TEKDiveUSA Technical Diving Scholarship

During the TEKDiveUSA.2016 gala there was a charity auction and raffle held. Proceeds went in part to the TEKDiveUSA technical diving scholarship fund with a goal of inspiring and empowering the next generation of technical divers.

The TEKDiveUSA Technical Diving Scholarship's mission is to cultivate the next generation of safe, experienced technical divers by providing a solid foundation of quality training, a fundamental understanding of technical equipment, a breadth of experience and the financial assistance to do so.

About the Scholarship

Founded in 2016, the TEKDiveUSA Technical Diving Scholarship will provide internships, mentorships and training and educational opportunities. The TEKDiveUSA  is a proud supporter  of cave research and scientific diving to help all divers better understand the underwater environment. The first of the 2016 scholarships was awarded to a young scientist working in cave research, Lauren Ballou from Texas A&M University at Galveston. Here is a brief update on her recent trip to the Bahamas.

"The Bahamian islands are well known for their tropical climate and beautiful beaches. However, my fellow researchers and I were drawn to the Bahamas for a very different reason: To find and explore some of the richest biodiversity hotspots in the world for marine cave life. The major objective of this trip was to find the elusive crustacean Class, Remipedia, and identify what species are found throughout the Bahamian islands of Abaco and Eleuthera. In order to access the habitats of these mysterious creatures, our team scuba dived into the challenging underwater terrain of anchialine cave systems.

My role in the project was to provide assistance to cave divers and perform sample analysis of the organisms collected in these unique habitats. This research trip provided a fantastic opportunity for me to become more adept at understanding the technical aspects surrounding cave diving. Without the use of scuba diving, these underwater cave ecosystems would be inaccessible to scientists. Upon sample collection, I and fellow international collaborators would organize the samples using dissecting microscopes then fix the samples appropriate to their later functions (either DNA or morphological analysis). The data collected on this research trip will help me gain a better understanding of how these unique organisms are able to adapt and thrive in such extreme environmental circumstances.

My research on these magnificent cave environments is only just beginning. As a first year Ph.D. student in Marine Biology, I cannot wait to begin my next step in research and furthering my own diving skills. By this summer, I will be Scientific Diver and Cavern certified. I plan in the very near future to become Cave Diver certified so I too can witness first-hand the beauty of these rare and enchanting ecosystems."

Lauren will traveling to Denmark in the coming months to help with further analysis and identification of these underwater organisms. Please wish her good luck on her research and further training in the technical diving field. Lauren will be attending TEKDiveUSA.2018.

The TEKDiveUSA.2018 conference will feature a raffle of incredibly prizes including but not limited to dive trips, computers, a KISS Sidewinder Rebreather and other prizes donated by our TEKDiveUSA sponsors, exhibitors and supporters. To apply for the TEKDiveUSA scholarship please email a resume detailing your training and involvement in technical diving along with a proposal consisting of goal statement, budget of project and any pertinent details to info@tekdiveusa.com. The TEKDiveUSA board will review all proposals. TEKDiveUSA tickets will also be available to some scholarship recipients in order to continue their educational opportunities.