming days.

“I would like to thank Dave Brookes, Past President and Director of our Learned Society, for this hard work in developing this course.”

Presenters over the two days are Judith Patten MBE, President SUT and Project Director, All-Energy; Miriam Noonan, Manager, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (ORE Catapult); Kat Route-Stephens, Senior Consultant, MarineSpace; Partrac (speaker tbc); Phil Hart, Professor and Director Energy and Power, Cranfield University; Mick Cook, Director, MCL and SUT, past chair SUT OSIG Committee; Dave Brookes, Past President and Director, SUT; Elaine Greig, CTO, Renewables Consulting Group, and Una Brosnan, Offshore New Markets Manager, Mainstream Renewable Power; Co-chair Friends of Floating Wind; and a RenewableUK Board Member.

Down to detail

The Offshore Wind Course comprises eight modules over the two days. Following a brief introduction, Day 1 looks at ‘Wind and the Net Zero Challenge including Deepwater Floating Potential; ‘Planning, Environmental Studies and Approvals’; ‘MetOcean/Weather: UK and NW Europe Focus Including Deepwater for Floating Technology’; and ‘Fixed Bottom Offshore Structure Design and Integrity’.

Day 2 begins with ‘Offshore Site Investigation and Seabed Site Foundations’; followed by ‘Construction and Cables’; ‘Floating Wind Structures’; and ‘Completion, Post Installation and Ongoing Operation’. Fuller details on the content of each module and background to the speakers is at www.sut.org/event/virtual-offshore-wind-course/

Presentations by experts will fill four hours on each morning, with time set aside on both days for questions and discussion. Course fees are £325 for SUT members (EEEGR, OES and EIC members also benefit from the discounted rate) and £415 for non-Members (excluding VAT where chargeable). CPD credits will be available.

Second Annual Captain Don Walsh Award for Ocean Exploration is now Open for Entries

Don Walsh (front) on his expedition to the bottom of the Mariana Trench.

The Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) and The Marine Technology Society (MTS) announce the second annual Captain Don Walsh Award for Ocean Exploration is now open. Nominations must be received by 31 May 2021. 

SUT Contact:
Cheryl Burgess
, [email protected] 

MTS Contact:
Amanda Johnston
, [email protected]

LONDON, UK and WASHINGTON, DC – Awarded jointly by both societies, the Captain Don Walsh Award for Ocean Exploration is presented annually to an individual who has made an outstanding, sustained, international contribution to the development, application, or propagation of marine/ underwater technology toward the advancement of ocean exploration. The award is named in honour of Captain (Ret) Don Walsh, an accomplished American oceanographer, explorer, retired naval officer, and marine policy specialist. He and Jacques Piccard were aboard the bathyscaphe Trieste on January 23, 1960 when it made a record descent into the Mariana Trench, which is the deepest point of the world’s oceans. Dr. Edie Widder, an MTS member, won the inaugural award in 2020.

The judging panel, comprised of the presidents and three members from each society, will reflect diversity in demographics, sector and discipline. In addition, Dr. Edie Widder, MacArthur Fellow, a deep-sea explorer, and conservationist known for her expertise in oceanographic research and technological innovation and her commitment to reversing the worldwide trend of marine ecosystem degradation, will join the judging panel.

“A pioneer, outstanding Naval officer, mentor and influencer is how I describe Don Walsh. MTS is proud to join SUT in this award that recognizes an individual who is pushing the limits of ocean exploration,” said Zdenka Willis, President of MTS

“Don Walsh has been an inspirational role model for six decades, we are looking for a winner whose achievements will similarly inspire early career marine technologist, scientists and engineers,” said Judith Patten MBE, President of the SUT.

Nomination details for the award are online at https://bit.ly/3fyiXIs, www.sut.org, or www.mtsociety.org. The closing date for nominations is 31 May 2021.

SUT Launches Introductory Offshore Wind Course

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The Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) has launched a virtual introductory offshore wind course featuring acknowledged industry and academic experts as presenters and in association with Cranfield University. It is designed with two specific groups in mind: professional non-engineering staff, who would benefit from understanding the offshore wind energy industry; and for engineers and technical staff new to the sector or making the transition from another industry. The first course, comprising two mornings of presentations and Q&A, will be held on Wednesday 5th and Thursday 6th May 2021. https://bit.ly/3u6PERh

Presenters over the two days are Judith Patten MBE, President SUT and Project Director, All-Energy; Miriam Noonan, Manager, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult (ORE Catapult); Kat Route-Stephens, Senior Consultant, MarineSpace; Jo Elver-Evans, Business Development Manager, Partrac; Phil Hart, Professor and Director Energy and Power, Cranfield University; Mick Cook, Director, MCL and SUT, past chair SUT OSIG Committee; Dave Brookes, Past President and Director, SUT; Elaine Greig, CTO, Renewables Consulting Group, and Una Brosnan, Offshore New Markets Manager, Mainstream Renewable Power; Co-chair Friends of Floating Wind; and a RenewableUK Board Member.

As Cheryl Burgess, Chief Executive of SUT explains:

“SUT is an international Learned Society with members in 40 countries. It covers all aspects of marine science and engineering involved in the seabed, the water column and surface piercing structures.

“An increasing number of our corporate and individual members in the UK and overseas are involved with the rapidly expanding global offshore wind industry. This new course with its stellar line-up of industry and academic experts, follows in the footsteps of our highly successful face-to-face five-day Subsea Awareness Course, designed for the offshore oil and gas industry, which has seen over a thousand delegates during more than 20 years. It too has turned virtual, with the first five-morning course taking place in early June.

“The offshore wind course marks our first steps in our own energy transition as we diversify from solely developing training courses designed for the offshore oil and gas industry. I would particularly like to thank Dave Brookes, a former President of the SUT and its Hon Secretary, for his hard work in developing this new course.”

Down to detail

The Offshore Wind Course comprises eight modules over the two days. Following a brief introduction, Day 1 looks at ‘Wind and the Net Zero Challenge including Deepwater Floating Potential; ‘Planning, Environmental Studies and Approvals’; ‘MetOcean/Weather: UK and NW Europe Focus Including Deepwater for Floating Technology’; and ‘Fixed Bottom Offshore Structure Design and Integrity’.

Day 2 begins with ‘Offshore Site Investigation and Seabed Site Foundations’; followed by ‘Construction and Cables’; ‘Floating Wind Structures’; and ‘Completion, Post Installation and Ongoing Operation’. Fuller details on the content of each module can be found at https://bit.ly/3u6PERh

Presentations by experts will fill four hours on each morning, with an additional 30 minutes before and after the presentations set aside on both days for questions and discussion. Course fees are £325 for SUT members; and £415 for non-Members (excluding VAT where chargeable). It is CPD approved. Registration for the virtual Offshore Wind Course is at https://bit.ly/3u6PERh