John Reed is a Research Professor at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute
(HBOI) at Florida Atlantic University and Principal Investigator for the
Robertson Coral Reef Research and Conservation Program. His emphasis is
research and conservation of deep and shallow water coral reefs, including
deep water Lophelia and Oculina reefs, and shallow water reefs of the
Caribbean, Bahamas and Florida. He has been Chief Scientist on 60 research
expeditions over the past 30 years, visiting 40 countries, including
Seychelles, Samoa, Papua New Guinea, Australia, Galapagos Islands, Pearl
Islands, Azores, Canaries, Cape Verde, Sierra Leone, Senegal, and
throughout the Bahamas and Caribbean. He has utilized research vessels from
HBOI, NOAA and NASA as platforms for manned submersibles, ROVs, and AUVs.
John also heads the Collections and Taxonomy Department for the Biomedical
Research Program. He is curator for HBOI's museum of biomedical collections
(>30,000 deep and shallow water marine organisms) and is manager of the
submersible videotape and photographic archives. John is Diving Safety
Officer for all diving activities by 50 HBOI research and commercial
divers. He has logged 35 deep water lockout dives with helium-oxygen from
Johnson-Sea-Link submersibles to depths of 300 ft, >2000 scientific scuba
dives, and more than 200 dives in the Johnson-Sea-Link and Clelia
submersibles. John's research on the deep water Oculina coral reefs off
Florida since 1976 has resulted in the establishment of a 300 sq.mi.
Oculina Coral Marine Protected Area, the first in the world to protect deep
water coral.
John's research on the deep water Lophelia reefs off Florida at depths of
2500 ft has resulted in a recent proposal by the South Atlantic Fishery
Management Council for a 26,000 sq. mi. deep water coral habitat area of
particular concern. John's research on deep-water reefs began 33 years ago
when he started at Harbor Branch for the Division of Marine Science. He has
>100 publications, reports, and articles on worldwide research expeditions,
deep sea coral reef research, and biomedical research. John received his
B.S. from the University of Miami and M.S., specializing in marine ecology,
from Florida Atlantic University in 1975.
John is supported on this mission by the Banbury Foundation.
"This is exciting to be on the maiden scientific cruise for these
two new deepwater AUVs. It is rather amazing that we probably have
better maps of the surface of the moon and mars than of the seafloor
just off our coastline. These AUVs will be able to provide detailed
maps of the deepwater reefs that we have recently discovered out there.
This will help allow fisheries to fish the bottom but avoid damaging
the fragile reef systems."
Thiago earned a B.Sc. in Oceanography at the Universidade do Estado do Rio
de Janeiro (Rio de Janeiro, Brasil) and was concurrently funded by the
Agencia Nacional do Petroleo (ANP) to conduct research in marine geology
and geophysics at the Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF). During this
period, he had the opportunity to work with high-resolution seismic data
and to develop projects using GIS. In 2005, Thiago began a Ph.D. working on
carbonate environments at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric
Sciences (RSMAS- University of Miami), under the supervision of Drs. Gregor
Eberli and Mark Grasmueck. In December of 2005, he was invited to
participate in an AUV survey to map deep-water coral mounds in the Straits
of Florida. The following year, they used a man-occupied submersible, the
Johnson Sea-link II, from HBOI (Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution) to
groundtruth high-resolution AUV maps via sample collection and video
transects. Since then, Thiago has been analyzing the collected AUV and
submersible data and developing a GIS project for deep-water corals in the
Straits of Florida as part of his Ph.D. research.
"The AUV represents a new level of technology for mapping the ocean floor,
and for the first time it is being applied to map deep-water coral fields.
The fine-scale resolution of this AUV data has revealed a surprising
abundance and diversity of deep-water mounds, indicating that deep-water
coral ecosystems are much more variable and complex than previously
thought."
Mr. Lance Horn is the Operations Director of the Undersea Vehicles Program
at the NOAA Undersea Research Center at the University of North Carolina at
Wilmington (NURC/UNCW). He has worked at NURC/UNCW for 23 years and
participated in hundreds of research missions using diving, remotely
operated vehicles, autonomous underwater vehicles, and submersible
technology. NURC/UNCW owns and operates a Deep Ocean Engineering Phantom S2
ROV, a Phantom 300 ROV, and a Webb Research Slocum Glider. He is the chief
ROV operator at NURC/UNCW since 1987, and was the team leader for the Eagle
Ray AUV for four years taking it from the concept phase to fully
operational vehicle. Mr. Horn obtained his degree in Underwater Technology
at the Florida Institute of Technology in 1984. He is currently a NAUI Dive
Instructor, IANTD Trimix/Technical Diver, Advanced Diver Medical
Technician, member of Marine Technology Society, and member of the UNCW and
NURC Diving and Water Safety Committees.
Glenn Taylor has worked at the National Undersea Research Center at the
University of North Carolina Wilmington since 1990 supporting the
operational side of undersea scientific research as an Oceanographic Field
Operations Manager. That job has included serving as habitat technician for
saturation missions in the Aquarius Habitat, coordinating deep submersible
operations, piloting remotely operated vehicles (ROVs), conducting mixed
gas technical diving operations, and most recently operating autonomous
underwater vehicles (AUVs). Glenn's diving qualifications include: NAUI
Instructor and NAUI Course Director, IANTD Nitrox Instructor, Trimix Diver,
Saturation Diver, Advanced Diver Medical Technician, and NACD Cave Diver.
He has worked as a diving instructor in Jamaica, St. Croix, and the
Bahamas. Glenn and his dive buddy, now his wife, did much of the original
exploration of the blue holes of Grand Bahama Island in the 1970s.
Michael Dessner was born in Cedar Falls, IA but spent the formative years
of his life in Decorah, IA where he learned to fish, hunt and trap under
the tutelage of his father Larry. His love of the outdoors was honed during
that period during which he also worked as a salesperson and guide in the
family sporting goods store and canoe rental business. After attending the
University of Iowa and working as a sound technician for Iowa City based
band Boys With Toys, Michael enlisted and served 4 years in the US Army as
a Hawk Missile fire control technician. Honorably discharged after a 4
year tour of duty (2 of which were served in Germany) Michael eventually
moved to Alaska where he spent a year at sea working the decks of processor
vessels servicing Bering Sea crab fisheries as well as herring and salmon
fisheries along the Alaskan coast. Upon his return to land based fisheries
Mike was a dock foreman in the Kenai River and then began his career as a
fish buyer for various canneries based on the Kenai Peninsula. Over the
course of the next ten years Mike purchased over 20 million pounds of
halibut and sablefish from long liners delivering to the deep-water ports
of Homer and Seward, Alaska. After a 2-year stint managing a marina in the
Florida Keys Michael returned to Alaska before joining the Waitt Institute
for Discovery managing logistics for missions of discovery. Michael is
currently acting as a sonar analyst and training to pilot submersibles when
time from his duties as a planner of operations permits.
"Any time I can work at sea in a way that brings understanding of the
environment or assists in protecting the biosphere, I am deeply gratified.
The moment of discovery at sea is an awe that cannot be replicated anywhere
else save perhaps other planets. Any deep reef we can ground truth, we can
save. It's that simple. It is my hope that sustainable fishing practices
can be further developed, undertaken and spread around the world. Knowledge
can only help further that goal."
Charles (Lee) Frey is a Senior Ocean Engineer and Project Manager at the
Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute Center for Ocean Engineering and
Technology. Mr. Frey has expertise in the areas of ocean systems
engineering, robotics, and instrumentation. He has extensive experience in
the development of underwater vehicles and oceanographic equipment, and has
organized and served as lead engineer on over 12 at-sea expeditions. His
Master's Degree research focused on the development of a small Autonomous
Underwater Vehicle (AUV) for use in environmental monitoring of under-ice
drilling operations in Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Professional projects include
the organization of exploratory deepwater expeditions on deepwater reefs in
the Atlantic and Pacific, design and development of a series of unique
optical oceanographic instruments and landers for measuring and recording
bioluminescence and the behavior of deep-sea fauna, as well as the design
of advanced telemetry & control systems for scientific ROVs. Other research
interests and current projects include development of distributed sensor
systems and autonomous swarm robots, applied to coastal ecosystem
monitoring and underwater exploration tasks.
"The WID Catalyst program bridges the impossible gap that too often
prevents good scientists from doing good science. It's the missing
ingredient in the race to understand and conserve our oceans."
Bill Baxley is the Director of Technical Operations for the Harbor Branch
Oceanographic Institute Center for Ocean Engineering and Technology. Mr.
Baxley joined the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) as a Navy civil
servant in 1992 after graduating with a degree in Ocean Engineering from
Florida Institute of Technology. He worked as an ocean engineer on a wide
variety of Navy research projects involving acoustics, underwater vehicles,
underwater measurement arrays, and numerous buoy-based detection systems.
He became the primary pilot for the TONGS ROV system, and oversaw the
complete redesgin and upgrade of the system. Mr. Baxley also attended U.S.
Navy dive school in 2001, graduating at the top his class, and became NSWC
Carderock Division's Diving Officer shortly thereafter. Upon assignment as
Lead Engineer, Mr. Baxley led numerous at-sea operations involving the
installation of complex systems requiring precise placement and calibration
in deep water, and within the high currents of the Gulf Stream offshore
south Florida. Mr. Baxley joined Harbor Branch in May 2008 as the Director
of Technical Operations, a position that involves the management of
engineering, fabrication, and marine operations (ship and subs) at the
Institute.
Joseph Lepore serves as the Waitt Institute for Discovery's Dive Safety
officer and oversees all deck operations during missions of discovery. He
grew up in Ronkonkoma, New York where he joined the US Navy in 1986. He
served his country with distinction and honor for twenty years before
retiring as a Master Chief Petty Officer and Master Diver in 2006, after
which he joined the WID team. He completed the Navy's schools for 2nd
class Diver, 1st class Diver as well as the schools for Salvage,
Construction and Demolition Diving. During his service he was awarded the
Legion of Merit, 6 Meritorious Service Medals, 4 Navy Commendation Medals
and 4 Navy Achievement Medals. In his spare time he enjoys boating,
fishing and diving. He currently resides in North Carolina with his wife
and two children.
George Gunther first began working on Harbor Branch ships in 1994 when he
signed on as Chief Mate. He took over as Captain of the R/V SEWARD JOHNSON
in 2006. George grew up in North Kingstown, RI, worked with autistic
children during college, and toyed with the idea of becoming a lawyer
before making the shift to a full-time mariner. A four-year stint with the
Coast Guard gave him training to obtain a high-tonnage captain's license
and allowed him to go work on high endurance Coast Guard cutters doing
navigation. Before eventually settling at Harbor Branch, George ran a ferry
for a while out of Newport, Rhode Island and also the American Caribbean
Lines Mayan Princess.
Michael Purcell has been designing, building and testing ocean instruments,
buoys and underwater vehicles for over 25 years. He has worked in the
Oceanographic Systems Laboratory at the Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution since 1991. This group has made major contributions in the
areas of deep ocean survey technology, coastal underwater observatories and
autonomous underwater vehicles. Mike has a BS in Ocean Engineering from
Florida Atlantic University and an MS in Ocean Engineering from
Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
"One great aspect of working at WHOI is that we are often trying something
that has not been done before. We get the opportunity to work on
ocean-related projects from the initial idea creation, through development,
assembly and testing at sea."
Greg Packard is the senior technician within the WHOI Oceanographic Systems
Lab and is responsible for the lab's current at-sea operations of
deep-water REMUS vehicles. As Operations Coordinator, Greg is responsible
for ensuring the readiness of WID's AUVs for deployment on missions, the
integration of vehicle systems onto shipboard platforms, at-sea
coordination, oversight of vehicle operations and the demobilization of
equipment.
"The assembled components of technology, science and people within the
CATALYST program presents a new mechanism for facilitating deep ocean
science and discovery programs. I am very excited to be a part of it."
Brennan Phillips has been working with underwater vehicles since earning
his BS in Ocean Engineering in 2004. While working as an ROV pilot for the
University of Rhode Island/Institute for Exploration, he completed a
master's degree studying Antarctic gelatinous zooplankton. He has been
involved with numerous expeditions studying biological, geological and
archaeological oceanography. Brennan has spent a good portion of the past
year preparing for this expedition and is excited to be a part of it.
"I've been interested in deep-sea exploration since I was a little kid, and
went to school specifically so I could work in the field. I love going to
sea and being involved with science in any fashion. Every day is different
from the next, and I learn something new every single day. I am very
excited about the CATALYST AUV expeditions and I am honored to be a member
of this team!"
Fred Jaffre earned his M.S. in Electrical Engineering from the French
engineering school, Institut superieur de Toulon et du Var. He joined the
Oceanographic Systems Laboratory at Woods Hole Oceanographic as an
electrical engineer in 2003.
Stephen began his career at WHOI in 1984 aboard ships as a crew member in
the Marine Department, sailing in various positions aboard the R/V Knorr
and the R/V Oceanus. He sailed as a Mess Attendant, Ordinary Seaman, Able
Bodied Seaman and as Boatswain; and is currently the foreman of the WHOI
Rigging Shop.
"My love of the ocean and travel to exotic locations is what drew me to
WHOI in the beginning. The REMUS operations group offers me a great
opportunity not only to experience these things but to participate in an
exciting new technology, learn new skills, and to work with a great group
of people. I am very much looking forward to the upcoming AUV expeditions
and hope to contribute by bringing my many years of oceanographic
experience to the group."
Mark Dennett came to Woods Hole Oceanographic
Institution in 1974 and has been working primarily in the field of
microbial ecology. Over the past 12 years he has been involved in many
projects in the Southern Ocean in both the Amundsen and Ross Sea and the
Antarctic Peninsula region. This past year Mark returned to the Amundsen
Sea to examine protistan diversity within the sea ice and the water column
using both traditional microscopy and an underwater video microscope (a
video plankton recorder). These organisms have a significant impact on
carbon flow in the upper water column by virtue of their size and ability
to grow rapidly and then sink quickly out of the euphotic zone. Mark became
involved in this project this past summer, which has provided him a unique
opportunity to work in the field of autonomous underwater vehicle
exploration.
Don Liberatore is the Chief Submersible Pilot for Harbor Branch
Oceanographic and has been with the Johnson Sea-Link program since 1977. He
has held various positions within that program from mixed gas lockout
diver, diver medic, decompression chamber operator and submersible pilot
leading to his current position as Chief Pilot. Don has logged over 1750
dives as a pilot and continues to be active in the operation and
maintenance of HBOI's manned vehicles. Don is participating in this
mission as an AUV technician.
Phil Santos is a Senior Submersible Pilot with Harbor Branch
Oceanographic's manned submersible program. He is bringing his
experience as an operations director with the Johnson Sea-Links to
assist with and learn AUV operations.
Jim Sullivan has been working at Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institution
since 1979. He works on the electronics of the manned submersibles. His
responsibilities include the video, digital imaging, communications,
navigation, propulsion, battery, and life support systems, as well as
interfacing scientific sensors and instrumentation to the subs. He is on
this mission to share his expertise with marine operations aboard the R/V
SEWARD JOHNSON and will act as a member of the AUV team on the Pacific
trip.
Frank Lombardo, Johnson Sea-Link submersible pilot and technician ,
working on CATALYST One AUV mission as AUV support personnel and R/V SEWARD JOHNSON, boatswain.
Andy Sherrell graduated in 1996 from Florida Institute of Technology with a
B.S. in Ocean Engineering and has worked on deep water search and salvage
operaitons for over 12 years as an operator, technician, and support
engineer of multiple Sidescan and ROV systems rated to 20,000ft.
"I enjoy working in the offshore environment, is there an office with a
better view?"
Mr. Dabagian has over twenty-nine years of experience working in coastal
and offshore oceanographic operations. During this time, he has been
involved in the acquisition and processing of a wide array of data sets
pertaining to the ocean environment in locations around the globe. Through
the understanding and implementation of today's modern technology, Mr.
Dabagian has been involved with various teams to accurately study physical,
geophysical, chemical, and biological aspects of the sea, its floor, and
its coasts.
Don Koningsor was born in the Great Lakes area and raised in Tucson
Arizona. He has worked in the marine industry for over 20 years with
submersible and acoustic systems worldwide, and been involved in Survey,
Seismic and Salvage operations. He enjoys outdoor sports, sailing, skiing,
fishing, climbing.
With 12 years of marine field research experience, Stephani is in her
element filming science expeditions. She has worked in remote stretches
of the wilderness as well as protected areas near cities. This past
year Stephani filmed tundra swan research in northern Alaska, coral
reefs in Moorea, pronghorn antelope in Wyoming, ships wrecked on atolls
northwest of Hawaii, Joshua trees in the Mojave, and native songbirds
and seabirds in Hawaii. The unpredictable nature of working in the
field, the creative and intellectual challenges of editing, and most of
all the chance to help researchers communicate their science is what
drives her love of filmmaking. Stephani's home-base is located outside
Bozeman, Montana. Check out her films here.
Since 1993, Brian Cousin has been Harbor Branch Oceanographic
Institution's video production specialist. He has documented leading-edge
scientific research and development at the institution and on various
missions to the Bahamas, the Galapagos archipelago, the Gulf of Maine and
Mexico. While his name is rarely seen in the credits, Brian's video footage
has been included in television documentaries produced around the world. In
addition, Brian has produced award winning video programming for Harbor
Branch, including a 26-minute program entitled "Marine Bioluminescence:
Secret Lights in the Sea". Brian is a certified Harbor Branch scuba diver
and a member of the American Academy of Underwater Sciences. His diving
experience ranges from cave-diving - perhaps the ultimate in confined-space
diving - to blue water diving - essentially open-ocean diving in a
referenceless enviornment, often likened to space walking. On this mission
Brian will be the @Sea Mission Correspondent providing daily field dispatches and still and
video images for the @Sea web site.
