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Aidan Uvanni

2022-2023 Fulbright Scholar
Civil Engineering

As an ambassador of the 2022-2023 Fulbright U.S. Student Program, ENS Aidan Uvanni is pursuing a Master of Science degree in Water and Environmental Engineering with a specialization in Water Management and conduct a research project, Designing Sustainable Treatment System to Address Stormwater Pollution Due to Climate Change, at the Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague (CTU), the Czech Republic. Given the increase in frequency and intensity of rainfall caused by climate change, his proposed research project will contribute to addressing pollution produced by stormwater flooding and its results will be tested and implemented in a selected urban area of Prague municipality. As a Fulbright scholar to Czechia, ENS Uvanni will engage with experts from the environmental agency, The Czech Republic National Conservation Agency, as well as build a professional network with the Civil Engineering Faculty at the CTU. Engaging with the historians from the Terezin Concentration Camp will enable him to continue studying the inhumane actions committed by the Third Reich. His goal is to establish the Student Fulbright Association at the CTU and to develop and maintain The Czech-U.S. Fulbright Alumni Newsletter where Fulbright scholars will share their cultural and professional experiences. He also hopes to study the country’s language, history, and arts.

ENS Aidan Uvanni graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering and was commissioned as a CG Officer in May of 2021. From June of 2021 to July 2022, he served onboard USCGC Polar Star, a heavy icebreaker that operates under the control of the CG Pacific Area and deploys annually to break a resupply channel to McMurdo Station, Antarctica.

Sponsor Family Application

Thank you for submitting your application to be part of the Sponsor Family Program. Your application will be processed in the upcoming week. Coast Guard Academy’s policy on background screening now requires all adults (everyone 18 and older living in the home) who volunteer to mentor, teach, coach or sponsor cadets, whether on or off Coast Guard Academy grounds, to be screened every 5 years. They are required to provide personal information (name, birth date and social security number) for the purpose of conducting a criminal background check.

The Security Officer at the Coast Guard Academy, CWO2 Gina Polkowski, is overseeing this process. Her email is: Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.

Sponsor Family designations fall into several different categories. Below are the guidelines to help you determine how best to meet the background screening requirement:

If you are Coast Guard active duty you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
If you are a Civilian working for the Coast Guard you do not need to apply for an additional Background Check. You will be vetted through the Coast Guard system by CWO2 Polkowski.
If you are non-Coast Guard Active Duty, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
If you are non-Coast Guard civilian who has a current security clearance or National Agency check, you are required to provide proof of your current security clearance or National Agency Check that is to be emailed by your Command Security Officer (CSO)/ Security Office to CWO2 Polkowski at Gina.M.Polkowski@uscg.mil.
All civilians in the families who are 18 years or older and do not have a security clearance or a National Agency Check are required to be vetted through Mind Your Business, the third party vendor hired by the Coast Guard Academy for the vetting process.

After you complete your application, please e-mail the Sponsor Family Program Coordinator at CadetFamilySponsorProgram@uscga.edu. In your e-mail, you must include the e-mail address and phone number of every adult living in the home. The Sponsor Family Coordinator will then initiate the background check process and you will receive an email with further instructions.

Important things to note:

There is a Sponsor Family Training that is a one-hour training which we ask sponsors to attend once every four years. This training is designed to give you an overview of the program, what is expected of you as a sponsor, and what you can expect from your cadets. This training will also help familiarize you with the cadet regulations onboard CGA. You will be notified via e-mail once the training is scheduled.

The matching process of swabs to families will occur during July and August. Please bear with us and remain flexible through this process. There will be a meet and greet scheduled on Campus, typically in late August. This will give families an opportunity to formally meet their cadet if they have not already done so. Details on this will also be via email.