The Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium Announces Winners of Inaugural Prize Challenge from Three Continents

The Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium (UTIC) has announced the winners of the Inaugural UTIC Prize Challenge. The challenge applications were from academic institutions in the United States, United Kingdom, and Australia (AUKUS) who proposed cross-country, undersea technology related, workforce development opportunities.

“The winners of the Inaugural UTIC Prize Challenge display the importance of collaboration between the AUKUS countries; each winning team included academic institutions from multiple countries. Their compelling proposals highlighted the power of innovation when it crosses oceans. UTIC remains committed to promoting thought leadership in the undersea tech space among academic and business leaders alike,” stated UTIC CEO Molly Donohue Magee.

Each winning team will receive a challenge prize of $15,000 (US Dollars). The two winning proposals are:

Transformation of a Hydraulic Flume into a Towing Tank for AUKUS Workforce Development

• Lead by the University of Adelaide, Australia in partnership with the University College of London, United Kingdom.

Student Study Abroad Robotics Program in Support of AUKUS

• Lead by the National Institute of for Undersea Vehicle Technology (NIUVT), United States in partnership with Flinders University, Australia and the University of Adelaide, Australia.

In 2021, the AUKUS agreement established a tri-lateral security pact between Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States. The agreement promotes information and technology sharing and fosters integration of related undersea science and technology, industrial bases, and supply chains. The purpose of UTIC’s challenge was to advance continued collaboration and innovation between the three AUKUS countries.

“Workforce development is a critical component to the continued strength of undersea defense in the AUKUS countries. UTIC applauds the challenge winners for their thoughtful and forward-looking proposals to ensure the next generation workforce is equipped to take on the challenges of the ever-changing undersea technology space,” added Magee.

Magee congratulated the talented academic professionals who contributed to each winning proposal:

Transformation of a Hydraulic Flume into a Towing Tank for AUKUS Workforce Development

• Professor Eric Fusil, University of Adelaide, Lead
• Dr. Kim Harvey, University of Adelaide
• Dr. Rachel Pawling, University College London

Student Study Abroad Robotics Program in Support of AUKUS

• James Miller, NIUVT University of Rhode Island, Lead
• Richard Christenson, NIUVT University of Connecticut
• Rachel Wolgemuth, NIUVT
• Karl Sammut, Flinders University
• Tony Kyriacou, Flinders University
• Victoria Bick, University of Adelaide
• Eric Fusil, University of Adelaide

To learn more about the challenge and the winning proposals, visit the challenge web page.