Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society and Rolex are proud to announce the list of three Rolex Our World-Underwater Scholarship recipients for 2007. Click below to read their individual bio's.

Igor Valente: European Rolex Scholar
Brenna Mahoney: North American Rolex Scholar
Mathew Kertesz: Australasian Rolex Scholar

The Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society is a 501(c)(3), nonprofit, educational organization whose mission is to promote educational activities associated with the underwater world.

For over 30 years, Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society (OWUSS) has offered a variety of internships and scholarships. Our goal is to foster the development of future leaders of the marine environment. We continue to believe that by investing in special young people, by exposing them to a broad array of activities in the underwater community and giving them opportunities to work with influential people who are leaders in aquatic disciplines, we are investing in the future of our oceans and lakes.

Each year the society awards year-long scholarships designed to expose a qualified young person to a wide range of experiences in various marine-related fields. With continued generous funding from the Rolex Corporation, the awards are now known as the Rolex Scholarships.

Our World-Underwater Scholarship Society counts among its alumni of Rolex Scholars and interns many individuals who have fulfilled their promise as leaders in the marine science and environmental communities. Craig Cary, PhD, is Professor of Marine Biology and Biochemistry at the U. of Delaware, and an expert on the extreme environments surrounding the geothermal vents of the deep ocean. Karen Van Hoesen, MD, is currently Director of the Diving Medicine Clinic at the UC San Diego Medical Center. Wesley "Rocky" Strong is a leading researcher who has studied shark behavior worldwide. Adam Ravetch is a filmmaker who has been awarded the prestigious Palm D'Or on multiple occasions and has documented the walrus population above the Arctic Circle. Lisa Truitt is now a senior producer with National Geographic Explorer. And Brian Skerry is an accomplished underwater photographer whose work has been featured in several National Geographic Magazine cover articles.