News & Announcements

2023 AAUS Board of Directors Elections

The 2023 AAUS election is now open and closes 30 June. The election is open to Full Voting Members (individual and OM Reps) in good standing. Below you will find the slate of candidates. Their bios and election questions are at https://aaus.org/News_Announcements and attached. All voting is to take place on the website.  Please follow the directions below; be an active part of your Academy and VOTE! To write in a candidate, email name of the write-in candidate to two of the election committee members:

• Derek Smith ([email protected])
• Jessie Miles ([email protected])
• Jim Nestler ([email protected])
• Nate Schwarck ([email protected])
• Pema Kitaeff ([email protected])

Secretary Candidates:

• Lizzie McNamee, Florida Atlantic University
• Jennie De La Cruz, Samish Tribe

Director-at-Large Candidates:

• Dave Benet, University of California, Santa Cruz
• Dan Abbott, Reef Check

 
2023 Candidate Bios can be found here!

Instructions for Online Voting:
1. Login at www.aaus.org. Your username is the email address on file with AAUS. Password can be reset with "forgot password" if needed.
2. Go to Members Tab then Members Profile
3. Blue Vote Now button below member info block on the left hand side of the page. (You may be required to sign in again)
4. Follow onscreen instructions to submit vote.

AAUS BOD Call for Nominations

The 2023 AAUS Nominating Committee is now accepting nominations of Individual Members for Secretary and Director-at-large (1) positions on the AAUS Board of Directors. Successful candidates will serve a 3-year term commencing on January 1st, 2024. Nominees must be full voting members in good standing within the Academy. A nomination letter (not to exceed 300 words) begins the process and is best focused on how a particular candidate can contribute to the Academy based on their academic or diving safety contributions, or previous development of not-for-profit organizational governance experience. Nominees put forward by the Committee will be required to provide a current photo, bio, and written answers to three questions on their vision for their time on the Board and the future of the Academy.

 

Please submit your nomination letter, no later than March 30, 2023, to any one of the five AAUS Nominating Committee members:

Derek Smith ([email protected])

Jessie Miles ([email protected])

Jim Nestler ([email protected])

Nate Schwarck ([email protected])

Pema Kitaeff ([email protected])

2023 DSO Remuneration Survey

Relative pay level for Diving Safety Officers (DSO) has long been a topic difficult to discuss for a variety of reasons. Confidentiality, cost of living differences and job descriptions that include mixed positions have made it difficult for the DSO community to make valid professional comparisons. The first remuneration survey in the AAUS community was completed in 2010. This survey is meant to update those results by repeating those same initial questions and potentially better define some aspects of job complexity by including a few new ones. The intent is to provide DSOs and their employers with a useful tool to evaluate remuneration for this professional position. Results of this survey will be discussed at the 2023 AAUS National Diving Safety Officers meeting on April 27, 2023. DSOs can complete the survey at https://forms.gle/jz4tDtRqnBf7TbpY6  

Symposium 2025 Survey

As we are getting ready for this year's meeting in Pensacola, we are also looking forward to the next few years of venues. It has been proposed that in 2025 AAUS undertakes another international symposium, this time in New Zealand. This survey is meant to gather realistic interest in attending a meeting in the Spring of 2025 in New Zealand. Initial inquiries find that the cost for lodging nights, catering and meeting spaces is comparable to this year's meeting. Meaning that registration and hotel costs should remain fairly static with the increase costs coming mostly from travel. Please answer the survey honestly so that we might gauge realistic attendance. https://forms.gle/fcbCtzCaibPcAX3DA  

2023 AAUS OM Renewals

In 2023 our OM renewal process will consist of 3 processes: dues payment, Code of Ethics agreement and statistics submission. OMs will not be considered in compliance until all 3 steps have been completed.

OM Dues – OM DSOs and Company Admins can print an invoice and pay via credit card on the website. Instructions attached. Alternatively, OMs can print an invoice online and mail in a check to the address listed below. Note: You will not have full access to your OM profile until your dues are paid. PO Box 9067 Mobile, AL 36691-9067

Code of Ethics Agreement – In 2019 the AAUS BOD rolled out a Code of Ethics (COE) for AAUS DSOs. In 2023 AAUS is requiring that all DSOs agree to the COE. You can access the agreement portal and a link to the COE on the home page (top center) of the OM profile. Simply click the pencil tool and check the box agreeing to the COE. NOTE: The reminder is static and will not disappear once you have signed for the year.

Statistics Submission - Instructions on submitting statistics are attached and can also be found on the website under Members/ Resource Library/ Website Instructionals. It is strongly recommended that you fill in the blank template by hand and manually check your totals before attempting to submit your stats. Inputs are error checked and you may get a message that your totals do not agree if you do not put a value in EVERY box (zero where appropriate). Please do not include any dives that do not meet AAUS standards, e.g., recreational dives accepted by the DCB as proficiency dives. The blank template and the AAUS statistics collection criteria and definitions may be found on the Members menu/ Statistics/ Submission Info after login or in the DSO Community in the Statistics folder (see Communities instructions for access). Both accesses require member login. Please feel free to contact the Statistics Chair ([email protected]) with any questions concerning statistics or incident reporting. Statistics summaries are considered late on (and after) 01 April.

AAUS Kevin Flanagan Travel Award

The AAUS Foundation grants the Kevin Flanagan Travel Award annually providing up to $800 for undergraduate/graduate students to attend an AAUS scientific meeting. Due to the AAUS annual meeting shifting to a spring schedule, the application for this year’s travel award closes 15 January. For more information and application instructions, visit www.aausfoundation.org under the scholarships tab or send questions to the Scholarship Committee Chair at [email protected]

2023 AAUS Scientific Diving Internship

2023 Dr. Lee H. Somers AAUS Scientific Diving Internship
OWUSS is currently taking applications for the 2023 Dr. Lee H. Somers AAUS Scientific Diving Internship. Intern applicants must be students from colleges and universities and must have an interest in science and diving. The program runs primarily from mid-May through August and will include training at one of several AAUS organizational member sites. This training will give the intern the necessary dive qualifications to allow participation on research projects requiring scientific diving and introduce the intern to careers that utilize scientific diving as a tool. Once trained as an AAUS-recognized diver-in-training, interns will participate in underwater field work at one or more locations and research facilities associated with the AAUS. The internship will be supported by funding for travel to/from site, room, board, and other internship-related expenses. The application deadline is January 15, 2023. For more information and to apply visit https://www.owuscholarship.org/internships .

2022 Mitchell Scientific Diving Research Internship
OWUSS is currently taking applications for the 2023 Mitchell Scientific Diving Research Internship. This internship is intended to be research-centric; therefore, training and certification as an AAUS Scientific Diver is a prerequisite and all applicants must be undergraduate students. The program runs primarily from mid-May through August and will be hosted at one of several AAUS organizational member sites. The internship will be supported by funding for travel to/from site, room, board, and other internship-related expenses. The application deadline is January 15, 2023. For more information and to apply visit: http://www.owuscholarship.org/internships .

2023 AAUS Diving for Science Symposium

The 2023 AAUS Diving for Science Symposium will be hosted by University of West Florida, 23-29 April 2023 in Pensacola, Florida. Join us in the nation’s oldest city as we celebrate AAUS history and dive into our future. Registration is now open! The week will be filled with instructional workshops such as Serious Accident Investigation, both topside and underwater; technical workshops including technician certifications, underwater photogrammetry, and acoustic imagery; diving workshops covering surface supplied diving, low visibility, and managing divers with acoustics; tours of an underwater ancient cypress forest; the historic San Pablo shipwreck; “the great carrier reef” USS Oriskany and much more. Following the workshop opportunities and social/networking events, we will wrap up the week with the national DSO meeting, science symposium and annual awards banquet, featuring our Keynote Speaker, Dr. James Delgado. We welcome diving scientists, students, diving safety officers and anyone with an interest in diving science to participate in this event. https://aaus.org/AnnualSymposium. All AAUS members should login with their IM credentials to receive member pricing for all events.

AAUS Conrad Limbaugh Memorial Award

The AAUS Conrad Limbaugh Memorial Award is presented biannually to an individual who has made a significant contribution to diving safety and diving leadership on behalf of the scientific diving community.
The 2022 nominees are:
Danny Gouge – "During his DSO career at VIMS, Danny was on the cutting edge of developing diving safety within the scientific diving community. His service on the AAUS Board of Directors in the late 1980's helped to shore up the foundation on which the AAUS of today is built." - Steve Sellers
Brenda Konar – "There is no person that has had a greater impact on the scientific diving community in Alaska than Brenda Konar." - Joel Markis "Out of the 417 known divers ever to be part of USAP, Brenda ranks #8 in number of dives and #3 of all women.” - Rob Robbins on Antarctic Diving with Brenda Konar
Rick Riera-Gomez – "In his 26-year tenure as the diving safety officer at the University of Miami, Rick Gomez was the picture of diving safety and diving leadership. His diving accomplishments, growth of the University of Miami science diving program, and commitment to AAUS set him apart..." – Robbie Christian

Full biographies can be found attached and here.  Voting for this year's award will be open from 01 December 15 January. Full members can cast your vote for this year's nominees by following the instructions below.

Instructions for Online Voting:
1. Login at www.aaus.org. Your username is the email address on file with AAUS. Password can be reset with "forgot password" if needed.
2. Go to Members Tab then Members Profile
3. Click on blue Vote Now button below member info block on the left-hand side of the page.
4. Carefully follow onscreen instructions to submit vote.

AAUS Townhall Series

The AAUS Board of Directors hosted a series of Town Hall meetings in 2022 with topics covering OSHA, E-learning, Emerging Programs and DCB roles and responsibilities.  All Town Halls were recorded and are available for member download. Members can find them in the Resource Library after login. 

National Scientific Diving Day Celebration

The 40th anniversary of the OSHA Scientific Diving Exemption is the week of November 22nd. AAUS would like to honor the anniversary by deeming it National Scientific Diving Day and we are asking AAUS programs to help us get divers in the water to celebrate all week. Our documentation of those celebratory dives is two pronged. First, in hopes of spreading a broader acknowledgement of what science divers do, we would like to flood social media. Send your pictures and videos to us or post them on your own social media platforms tagging us and using @aaus.scientific.diving #aaus #aausscientificdiving #scientificdiving. Secondly, as we would like to make this an annual event, we'd like to collect basic statistics of divers in the water, using this simple collection form. . Let's get in the water and celebrate getting to do what we all love to do!  

Call for Abstracts

AAUS is now accepting abstract submissions for the 2023 AAUS Diving for Science Symposium. AAUS will accept short abstracts (maximum of 300 words), extended abstracts (800-1200 words) or full manuscripts. The deadline for ALL submissions (abstracts and full papers) to be submitted electronically to [email protected] is 09 December. Please put "2023 AAUS Symposium" followed by your desired format (abstract/extended abstract/full paper) and your name in the message line to facilitate tracking [ex. “2023AAUSsymposium-extendedabstract-crigaud”]. Notification on the disposition of submitted abstracts will be returned to the first author electronically by 13 January, with any suggested revisions due by 03 February. No presentation will be allowed unless the final abstract or manuscript has been cleared for publication in the Proceedings and abstracts/manuscripts will only be published if the presentation is delivered. All submissions MUST use the templates, which include detailed formatting instructions. Templates can also be found on the symposium website under the Resources tab.

AAUS Seeks Internship Hosts

AAUS is currently seeking OM hosts that can provide high quality experiences for our two internships. AAUS interns provide valuable exposure for your institution and scientific diving program. Prior to applying as a host, we ask that you read the internship descriptions and supporting documents on the AAUS Internship page. Applications for 2023 must be submitted no later than 15 January 2023; however, host applications are welcomed well in advance, as we are in need of hosts for 2023 and beyond. Please visit the AAUS Internship page for full details: https://aaus.org/AAUS/Scholarships/AAUS_OWUSS_Internship/Internship_Host_Information/

WDHOF Scholarships and Training Grants

The Women Divers Hall of Fame ™ (WDHOF) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization dedicated to honoring and raising awareness of the contributions of outstanding women divers. WDHOF provides educational, mentorship, financial, and career opportunities to the diving community throughout the world. Each year, WDHOF awards scholarships and training grants that provide financial and educational support to individuals of all ages. Forty-eight scholarships and training grants are offered this year. For some of the categories, more than one scholarship/grant is being offered. A summary of the scholarship/grant categories, award amounts and link to application can be found here. Applications close October 31, 2022.

AAUS Townhall

The AAUS Board of Directors will be hosting a townhall on Emerging Programs on October 20h at 4pm EST. We will have an open discussion about Accreditation, Free Diving Guidelines, Logging program updates, Lead Diver course and more. This townhall will be held on the FLOOR platform and login information will be directly emailed to members a few weeks prior to the meeting. Please join us to hear about exciting developments and how you can take advantage of these member benefits and programs.

AAUS Foundation Scholarship Awards 2022

The AAUS Foundation offers competitive research scholarships to both doctoral-level students and master’s-level students who utilize scientific diving as a principal research tool or study scientific diving. First place awards for both program levels are $3000; second place awards are $1500. In 2022 a total of 23 proposals were reviewed. Proposals included research in ecosystems from kelp forests to coral reefs and spanned disciplines from genetics to archaeological resource management. Special thanks to the 15 reviewers, and best wishes to all who participated. If you know of a student who could benefit from an AAUS graduate scholarship, direct them to the Foundation website for more details. Next year's round of proposals will be due on 30 June 2023. Full bios of the 2022 scholars can be found at https://aausfoundation.org/

Doctoral-level Awards
1st place Jordan Sims, George Mason University: Comparing genotypic diversity of two coral restoration programs to wild populations in Roatán, Honduras
2nd place Yifan Li, Pennsylvania State University: Assessing microbiome influences on coral stress tolerance on a highly polluted, turbid Caribbean reef

Master’s-level Awards
1st place Cheyne Springbett, Walla Walla University: Digging in: an investigation of burrowing behavior in Muusoctopus leioderma
2nd place Keenan Guillas, San Jose State University: The behaviour and energetics of demosponges in response to suspended sediments

Find out more about all the AAUS Foundation Scholars at www.aausfoundation.org.

BOD Election Results

The 2022 AAUS Board of Directors (BOD) election results are tallied, and the Board congratulates the new President-elect Jessica Keller (University of Miami) and Director-at- Large, Andrew Morgan (California State University Monterey Bay). Jessica and Andrew will begin their elected terms January 01, 2023. On behalf of the Academy, we thank all the candidates for participating in the election; all are highly qualified individuals committed to the success of the AAUS. Finally, a reminder to membership--if you are interested in serving, many committees would welcome your help; contact BOD members for information.

2024 AAUS Diving for Science Symposium Host

Is your AAUS Organizational Member interested in hosting the AAUS Diving for Science symposium in 2024 or beyond? The Board of Directors will be considering host proposals for the 2024 meeting at the Fall BOD meeting in October 2022. Contact the AAUS office for information on submitting a proposal to showcase your dive program to the AAUS community.

AAUS National Registry of Scientific Divers

At the 2022 AAUS Diving for Science Symposium, the AAUS Board of Directors discussed the forthcoming AAUS National Registry of Scientific Divers to be published on the AAUS website. This listing verifies that the diver has received training in accordance with AAUS standards. Status as an active AAUS diver can ONLY be conferred by an AAUS Organizational Member and must be renewed/verified every 12 months at minimum. Reciprocity between AAUS OMs requires additional documentation. After working out the internal logistics, we are now ready to begin populating this registry. In phase one, we will be adding newly trained divers (training completed in Spring 2022 and beyond) who choose to be listed in the Registry.
Requirements to be listed:
• Diver has completed an AAUS Scientific Diving Course through an AAUS Organizational Member
• Diver must have completed the AAUS SDC E-learning Course DSO/Instructor must indicate completion of in-water and additional training requirements via the AAUS SDC E-learning Course
• DSO/Instructor must attest that all training has been completed and the diver is eligible for listing

Registry will be expanded in the fall of 2022 to include any interested existing AAUS divers. For more information on registering students, please contact the AAUS office.

2022 Conrad Limbaugh Award for Scientific Diving Leadership Nominations

Nominations are open for the 2022 Conrad Limbaugh Award for Scientific Diving Leadership. Presented biennially to an individual who has made a significant contribution in diving safety and diving leadership on behalf of the scientific diving community, nominations close September 30, 2022. For more information on eligibility and the nomination form, please visit aaus.org/leadership_award. Nominations can also be submitted directly to [email protected]