Scientific diving is defined as diving performed to collect specimens or data for scientific use under the auspices of an educational or research institute operating in accordance with the Canadian Association for Underwater Science (CAUS) Standard of Practice for Scientific Diving. This includes diving and diving related training by University employees or its registered students as part of their research, occupation or instruction in connection with scientific research and teaching. This does not include any diving performed as part of a commercial diving contract with Memorial University.

Memorial University’s commitment to scientific diving has evolved over a fifty-year span, and with the introduction of a professional diving safety officer into the university scientific diving safety program, the university was able to provide an excellent scientific diving safety record.

Every year university scientific divers, either through research or as part of their academic training, provide the university with a nucleus of very qualified scientific divers.

Every scientific diver who participates in the scientific diver program must show competency in a wide variety of areas pertaining to this activity. Memorial's Scientific Diving Safety Manual was designed to provide MUN scientific divers with the safety guidelines needed to conduct their research in a safe and professional manner.

The Canadian Association for Underwater Science is an organization dedicated to scientific diving safety and sets the Standard of Practice for Scientific Diving. Memorial University is one of the founding members of this organization.

The need for continual education and safety awareness in scientific diving is an ongoing process that will benefit the university and its divers in future years.

For more information on Memorial's scientific diving program, please contact us at dso@mun.ca.