Stephen Jewett wins diving lifetime achievement award

Stephen C. Jewett will receive the 2019 American Academy of Underwater Sciences Scientific Diving Lifetime Achievement award. Jewett is a research professor emeritus at the College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences. He retired in 2015 after 42 years of service.

Over those years, Jewett conducted research on benthic ecology, trophic interactions, benthic impact assessments, Arctic ecosystems, pollution/contamination monitoring, and scuba techniques for scientific divers. Most of his research has focused on impact assessment issues in marine waters, such as effects from El Niño, the Kasatochi Volcano eruption, commercial trawling, log storage, offshore dredging, mercury and radionuclide contamination, Alyeska Pipeline Terminal operations, the Exxon Valdez oil spill, offshore/onshore mining, and the Sitka airport extension.

Jewett has published 110 peer/editor-reviewed journal articles/book chapters, many as senior author. He conducted much of his research throughout Alaska using cold-water scuba diving techniques. His work has led to the discoveries of 22 new marine species, including one alga, one sea anemone, two bryozoans and 18 sea stars. He was an invited speaker to seven countries.

Jewett’s previous honors include 2018 Wally Noerenberg Award for Fishery Excellence (co-recipient); 2015 commencement grand marshall, UAF; 2013 Conrad Limbaugh Memorial Award for Scientific Diving Leadership; 2011 Career Achievement Award, John Brown University Alumni Association; 2006 Fulbright Scholar; senior specialist in Environmental Science at Catholic University of the North, Chile; 2004 Emil Usibelli Distinguished Research Award, UAF; and 2004 The Wildlife Society Wildlife Publications Award for Outstanding Monograph (co-recipient).

Jewett was instrumental in the formation of the University of Alaska scientific diving program, and in UA becoming an organizational member of AAUS in 1990. He also served as a diving safety officer for 27 years.

The AAUS Scientific Diving Lifetime Achievement Award is presented biennially to an individual from the scientific diving community who has made a significant contribution in advancing underwater science and technology.

Jewett will receive his award in October at the joint symposium of the American and Canadian Academies of Underwater Sciences in Vancouver, BC. He will be the keynote speaker at the symposium banquet.