Alf O Brubakk (61) has been awarded Statoil’s research prize for 2001 for his many years of research within diving technology and physiological effects on divers.
The prizewinner has been particularly concerned with how diving affects the divers’ health. His work has contributed to responsible standards for diving activities in the oil industry, according to the judges.
Professor Brubakk works at the Institute for Physiology and Biomedical Technology at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU) in Trondheim. He is known in Norway and abroad for his research within physiological response in extreme environments and biomedical instrumentation.
Einar Wold Svendsen, adviser in diving technology in Statoil, says that most oil companies acknowledge the need for diving as a method of carrying out tasks. The diver still outperforms remote-controlled technology when unexpected incidents occur. Furthermore, divers play an important role in connection with emergency response. Mr Brubakk kept up his research into diving medical treatment even when discontinuing manned underwater operations was being considered.
The research prize of NOK 200,000 was presented yesterday at Statoil’s research centre in Trondheim. This was the 11th time the prize has been awarded and it is recognition of research results achieved at a high international level within a specialist area considered to be important for Statoil.