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The Society for Underwater Technology’s (SUT’s) International Panel on Underwater Robotics has announced that nominations/applications are now welcome for the Gwyn Griffiths Underwater Robotics Award (GGURA) at https://sut.org/gwyn-griffiths-underwater-robotics-award-ggura/. The deadline for entries is 1 May 2023.

The GGURA recognises people in the early to mid-stages of their career (and under 40 years old) who have made outstanding contributions to their field in underwater robotics. The award may be for industry/commercial, research and/or creative activity in underwater robotics. The winner will receive £500, a certificate, and an engraved award.

Neil Bose, Chair of the Panel on Underwater Robotics stated:

“Members of the Panel on Underwater Robotics were excited by Professor Gwyn Griffiths’ generosity in supporting this award and were especially enthusiastic that it should be an early to mid-career award to encourage the up-and-coming generation of underwater robotics workers in their careers.“

While Gwyn Griffiths MBE, a Past President of the SUT added:

“As a vibrant, forward-looking learned Society the SUT is at the forefront of encouraging and facilitating international cooperation in Underwater Robotics. From my own career, I know that peer recognition of achievements through an international Award can make a substantial and lasting difference. These have been times for reflection, and by enabling this new Underwater Robotics Award I am delighted to support the innovators of today and tomorrow.“

Nominations or applications for the 2023 GGURA must consist of the following documents.

• A letter of nomination or application that describes how the candidate meets the criteria.
• The letter should be no more than two pages in length. Supporter(s) of the nomination/ application may add their signature to this letter or supply an email that indicates their support for the candidate
• A 100-word citation or appraisal of the candidate’s research describing their contributions in a way easily understandable to those outside the discipline
• A curriculum vitae

So far there have been two winners of the GGURA, both can be heard on the ‘Underwater Technology Podcast’. The winner of the inaugural GGURA in 2021, Aleksandra Tomaszek MBA, 1 CSI Ltd Co-founder & COO, Strategic Subsea Business Partner can be heard at https://tinyurl.com/y3k7bmb3; while 2022 winner Rustom Jehangir, Founder and CEO at Blue Robotics can be heard at https://tinyurl.com/2cbs5m73

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• The Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) and Astrimar join forces to provide their popular training course as an online virtual course 14-17 March 2023
• Aimed at engineers on both sides of the energy transition – oil and gas and offshore renewables

Innovation and technology are key to any industry’s success – this has never been more true as we face the challenges of achieving the energy transition to Net Zero. Confidence in technology can be a barrier to investment and its acceptance into the market. Effective technology qualification can help address and overcome these barriers

Having run a series of popular ‘in person’ courses together, SUT and Astrimar have collaborated to bring their ‘Qualification of New Technology’ course to a wider global virtual energy industry audience. The course is aimed at engineers, at any stage of their careers, who are involved in the development of new technology or who need to accommodate new or existing technology in new or more challenging applications. Importantly examples will be drawn both from traditional subsea technologies and state of the art net-zero technology solutions.

The new virtual training course (14-17 March 2023 – 09:30-13:00 GMT) grasps this nettle, with leading energy industry experts, providing an overview of industry best practice for qualification of technology and how to select and design appropriate testing and analysis regimes to demonstrate functionality, reliability and durability for novel and modified technologies..

A combination of presentations, discussions and group break-out sessions will be used and will cover:

• The Technology Qualification Process
• Defining Qualification Goals and Requirements
• Use of Technology Readiness Levels (TRLs)
• Types of testing and analysis to support qualification at each TRL
• Qualification of extended/modified technology
• Application of FMECA for technology qualification
• Techniques for demonstrating technology confidence and reliability
• Residual technical risk and uncertainty
• Qualification assurance

David Saul, chair of the SUT training committee explained: “We are delighted to widen our audience and bring this important topic to the fore. Technology qualification is a demonstration process that forms a key part of technology verification and validation. Its aim is to provide evidence and confidence that the new technology, so vital to the sectors in which our members serve, meets the necessary function and performance requirements, that it is reliable for the intended service and life, and that any risks to its operation are well understood and managed.

“Importantly it is also key to enabling new technologies that replace existing technologies as they need to be able to demonstrate that they are as good or better that the existing technology. The assurance that can be gained from adopting these best practices are key to enabling successful technology deployment and commercialisation.”

Further information and booking details, including SUT member discount, are available here.