Every year, the Our World Underwater Scholarship Society (OWUSS) hosts an awards ceremony. This event is a celebration of the outgoing Scholars and Interns, who present on the experiences of their year, and welcomes the incoming cohort of new Scholars and Interns.

2024 saw the largest gathering of alumni in the society’s history, accompanied by an expanded program of events to mark the milestone birthday. A highlight was the Alumni Symposium which took place in the Asia Society on Friday morning. Previous Scholars and Interns made short presentations and spoke about their careers and experiences since their year with the society. Two panel discussions took place under the topics of Marine Science and Media. Many of the speakers have remained connected to Our World Underwater, contributing currently or historically as board members, co-ordinators, or volunteers with the Society, without whom it could not function.

Speakers included Jade Berman, 2003 EU Scholar, and Vice President of the European board, who spoke about the pleasure of discovering new passions within the flexibility of the self-directed Scholarship year- in her case, sea sponges! Jade shared insights from her subsequent work as a Coastal Advisor for the National Trust U.K.

Hailey Shchepanik, the 2022 National Park Service Dive Research Intern, spoke about her role as an Aquatic Science Biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Hailey is also an Expedition Diver with Lindblad Expeditions and shared her experiences of facilitating underwater excursions in the Canadian Arctic and Greenland off the expedition vessels, hosted by National Geographic.

Despite diverse career paths, all alumni credited their OWUSS experiences as pivotal to their success. 50 years on from their inception, the Scholarship and Internship programmes have drastically evolved, but the philosophy and raison d’etre has remained unchanged — to support and develop young people with great potential in the underwater realm to best make their contribution and mark.

The Society was conceived as many great ideas are, with two friends sitting down, shooting the breeze. Unlike many of these familiar stories, Joyce Markstahler and Jim Mackie-Smith were not in a bar writing on the back of a napkin, but rather more fitting to the theme of the Society, were sitting on a boat in the San Francisco bay.

Mark Benson was the very first Our World Underwater Scholar in 1974. The early years of the Scholarship was a small stipend of $5,000 and was one Scholarship, exclusive to residents of North America. Stories of the early days of the Scholarship were shared and enjoyed at the 50th anniversary weekend, such as 1990 Scholar Steve Barnett, former Society President, and his creative and crafty means of stretching his budget during his year, travelling along the American coast.

Over the last half-century, OWUSS has grown into a global organisation, supported by Rolex and numerous sponsors, now offering European and Australasian Scholarships and seven American Internship programs. This year, the Society introduced the first European Internship- the European Media Internship and I am honored to be the recipient of this award.

I have been an avid Scuba diver for many years, both recreationally and as a Search and Recovery volunteer diver, with a background in science, specifically health research. Patient interactions, interviews and qualitative research brought me to appreciate narratives, seeing people connect in a much more meaningful way with personal stories compared to other forms of information. Growing this interest, I established and ran a monthly community storytelling event in my hometown in Ireland and produced a number of radio pieces and documentaries.

‘The world is in trouble. Continents are on fire, gases are melting. Coral reefs are dying, fish are disappearing from our oceans – the list goes on and on… Saving our planet is now a communications challenge. We know what to do, we just need the will.’ – David Attenborough.

During their year, the OWUSS Scholars and Interns are not only exposed to, but have the opportunity to work alongside pioneers and experts at the vanguard of many disciplines such as scientists, explorers, conservationists. I hope during my Internship to harness the power of storytelling to connect people with the message of these leaders. I plan to write articles about my interactions and start a podcast, telling the stories of our changing seas.

Although our oceans face innumerable challenges, we have seen the positive impact of effective storytelling and communication to influence protection and conservation. For example, Dr. Sylvia Earle’s landmark TedTalk upon winning the 2009 Ted Prize introduced her project Mission Blue.

Mission Blue contributes greatly to helping achieve the goal of protecting 30% of the oceans by 2030 via ‘Hope Spots’, community nominated and advocated marine protected areas. Sylvia Earle and her team encourage people to elect coastal areas local to them where more protection is needed, for example sites with particular populations of rare, threatened or endemic species, major migration corridors or spawning grounds, or sites of significant historical, cultural or spiritual values.

Mission Blue aids communities to establish these sites as Hope Spots, and supports them with communications, expeditions and scientific advisory. Hope Spot status raises the profile of these areas, making them less likely to be ignored by policymakers. There are now 163 Hope Spots, each championed by the community local to them, covering approximately 57,577,967 Km2.

Sylvia’s message and the continued success of Mission Blue was a great inspiration for me to apply to OWUSS with my ideas for storytelling in the underwater world. It was my pleasure and great honor to meet her during the 50th Anniversary weekend.

After a trip to New York and meeting a personal hero, it’s hard to believe this is only the beginning! I am embarking on what will be life-changing year of adventure and discovery, with thanks to Rolex and the Our World Underwater Scholarship Society. Thank you for believing in me and trusting me with the very first European Internship. The tireless work of the volunteers who run the Society is outstanding, and I am honored to join this network of ocean advocates.