MATE - Jill Zande

Jill Zande

Associate Director, Co-Principal Investigator, and Competition Coordinator

Academic Background:
- M.S. Oceanography & Coastal Studies, Louisiana State University
- B.S. Biology, Minor in Marine Science, Penn State University

Current Position:As the Associate Director, Co-PI, and Competition Coordinator for the MATE Center, Jill’s role is to work closely with industry to ensure that educational programs are aligned with workforce needs and to facilitate partnerships among educators, students, employers, and working professionals. Jill maintains relationships with well over 100 businesses, research institutions, government agencies, and professional societies and nearly 200 middle schools, high schools, colleges, and universities that participate in MATE ROV competitions each year.
Jill’s role also includes identifying potential funding opportunities and writing proposals; playing a key role in strategic planning; and coordinating the development of MATE’s submersible technology curricula, including its upcoming Introduction to Underwater Vehicle Design textbook.

Related Experience: Jill is an active member of the Marine Technology Society (MTS). She currently serves on the MTS Education Task Force, the journal editorial board, and as chair of the Monterey Bay section. She is also a member of the MTS ROV and Education Committees.
Prior to marine technical education, Jill’s focus was on marine research. 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. As a research technician at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab (DISL), Jill's focus shifted from the deep ocean to the coastal environments where she studied seagrass communities.

Personal Interests:Jill is a huge fan of outdoor activities (hiking, camping, bike riding, snow skiing, and sky and SCUBA diving) and the Philadelphia Eagles. She also enjoys traveling (Venice is her favorite destination), wine tasting, reading, and home decorating. Jill and her husband Roy Woods are expecting their first child in November.