This year's recipients of the Dean A. Horn Award for excellence in marine-related undergraduate research are Sara Jo Elice (SB 2001, environmental engineering science and SB 2001, urban studies and planning) and Brett Lockyer, who will be a junior in electrical engineering and computer science.
Ms. Elice's thesis, "Whither the Sediment: A History and Evaluation of the Boston Harbor Navigation Improvement Project," examines the recent dredging project in Boston Harbor and evaluates the option chosen for disposing of dredged materials.
In his work with MIT Sea Grant's Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) Lab, Mr. Lockyer has programmed and controlled actuators for the Odyssey AUVs. He is now involved in redesigning the autonomous surface craft's hardware and software.
The $800 Horn Award was established in 1983 by friends of former MIT Sea Grant College Program Director Dean A. Horn. The award is given each year to one or two undergraduates whose UROP project best reflects Horn's concern for wise and safe use of marine resources; his diligence, enthusiasm and integrity in pursuit of research and engineering projects; and his careful documentation and effective communication of the results.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on June 13, 2001.
