Professor Cassidy has achieved at the highest level at every stage of his youthful career, as a Rhodes Scholar and winner of the WA Premier and Prime Minister's Malcom McIntosh prizes, together with reaching full Professor at age 32 and currently the Director of the Centre for Offshore Foundation Systems. His research on foundations for mobile drilling rigs has been implemented in international design guidlines and has attracted significant funding from Singapore-based manufacturers and a recent international joint industry project.