Georgian College

12 GEORGIANVIEW SPRING 2022 PREMIER'S AWARDS Alumnus celebrates success at sea "As a child growing up in the 1970s, I thought the M.V. Algoisle, the first and largest diesel ship built for the Great Lakes trade, was so innovative in its design," says Capt. Seann O'Donoughue, a 1997 graduate of Georgian's Marine Technology – Navigation program. "I never dreamed I'd be her captain when I grew up." He also didn't realize that one day, he'd be teaching in the same marine program through which he himself learned to navigate the ocean. After more than three decades of experience on the water, Seann currently works as a marine pilot with the Great Lakes Pilotage Authority, a Government of Canada non- agent Crown Corporation with a mandate to establish, operate, maintain and administer safe and efficient marine pilotage service within Canadian waters. "What many people don't realize is that while in Canadian waters, foreign-flagged ships require a Canadian pilot to be on board to ensure the safety of other ships and the local environment," says Seann, who has boarded and supported the navigation of approximately 600 foreign ships through Canadian waters over his career. "It can become quite complicated when you factor in the differences that each ship presents, from the size and type of vessel, engine technology, electronic navigation equipment, to environmental factors including foul weather, heavy wind, snow, sea ice, tides and currents." Ship handling is an area of expertise, for Seann. As a marine simulation instructor in the Centre for Marine Training and Research at Georgian's Owen Sound Campus, he uses highly technical equipment to simulate the dynamic behaviour of a vessel and its systems in a simulated environment. Using marine simulation technology, he trains cadets and active mariners to safely navigate waters around the world and in some of the harshest environments imaginable. "I love working with students on this technology and seeing their confidence grow throughout their training," he shares. "Simulation technology hasn't always been this advanced, and it's absolutely amazing to see how far things have evolved since I was a cadet." To honour his distinguished career and commitment to 30 years of volunteerism, Georgian named him a Board of Governors' Distinguished Alumni award recipient in 2015. In 2021, Seann was a Premier's Award nominee in the Technology category. | Capt. Seann O'Donoughue has more than 30 years of experience on the water.

• Cover