Winners of Marine Sciences Project Papers Announced

The Education Committee of the American Salvage Association (ASA) and the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA) announced the winners of their joint Marine Sciences Project Paper Competition for high school and undergraduate students.  The awards will be presented at NAMEPA’s Awards Dinner to be held on October 27 at Pier A in New York City.  The dinner caps the afternoon North American World Maritime Day conference.

High school and undergraduate students were invited to submit a technical paper describing a project focused on a marine science subject area.  Three entries in the high school category and three entries in the undergraduate category received awards.  The ASA also granted a special award to an entry submitted by a team of high school and undergraduate students.

“These annual industry awards to high school and undergraduate students have become an excellent opportunity to both reward students for innovative thinking, as well as acquaint them with the marine industry", said Doug Martin of Smit Salvage Americas who coordinated the program for both organizations.  "The judges were extremely impressed by the quality of the submissions, making the selection of just six a difficult process." 

All winning entries will receive recognition in industry publications.  The winners in each category are invited to receive their awards at NAMEPA’s Awards Dinner on October 27 in New York City. 

Winners, High School Category

1st Place:  Alexandra Kelly, Grade 12, The Marine Academy of Science and Technology, Highlands, New Jersey

“The effects of arclor on the prey consumption rate of the larval Atlantic sturgeon Acipenser oxyrhynchus”

2nd Place:  Andrew Yu, Grade 9, The Academy of Science and Technology, Conroe, Texas

“Increasing Cutinase Activity:  Using Site-Specific Saturation Mutagenesis to Improve a Polymer-Degrading Enzyme”

3rd Place:  Stephen Grabowski, Grade 11, The Baltimore Polytechnic Institute, Baltimore, Maryland

“Dethiosulfovibrio Strain F2b, a New Non-Thiosulfate Reducing Bacterium that Degrades Mariculture Waste”

Winners, Undergraduate Category

1st Place:  Alex Mesher, Stanford University, Stanford, CA

“Investigating potential phenotypic markers of molt stage cycle in Metacarcinus Magister for effective fisheries management (Dungeness Crabs)”

2nd Place:  Honour Shore Ai Lin Booth, Kapi’olani Community College, Honolulu, Hawaii

“The Sunscreen Sheen:  An Assessment of the Presence and Quantity of Organic UV-Filters in the Nearshore Waters of Waikiki”

3rd Place:  Rebecca Maher, Rice University, Houston, Texas

“Assessing the distribution and impact of the bioeroding barnacle (Lithotrya dorsalis) on high coral cover reefs in the Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary (northwest Gulf of Mexico)”

ASA Special Award

                Nicolas Orndorff, Grade 11, Ingraham High School, Seattle, Washington

                Clara Orndorff, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

                Alex Miller, Grade 11, Garfield High School, Seattle, Washington

                “The AMNO CO ROV Team”