He was elected a member of the North of England Institute of Mining and Mechanical Engineers on 6 December 1855 at the age of nineteen.
Steavenson was congratulated for his paper as the institute's members complimented not only his mining intellect, but his evident ability as an excellent photographer.
Steavenson recollected that his passion for photography had begun ten years prior as he recalls taking his first underground photographs of fungus growing at the Cleveland Mines.
[4] Steavenson was a highly celebrated intellect as well as a photographer and frequently wrote papers and presented lectures at the NEIMME.
In 1891 Steavenson notably won an award for his paper entitled 'Notes on the Present Position of the Question of Transmission of Power'[5] as the institute acknowledged his academic efforts.
On 10 September 1906 Steavenson notably led an excursion meeting of Associates and Students at Bowburn Winning to witness a shaft being sunk.
While working for Bell Brothers he was Agent for multiple collieries including Browney, South Brancepeth, Page Bank and Tursdale.
However his opinion caused much controversy and discussion among institute members, most notably William Cuthbert Blackett [11] who criticised Steavenson's report believing his evidence was not plausible.
President W.C Blackett noted on Steavenson's passing that he was 'a most fearless exponent of accuracy and truth, and a most enduring friend to all young men'.