Twenty-three Australian Maritime College Class of 2023 graduates were celebrated in recent weeks, as they crossed the stage in a ceremony in Launceston to mark the successful completion of their studies.
Joining more than 5,100 University of Tasmania students from around the state who also took part in 2023 Summer graduations, was Bachelor of Maritime Engineering (Ocean Engineering) student Samantha Hoekstra.
Samantha achieved First Class Honours, and was recognised as an exemplary all-round student with a slew of additional achievements.
The Launceston local was awarded the Connell Medal as the most outstanding bachelor’s degree graduate across all of AMC; the Captain Thomas Swanson Prize as an outstanding graduate in maritime engineering and hydrodynamics, and to top it off she received the University Medal, a prestigious honour indicating consistently high academic performance throughout her studies.
AMC Principal Malcolm Wise said it was fantastic to recognise the hard work of Samantha and all of AMC’s students.
“We’re very lucky at the College to have bright students who continue to make us very proud, and I look forward to tracking the inspiring careers of the Class of 2023.”
Samantha said her passion for the subsea industry, specifically ocean engineering, was an accumulation of her life experiences.
“I was born in Western Australia and spent most of my early childhood in the ocean. After living in Tasmania for many years, it really fascinated me that we were living at the forefront of the renewable energy movement, being solely powered on hydropower - I formed a passion for renewable energy.
“Growing up, I was very analytical, I loved solving problems, and I enjoyed maths and science. It was in physics in college where I really began to form an interest in the physics behind waves. The ocean engineering degree at AMC suited me as it allowed me to pair my love for the ocean with my profound interest in waves and my passion for renewable energy,” she said.
Samantha said she enjoyed the hands-on projects that students do throughout their studies, including designing a bridge made from pasta and a rat-trap powered boat.
Following graduation, Samantha will be moving to Perth to work as a graduate subsea engineer with Aurora Offshore Engineering.
“I am very excited to apply the knowledge I gained from AMC to assist solving real-life problems in the renewable energy sector.”
In December, AMC also awarded 20 prizes across 16 categories to graduates and students continuing their studies in 2024. Thanks to philanthropic gifts and generous donations from industry partners, many of these accolades are accompanied by cash prizes.
See the full list of AMC’s 2023 Prizes and Awards recipients.
