Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between AAUS certification and AAUS membership?

How do I become an AAUS certified diver? Does AAUS offer classes directly?

How does the AAUS certification work when you are no longer part of a specific institution (e.g., university), and you become an individual (e.g., I got my AAUS certificate as a graduate student and now that I graduated and I am no longer a student)?

Can AAUS provide me with my scientific diver credentials or proof of training?

What are the qualifications of a certified AAUS DSO?

Does AAUS offer any DSO training?

How do I log into my Individual or Organizational Member Account?

How do I edit my IM or OM profile?

How do I change the composition of my Diving Control Board?

Who should I choose as my OM Representatives?

Do I have to be a member of AAUS to attend the annual symposium?

What is the difference between AAUS certification and AAUS membership?

 

AAUS certification or AAUS science diver training occurs when a diver is trained through an AAUS Organizational member as an AAUS scientific diver.  AAUS membership occurs when an individual chooses to join the Academy.  Certification does not equal membership.  Certified divers must actively join AAUS if they wish to become members. Conversely, membership in AAUS does NOT denote an active AAUS science diver status.  In fact, anyone can join AAUS as a member, even non-divers..


How do I become an AAUS certified diver? Does AAUS offer classes directly?

One of the common misunderstandings about AAUS is that, unlike the traditional recreational diving model, it is not a certifying agency. It provides consensual standards for safe diving to the member organizations which, in turn, train and qualify the divers under their oversight. Generally speaking, this requires some kind of affiliation with the organizational member because of workman">Click here to view a list of current organizational members.


How does the AAUS certification work when you are no longer part of a specific institution (e.g., university), and you become an individual (e.g., I got my AAUS certificate as a graduate student and now that I graduated and I am no longer a student)?

The DCB of your employer oversees your diving through the DSO. When you are no longer employed by or the student of the organizational member you become, in effect, an orphan until employed by another organizational member. Full Individual Members of AAUS must demonstrate that they have been trained as scientific divers but do not necessarily enjoy the privileges of organizational members, mostly because there is no guarantee of oversight. This differs from the recreational model where you are credentialed for life by the organization. AAUS was formed in response to OSHA's ability to regulate scientific diving because of the employee/employer relationship in scientific diving and so the responsibility is properly vested in the organization/employer.


Can AAUS provide me with my scientific diver credentials or proof of training?

No, all diver records are maintain with the training organization.


What are the qualifications of a certified AAUS DSO?

AAUS is a professional organization that sets minimum standards for safe scientific diving. One of those standards is that organizational members must have a DSO. It is a job description, however, rather than a certification; the actual title is conferred by the employer. 

Our current minimum requirements for a dive safety officer are listed in the Standards.

Diving Safety Officer Description 
The Diving Safety Officer (DSO) serves as a member of the Diving Control Board (DCB). This person should have broad technical and scientific expertise in research related diving.

Qualifications

  • Shall be appointed by the responsible administrative officer or designee, with the advice and counsel of the Diving Control Board.
  • Shall be trained as a scientific diver.
  • Shall be a full member as defined by AAUS.
  • Shall be an active underwater instructor from an internationally recognized certifying agency.

Duties and Responsibilities

  • Shall be responsible, through the DCB, to the responsible administrative officer or designee, for the conduct of the scientific diving program of the membership organization. The routine operational authority for this program, including the conduct of training and certification, approval of dive plans, maintenance of diving records, and ensuring compliance with this standard and all relevant regulations of the membership organization, rests with the Diving Safety Officer.
  • May permit portions of this program to be carried out by a qualified delegate, although the Diving Safety Officer may not delegate responsibility for the safe conduct of the local diving program.
  • Shall be guided in the performance of the required duties by the advice of the DCB, but operational responsibility for the conduct of the local diving program will be retained by the Diving Safety Officer.
  • Shall suspend diving operations considered to be unsafe or unwise.

Does AAUS offer any DSO training? 
AAUS runs a DSO Orientation twice per year; one in conjunction with its annual symposium and one in the spring.   This orientation is geared more toward familiarizing DSOs with AAUS policies and procedures and  AAUS program management rather than training instructors to be DSOs. The intent is to shorten the learning curve for new DSOs to operate effectively within the AAUS standards. Because of the the greatly increased number of organizational members and their need to hire DSOs, AAUS is considering expanding DSO requirements, training and credentialing but these efforts are still in draft form.


 How do I log into my Individual or Organizational Member account?

Logging into an IM or OM account requires use of the username and password for that specific account. OM accounts can be accessed after logging in with your personal credentials if you are listed as a DSO or Company Admin for the Organization.  Contact the AAUS office if you have lost or forgotten your username and password or need to be listed as a company admin.


How do I edit my IM or OM account profile?

Profiles can be edited using these instructions for Individual members and these instructions for Organizational Members.


How do I change the composition of my Diving Control Board?

Your Diving Control Board can be edited following these instructions .  Only DSOs and company admins have access to these pages.


Who should I choose as my OM Representatives?

OM Representatives serve as the voice of your OM in the AAUS community. As a portion of your OM Membership, OM Reps will be awarded Full Voting Membership (FVM) in the Academy if they qualify. If your listed OM Reps do not qualify as Full Members your institution will lose one or more votes in AAUS business. Assign the role of OM Rep to a DCB member following the instructions above.


Do I have to be a member of AAUS to attend the annual symposium?

No, we welcome anyone who has an interest in science diving to attend our annual meeting.  There may be discounts available for active AAUS members.