The Academy of Underwater Arts and Sciences (AUAS) hosted the 61st NOGI Awards Gala at this week’s DEMA Show in Orlando, Florida.
The recipients of the prestigious NOGI Awards are exceptional pioneers and leaders being recognized for their remarkable contributions to all fields of the underwater world. The 2022 recipients are Dr. John Clarke (Science), Jack and Sue Drafahl (Sports/Education), Dr. Albert Jose Jones (Distinguished Service), Harry Rabin (Environment) and Adam Ravetch (Arts).
Dr. John Clarke is a Respiratory Physiologist and Physical Scientist. He is a Hyperbaric Medicine Fellow and served in the Navy for 39 years. He has contributed greatly to diving science, engineering, and high-pressure biology literature including three novels about deep saturation diving.
Jack and Sue Drafahl are photographers, undersea journalists, lecturers and multimedia producers. They have worked together for over 50 years dedicating their careers to teaching photography. They helped guide photographers into the digital world and served as Adobe beta testers for 22 years.
Dr. Albert Jose Jones founded the Underwater Adventure Seekers and the National Association for Black Scuba Divers with more than 30 branches. His achievements include International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame Inductee (2015), Purple heart Medal recipient, three college degrees in sciences, and 6000+ dives in over 50+ countries.
Harry Rabin is an award-winning photographer and filmmaker who works at the intersection of science and art. His work covers natural disasters and wildlife like the Deepwater Horizon disaster, California’s Great White nursey, and managing leaking wellheads and effects of sea level rise on groundwater with Heal the Ocean. He founded the Reef Guardians that study human impact and climate change on reefs.
Adam Ravetch is a multiple award-winning underwater cinematographer whose documenting unknown behaviors has significantly enhanced our knowledge of the ocean. His three-decade career is focused in the Arctic where he has captured undiscovered animal behaviors like belugas feeding underwater, a rare bowhead mating ritual, or narwhals using their tusk to stun fish. His films have appeared in major series like BBC’s Planet Earth and Disney+’s Secret of Whales, and PBS Nature.
Congratulations to the 2022 NOGI Award Recipients.
