Although the Subsea Engineering Society began just this fall, the organization is already taking the initiative to bring the only subsea program in the nation to the forefront of campus.
The SES was founded during the summer by mechanical engineering senior Nebolisa Egbunike. Egbunike said the organization got its start after he had a discussion with Subsea Engineering Founding Director Matthew Franchek.
“I thought about starting up a new society to serve as a platform for younger professionals to help merge the gap between the industry and academia,” Egbunike said.
“I made up some flyers with a couple of my friends, and we went to the Offshore Technology Conference back in May and started talking to representatives of different companies.”
Egbunike’s idea quickly gained recognition throughout the industry. The oil and gas giant British Petroleum has already agreed to become SES’s first sponsor.
The organization’s faculty adviser, Phaneendra Kondapi, said UH was the perfect platform to give SES its start.
“I agreed to help with SES because it is the first of its kind for students,” he said. “Since UH has the first and only subsea engineering program in the US, I knew that this was the right place and the right time to establish this organization.”
SES welcomes students of all majors and backgrounds. Egbunike said the organization is looking for motivated students seeking better opportunities and who have great ideas to help the organization advance.
“We’re definitely excited about getting more people involved,” Egbunike said. “You don’t necessarily need an engineering degree to work, or make a difference, in the oil and gas industry.”
As the organization continues to expand, plans to travel to conferences, plant new chapters and create a mentorship program are underway. Egbunike said the feedback he’s gotten proves that this organization is just what UH and the oil and gas industry need.
“It’s been awesome,” Egbunike said. “I can definitely say that my team has put in a lot of work. Founding the Subsea Engineering Society has really opened a lot of doors and opportunities for us, and it feels really good to see your idea come into implementation. I’m excited for the future. “
Students who want more information or to know about upcoming events can visit their website at subseaeng.org.
