Sukant Kumar, a senior naval architect at Lloyd’s Register (LR), has won the RINA Contribution to STEM Award for 2026, in recognition of his outstanding commitment to engaging young people with maritime and engineering careers.

Kumar’s work at Lloyd’s Register centres on ship safety, regulations and emergency response. He contributes to global regulatory development through the IMO and IACS, supporting technical papers, regulatory amendments, interpretations and implementing them within LR. He also advises shipowners and operators on compliance and technical decision-making, and supports the LR Ship Emergency Response Service, applying stability and longitudinal strength analysis to assist vessels during time-critical incidents. Together, this work helps ensure that ships operating worldwide remain safe, compliant and resilient.

That professional credibility is central to what makes his school visits effective. When Kumar stands in front of a class and describes what a naval architect actually does, he is speaking from direct experience of a technical, consequential and modern profession.

Kumar has been a volunteer with Inspiring the Future since 2022. The platform connects professionals with schools and colleges across the UK, and asks participants to give just one hour a year. He has given more than 23, attending 10 school engagements and reaching more than 1,700 young people. Inspiring the Future has recognised him as one of its most outstanding volunteers.

The scale of impact is reflected in the feedback from a London International Shipping Week event attended by 120 Year 10 students. Following the session, 94% said they had encountered a maritime job they had not previously heard of, 96% reported new knowledge of maritime careers, and 92% felt more confident that those careers were accessible regardless of gender or background.

Showing young people what’s possible

His motivation is personal. Growing up, Kumar lacked exposure to engineering role models, and that absence shaped his awareness of what was possible. He is guided by the principle that you cannot be what you do not see, and his outreach is a direct response to that experience. He says: “Talent is everywhere, but awareness is not, and even small moments of exposure can change the direction of a life.”

That commitment to honest engagement is evident in a session he delivered to primary school children on the Titanic. When a pupil asked why only women and children had been saved first, Kumar responded with care, explaining that in maritime, the priority is to protect those who cannot protect themselves. It is the kind of moment that illustrates why his engagements leave a mark.

Beyond school visits, Kumar serves as a governor at a local primary school and has supported a youth leadership programme affiliated with a Toastmasters club, helping college students develop the confidence and public-speaking skills that underpin careers in engineering and beyond.

The RINA nominations committee described the impact of his outreach as immense and impressive, noting that Kumar embodies the spirit of the award and surpasses its requirements.

“I plan to continue visiting schools,” he says, “and to spend more time mentoring young naval architects as they begin their careers.”

The RINA Awards

Sukant Kumar is the first in a series of award winners that The Naval Architect will be profiling this year. The RINA Awards recognise outstanding contributions and achievements across the naval architecture and maritime engineering community, spanning technical excellence, education, research and professional development.

This article appeared in Members, TNA May/June 2026.