Texas A&M Galveston PhD Candidate Wins Prestigious International Maritime Award
Fatemeh Asadi is recognized by the Royal Institution of Naval Architects for her dedication to mentoring and empowering the next generation of marine engineers
Fatemeh Asadi, an ocean engineering PhD candidate at Texas A&M University at Galveston
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In April 2026, the Royal Institution of Naval Architects (RINA) announced Fatemeh Asadi, an ocean engineering PhD candidate at Texas A&M University at Galveston, as the winner of the 2026 Developing Careers Champion Award. The award recognizes Asadi as a force for good in welcoming people to the engineering industry and working to improve career development and knowledge acquisition for people entering marine engineering careers.
Officially founded in 1860, and headquartered in the United Kingdom, RINA is one of the world’s leading professional institutions for naval architecture, marine engineering, and maritime innovation, with members in over 140 countries. Receiving a Developing Careers Champion Award is an achievement reserved for those who have made significant contributions to furthering the future of maritime careers.
“This award is especially meaningful because it recognizes efforts to develop the next generation of maritime professionals,” said Asadi. “Throughout my career, I have tried to create opportunities that help students move from the classroom into research, industry, and professional leadership roles. Receiving this recognition from RINA reinforces the importance of investing in the future maritime workforce.”
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Asadi came to Texas A&M University at Galveston in 2022. The campus is situated deep in the heart of the oil and gas industry, which appealed to her.
“The maritime industry faces increasingly complex technical challenges, and addressing them requires a strong pipeline of well-prepared engineers and researchers,” Asadi explained. “I believe that connecting students with professional societies, industry experts, and hands-on technical experiences is one of the most effective ways to strengthen the future of the field.”
The award recognizes Asadi’s longstanding efforts to mentoring students, expanding professional development opportunities, and strengthening the future maritime workforce. She first demonstrated this commitment by training students in ANSYS-based modeling techniques for maritime engineering applications, helping them develop technical skills relevant to both research and industry careers. Shortly after arriving at Texas A&M University at Galveston, Asadi joined the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), eventually serving as student program chair for its annual Offshore Symposium. In that role, Asadi helps to expand opportunities for student participation, professional engagement, and career development.
In addition to working with SNAME, Asadi became actively involved in Texas A&M Galveston’s campus Society of Underwater Technology chapter, collaborating to initiate industry workshops and providing needed informational resources to those in attendance. In recent semesters, Asadi has trained and mentored students through technical workshops, industry engagement programs, professional society activities, and conference participation initiatives designed to prepare students for careers in maritime and offshore engineering.
Each of these commitments served to further an overarching goal: to pave the way for future marine engineers by providing them with vital information before they begin their careers, and connecting newcomers with mentors who can help them navigate through an ever-changing informational landscape. To Asadi, there are countless promising and untapped opportunities when it comes to preparing aspiring marine engineers with industry-specific knowledge.
“Many of the practical skills and industry-specific insights used in maritime engineering are not easily accessible through public educational resources,” explained Asadi. “We’re hoping to help bridge that gap by creating more opportunities for students to learn from professionals and gain hands-on experience.”
Currently, a lot of this essential knowledge is locked behind training programs specific to individual firms. Asadi envisions the future of the maritime industry as one where those in the industry empower newcomers to bridge this knowledge gap ahead of time — a vision which RINA saw fit to recognize and support.
Asadi is excited to see the future professional opportunities that receiving the award will create. In addition to being recognized by RINA, the award has already begun to facilitate deeper connections for Asadi throughout the maritime engineering industry. Building on the recognition from RINA, Asadi plans to continue advancing research in marine materials and structural reliability while creating new opportunities for students and early-career professionals in the maritime industry.
