Washington, DC  [August 20, 2026] – The Marine Technology Society (MTS) and the Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) are pleased to announce Dr. Jyotika Virmani, Executive Director of Schmidt Ocean Institute, as the recipient of the 2026 Captain Don Walsh Award for Ocean Exploration. Conferred jointly by MTS and SUT, this prestigious award recognizes exceptional and sustained international contributions to the development, application, and dissemination of marine technology in support of advancing ocean exploration. 

As Executive Director of Schmidt Ocean Institute, Dr. Virmani has established one of the world’s most influential and technologically advanced platforms for ocean exploration. Under her leadership, the Institute has combined state-of-the-art marine technology, open-access science, real-time global communications, and international collaboration to expand access to deep-ocean exploration and dramatically advance humanity’s understanding of the ocean. 

“Dr. Virmani exemplifies the spirit of the Captain Don Walsh Award through her ability to bring technology, exploration, scientific collaboration, and public engagement together in service of a greater understanding of our ocean,” said Susan Hunt, MTS President. “Her leadership has not only advanced the capabilities available to ocean explorers but has helped make deep-ocean discovery more accessible to scientists and audiences around the world.” 

Under Dr. Virmani’s direction, Schmidt Ocean Institute’s research vessels and exploration systems have enabled scientists from around the world to undertake pioneering expeditions to some of the least explored regions of the planet. These expeditions have employed advanced remotely operated vehicles, high-resolution seafloor mapping systems, integrated sensor platforms, telepresence capabilities, sophisticated imaging technologies, autonomous systems, and biological sampling technologies. Together, these capabilities have supported exploration of abyssal plains, hydrothermal vent systems, submarine volcanoes, deep coral ecosystems, polar environments, and previously unmapped regions of the seafloor. Expeditions supported under Dr. Virmani’s leadership have resulted in the discovery of new marine species, previously unknown ecosystems, major seafloor geological features, and important insights into deep-ocean biodiversity, ocean circulation, biogeochemical processes, and climate-related ocean change. 

Mike Fearn, Chair of SUT, added "It is with great pleasure that the judging panel of MTS & SUT awarded Dr Jyotika Virmani the Captain Don Walsh award through their work with Schmidt Ocean Institute, XPRIZE Foundation, Florida Institute of Oceanography which aligned with the values of the award and vision for the future of ocean exploration and raising awareness of critical environmental ocean issues and technology.” 

Virmani's combination of scientific expertise, technological innovation, policy experience, and public engagement has allowed her to develop a distinctive approach to ocean exploration. Her work has helped integrate marine science, engineering, advanced technology, communications, and public engagement into a unified model for discovery. Her leadership has also strengthened international scientific collaboration and contributed to global efforts including Seabed 2030 and the United Nations Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development. Through this work, Dr. Virmani has demonstrated how advanced marine technology can accelerate discovery while helping address some of the world’s most pressing challenges, including climate change, biodiversity loss, ocean stewardship, and sustainable ocean management. In 2024, Dr. Virmani was awarded an MTS Fellow, demonstrating her commitment to the values and mission of MTS. Like Captain Don Walsh, Dr. Virmani has demonstrated how technological innovation can open new frontiers of exploration while bringing people together around a shared commitment to understanding and protecting the ocean. 

Upon receiving news of the award, Virmani said: “For most of my life, Don Walsh was a legendary figure—someone whose name conveyed the very frontier of ocean exploration. I was deeply fortunate to know him in his later years and to experience firsthand his extraordinary generosity. Don was a mentor not just to me, but to a vast global community of dreamers, engineers, and scientists. To receive an award carrying his name, and to be recognized by both the Marine Technology Society and the Society for Underwater Technology, is an honor that is both deeply humbling and especially meaningful. Thank you.” 

The 2026 Captain Don Walsh Award for Ocean Exploration will be presented virtually to Dr. Jyotika Virmani at the MTS Annual Meeting on September 29th.   

About Dr. Jyotika Virmani 

Dr. Jyotika Virmani has spent her career pushing the boundaries of how we explore and understand our Ocean. She is the Executive Director of the Schmidt Ocean Institute, a philanthropic organization accelerating research by providing global scientists free access to the state-of-the-art research vessel Falkor (too) and cutting-edge marine technology in exchange for open-source sharing of Ocean data. 

Before this, Jyotika was Executive Director of Planet & Environment at XPRIZE overseeing global competitions that inspired breakthrough technologies in marine sensors, seafloor mapping, and biodiversity. She sits on the MBARI Board of Directors and is a Plymouth Marine Laboratory Trustee. She also Co-Chairs the UN Ocean Decade Technology & Innovation Working Group and serves on the National Academies Ocean Studies Board and the National Geographic Society’s Committee for Research & Exploration. She is a Fellow of The Royal Meteorological Society, The Explorers Club, and the Marine Technology Society. Marine Technology Reporter Top 100 List ranked her amongst their top 5 Global Ocean Influencers in their Top 100 List in 2020, featuring her again on the list in 2023. In 2024, Forbes recognized her in their 50-over-50 list. She has a Ph.D. in Physical Oceanography from the College of Marine Science, University of South Florida and, as a Rotary Foundation Ambassadorial Scholar, she earned a M.S. in Atmospheric Science from SUNY at Stony Brook. She also has a B.Sc. in Physics from Imperial College London and is an Associate of the Royal College of Science 

 About the Marine Technology Society   

The Marine Technology Society (MTS) believes that advancements in the development and use of marine technologies are essential to support responsible and sustainable use of the ocean. Founded in 1963, MTS is an international professional society that provides members of academia, government, and industry a common forum for the exchange of information and ideas. MTS members are engineers, scientists, technologists, policy makers, and educators on the leading-edge of technology design and application. MTS members work within the full spectrum of ocean and subsea technologies that support sustainable ocean use, ranging from offshore energy to dynamic positioning, ocean robotics to buoys, and many more.  

About the Society for Underwater Technology 

The Society for Underwater Technology (SUT) unites professionals and enthusiasts across the underwater, marine, and subsea sectors. Through knowledge exchange, training, events, Special Interest Groups, publications, and a global network of branches. The SUT bridges science, engineering and industry, drives innovation, supports career development and promotes responsible exploration in ocean industries worldwide. 

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Chelsea Bladow 
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Marine Technology Society 
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