John Case, a doctoral student in acoustics at Penn State, is pictured during a recent field testing excursion at Portage Lake in Michigan. Provided by John Case.
Acoustics graduate student awarded $5,000 from undersea technology consortium
June 5, 2024
By Mariah Lucas
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — John Case, a doctoral student in acoustics in the Penn State College of Engineering, was awarded a $5,000 scholarship from the Undersea Technology Innovation Consortium (UTIC).
Ten students from around the country were selected for the scholarship based on their academic transcripts, resumes, employment history, volunteer work, honors and awards, essay, and letters of recommendation, according to UTIC. The consortium, which develops undersea and maritime technologies that address industry, defense and security challenges, created the scholarship program to encourage and support the next generation of the undersea technology workforce.
Case’s research centers on ice fracturing, which is caused by changes in winds and ambient air and water temperatures.
“Understanding ice fracturing is crucial in climate science, fisheries management, global trade and human safety,” he said. “Taking measurements of the acoustic emissions from these fracturing events can provide insight into ice sheet health. The data can then be used to train algorithms that can detect, localize and classify ice fracturing events.”
In a press release, UTIC’s CEO Molly Donohue Magee said that advancements in undersea technology, like Case’s, are critical to addressing challenges in climate change, national security and the global economy.
“Technology innovation to address these challenges depends on a focused workforce adept at recognizing and developing current and future solutions,” she said. “This year’s UTIC scholarship winners embody the potential of the undersea tech workforce’s next generation.”
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