Scholarship Information

Admiral O.D. Waters Graduate Fellowship

Type

Scholarship / Fellowship

Year Established

1998

Purpose

Fellowships for graduate students enrolled in programs in the Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences, or successor academic unit. (GF000175)

Description

The Department of Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences faculty will select the best candidate. Each recipient must be in good academic standing as determined by the faculty of the Ocean Engineering and Marine Sciences. Preference will be given to students who received their undergraduate degrees from Florida Tech. Preference will also be given to renewing the same student for one successive year.

History

Rear Admiral O.D. (“Muddy”) Waters was born in Manassas, Virginia on July 13^th, 1910. He graduated with distinction from the Naval Academy in 1932 and was also a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School and the Armed Forces Staff College.

Starting as a Gunnery Officer on the USS Augusta, then as Torpedo Officer on the USS Downes, and as Assistant Naval Attache at the American Embassy in London, Admiral O.D. Waters was the first officer in charge of the Navy Mine Disposal School plus he served on the USS Memphis as Assistant of Staff for Fleet Gunnery and War Plans Officer.

Additionally, he served as Senior Technical Officer; Mine Development Officer to the Commander, Operational Development Force; Inspector General; and Assistant Chief of the Bureau of Naval Weapons. He commanded the Pacific Fleet Mine Force and Naval Base, Los Angeles before he was named as “Oceanographer of the US Navy”, which, because of his contributions, lead him to be awarded the Distinguished Service Medal which notes that he “enhanced the scientific and military posture of the Navy”.

Prior to his retirement in 1971, Admiral Waters served in the Office of The Assistant Secretary of the Navy and was an advisor in the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the Department of Commerce. Upon retiring, he joined the faculty of the Florida Institute of Technology where he established and was Head of the Department of Oceanography.

Admiral Waters died in May of 1986 leaving us the legacy of interdisciplinary science, engineering, and management education.

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