Hillary Viders

:: Hillary Viders - Distinguished Service - 2001

Hillary Viders is an internationally acclaimed speaker, educator and author, with an unusually extensive range of interests and expertise. She has taught Environmental Science at New York University School of Continuing Education, has a Ph.D. in literature, and has written over 500 articles (in 40 magazines and journals), academic papers, books and training materials, such as contributions to the NOAA Manual, focusing on undersea and hyperbaric physiology and medicine, marine science and conservation, dive training and safety, and historic shipwreck exploration. By popular demand, her publications have been translated into French, Spanish, German, Italian, and Portuguese, Dutch, Japanese and Korean. Hillarys lectures, training programs, and published works, including her book Marine Conservation for the 21st Century, have had a profound and global influence on scientists, educators, environmental professionals and the general public.

Hillary Viders is a Founder of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, a Member of the

Explorer's Club and the American Academy of Underwater Sciences, a Fellow of the American Society of Oceanographers, a certified scuba instructor, and has been diving coral reefs and historic shipwrecks around the world for 30 years. She is also an EMT, a Member of the Undersea Hyperbaric and Medical Society and the National Association of Diving Medical Technicians and has worked as a hyperbaric chamber technician. Hillary has been the subject of interviews in many publications, including The World and I, National Geographic, USA Today, and BC Magazine. She is listed in Whos Who in Scuba Diving, and was the subject of an ABC Eyewitness News feature story.

In addition to Dr. Viders many dive industry awards, which include a 2001 NOGI Award for Distinguished Service, the 2002 SEASPACE/Project AWARE Environmental Award, two National Association of Instructors Awards for Outstanding Contribution to Diving, the Beneath the Sea Medal of Excellence, the Underwater Society of Americas Diver of the Year Award in 1997, the DAN/Rolex Diver of the Year Award in 1999 (was the first woman to be presented with this award), she was honored by President Clinton and the U.S. Department of the Interior with the prestigious Take Pride In America Award (1993). In 2002, she was cited in Skin Diver Magazine ("Milestones Column") as one of the most influential women in diving.

Hillary Viders was the first Director of Environmental Programs and Projects for the National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) and is presently an Honorary Member of the PADI Project Aware Board of Governors and a Member of the Board of Directors of C.O.R.A.L. In 1991, she founded NAUIs International Underwater Foundation's flagship program, Environmental Horizons and NAUIs Environmental Awareness Award, and she drafted and co-signed the first cooperative agreement between the NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program and the sport diving community. Hillary consults to numerous diving related NGOs, businesses, and government agencies, including CORAL, the U.S. Department of State, the U.S. Coast Guard, The U.S. Department of Commerce (NOAA), the NAVY SUPSALV, and the FBI.