SPRINGING INTO ACTION: MTS EVENTS AND STUDENT ENGAGEMENT BLOSSOM
The transition to boreal Spring each year brings with it a familiar flurry of activity and energy around us: blooming trees and flowers draw in pollinators and birds; we clean our gardens, garages, and yards in anticipation of growth and renewal; and, the smells of fresh cut grass, mulch beds, and outdoor grilling draw us outside. In the same vein, MTS is abuzz with activity and energy as we launch into the start of our large event calendar, kickstart the annual MATE ROV Competition through regional competitions, and celebrate the tail-end of the academic year for our students and faculty members.
MTS EVENTS - OUT AND ABOUT
Last week in Singapore MTS and IEEE/OES hosted a rich and exciting OCEANS ’24. Nearly 1,000 visitors joined the four-day program which included a keynote from former MTS president and NOAA Administrator Dr. Rick Spinrad, the annual Student Poster Competition, and dozens of technical tracks ranging from vehicles and sensors to modeling and digital twins.
Two weeks ago, at the UN Ocean Decade Conference in Barcelona, MTS leadership and staff led multiple marine technology events, including a workshop focused on low cost technologies for ocean observing and a technology and innovation showcase that included pitches from startups, corporations, and research labs focused on the 10 Ocean Decade Challenges.
In the coming weeks MTS leadership and members will be at the annual Offshore Technology Conference in Houston, leading the bi-annual Buoy Workshop with MTS member and partner, the Pacific Northwest National Lab, and holding the final regional competitions in preparation for the 2024 MATE ROV World Championship in June!
STUDENT ENGAGEMENT, GROWTH, AND IMPACT
As the academic year begins to wind down, we celebrate growth in student engagement across the MTS global community. Since last September, more than 300 new student members, spanning grades from high school, through undergraduate and graduate programs, have joined MTS.
These new student members are leading a resurgence in section activity, programming, and participation in MTS scholarship, leadership development, and workshop programs. We saw a substantial increase in scholarship applications this spring, including record interest in EMERGE, and we look forward to supporting an increased number of students through the MTS scholarship program for the 2024-2025 school year.
MTS has awarded more than $2 million in student support since our creation and we look forward to awarding more than $100,000 this year to support student scholarships, MATE competition team support, travel/registration to conferences and workshops, and experiential learning. Your membership and support enables us to make these investments in the marine technology leaders of the future.
Thank you for your support,
Chris
