The MATE ROV Competition is Setting Sail into 2025!

Jill Zande
Jill Zande

Happy Holidays from Team MATE!

As 2024 draws to a close, all of us at Team MATE send you our warmest wishes for a joyful holiday season and a healthy, happy New Year! 

This year, we've continued to build on the exciting progress we've made since finding our "forever home" with the Marine Technology Society (MTS). Being part of MTS has not only strengthened our ability to support teams and programs but has also allowed us to set sail with a renewed focus on guiding students beyond the competition. By fostering mentorship, career pathways, and professional growth, we're now better equipped to support our MATE alumni as they embark on their own professional journeys in marine technology and beyond. 

As we set our course for 2025 and beyond, we remain deeply committed to providing access to our programs and supporting learners around the globe. Whether rebuilding regional events, expanding into new communities, or creating connections, we're dedicated to ensuring that every team and student has a place in our global community as we navigate toward an even brighter future.

Your passion, hard work, and creativity continue to inspire us. Thank you for being part of this journey and for driving us forward with your energy and enthusiasm! Together, we're charting a course for new opportunities, innovation, and success. 

Here's to smooth sailing, exciting discoveries, and a thriving competition season in the year ahead! 

Best Wishes,

Jill Zande, MATE Executive Director

Marine Technology Society (MTS)

And everyone at Team MATE! 
Jill Zande

Jill Zande

Jill is the President/Executive Director of MATE Inspiration for Innovation and the Associate Director of the Marine Advanced Technology Education (MATE) Center. Highlights of her 22 years with MATE include working with the Marine Technology Society (MTS) ROV Committee to establish the global student ROV competition and coordinating the development of MATE’s Underwater Robotics: Science, Design & Fabrication textbook. Both involved cultivating and maintaining partnerships with industry, professional societies, academic institutions, and STEM professionals. Jill is an active member of the Marine Technology Society (MTS) and a Certified Marine Technologist (CMarTech). She served on the MTS Board as the Vice President of Education and Research for 6 years. She currently serves as the Underwater Intervention (UI) Technical Program Committee Marine Education Track Chair and is a member of the MTS ROV and Education Committees. Jill is a 2020 recipient of an MTS Fellows Award, one of the society’s most distinguished achievements. In 2018, she was listed as one of the top ten “Ocean Influencers” by Marine Technology Reporter magazine. Jill has a Bachelor’s degree in Biology from Penn State University and a Master’s degree in Oceanography and Coastal Sciences from Louisiana State University (LSU). During her Master’s degree program at LSU, Jill participated in research cruises that investigated hydrocarbon seep communities in the Gulf of Mexico using the Johnson Sea-Link and Alvin submersibles, which gave her an appreciation of how underwater technologies can be used to support science and exploration.

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