UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — A U.S. Navy platoon commander who is a Penn State World Campus student has received this year’s Lt. Michael P. Murphy Award, which recognizes outstanding contributions to the geospatial intelligence community.
This year’s honoree, Lt. Siotame H. Latu, is stationed in San Diego, California, where he serves as a platoon commander. He is also pursuing a graduate degree online in the Master of Professional Studies in Homeland Security program, in the intelligence and geospatial analysis (GEOINT) option.
Latu is originally from Tonga and was raised in Eugene, Oregon. He attended the U.S. Air Force Academy where he majored in foreign area studies, focusing on Middle Eastern political science. Following graduation, Latu received a cross-commission as an ensign in the U.S. Navy. Throughout his career, Latu has deployed to the U.S. Central Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command areas of responsibility, assuming leadership positions as squad commander, platoon commander and operations officer.
Latu's service has been recognized with several awards, including:
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Joint Service Commendation Medal
- Joint Service Achievement Medal
- Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal
- Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
- Navy Expeditionary Medal
- National Defense Service Medal
- Inherent Resolve Campaign Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Expeditionary Medal
- Global War on Terrorism Service Medal
Officials presented the award to Latu at a Penn State reception during the Esri User Conference in San Diego, California, in July.
About the Lt. Michael P. Murphy Award
Penn State established the Lt. Michael P. Murphy Award in honor of Murphy, a Penn State alumnus who was killed in Afghanistan and posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his valiant service as a SEAL.
The annual award recognizes a student in one of Penn State’s master’s degree programs in geospatial education who has served in the U.S. military or within the geospatial intelligence community and demonstrated exceptional contributions to the discipline. At Penn State, those programs are offered online through World Campus by the Department of Geography in the College of Earth and Mineral Sciences.
The award is made possible by the generosity of the U.S. Geospatial Intelligence Foundation, Maxar, and faculty, staff and friends of Penn State.
Todd Bacastow, an emeritus teaching professor of geospatial intelligence at Penn State, praised the 2023 recipient’s work ethic and dedication.
“This year, the Michael Murphy Award is being awarded to a remarkable individual with an extraordinary blend of talent, drive, adaptability, and experience. While pursuing his master of professional studies in homeland security with a concentration on intelligence and geospatial analysis at Penn State, Lt. Latu successfully applied his newly acquired knowledge in practice,” he said. “Lt. Latu creatively implemented GEOINT throughout multiple deployments in the CENTCOM and PACOM AORs [U.S. Central Command and U.S. Indo-Pacific Command areas of responsibility] while carrying out roles of squad commander, platoon commander, and operations officer. His innovative efforts have not only transformed his professional sphere but have also significantly impacted the GEOINT community at large.”
Online geospatial intelligence education at Penn State
The geospatial intelligence major, which is part of Penn State's Online Geospatial Education program, is a part of the comprehensive portfolio of more than 175 degrees and certificates that are offered online.
Learn more about the graduate geospatial portfolio of programs offered online through Penn State World Campus.